Blog #5 Nicaragua Grand Canal

Although Lake Nicaragua is peaceful and beautiful, its entirety might change after the completion of the canal waterway. The new 50 billion dollar waterway named The Nicaragua Grand Canal will run from Rio Punta Gorda to the Caribbean Coast on the Pacific in order for quicker transportation and started construction in December of 2014. As 1700 feet wide and 90 feet deep, it is supposed to bigger the the Pnama Canal. The trouble here is that Lake Nicaragua is a huge freshwater reservoir that many communities rely on. Though the government and people in charge of construction do not see any problems now, experts are saying the lake will dissipate entirely in some more shallow areas. The main concern, told by Dr. Jorge A. Huete-Perez, was the quality of water. Because of the constant ship traffic, the water will be severely polluted with toxins that are harmful to the entire ecosystem of this area. Entire communities will be displaced as the entire lake will become a ‘dead zone’. Huete-Perez goes on to explain how the process was pushed very quickly, not even leaving time for the public to have an informed debate. Some experts are even wondering if the project will even be completed by its scheduled finish date in 2019. Though it is under construction nonetheless.

Here we see another example of just how quickly urbanization can turn its ugly head as an untouched reservoir with an extensive ecosystem lying in it is corrupted. Experts in the matter are avidly concerned with this process, yet the government still pursues it. What could this tell us about the process itself? Most likely this developing country is simply trying to make ends meet by upping transportation of goods. It makes sense, but not if the country is hurting itself in the process.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/04/travel/lake-nicaragua-tour/