My first thought was if this was remotely possible on this scale, how many things would be disrupted and changed from the water movement alone. The Panama canal has to have locks because of the ocean differences, but no way would you have locks spanning a few hundred miles across. This thing would have tides back and forth.
Panama canal has to have locks because of the ocean differences
It’s actually mostly due to the landscape of Panama, including the lake it uses to traverse and the mountains. The Pacific and Atlantic oceans don’t different that much, maybe a few feet. And mostly due to tidal differences.
Just made the entire river underground! A big underground river spanning thousands of miles. It’d require a hell of a lot more work but it wouldn’t disrupt things on the surface as much.
My first thought was if this was remotely possible on this scale, how many things would be disrupted and changed from the water movement alone. The Panama canal has to have locks because of the ocean differences, but no way would you have locks spanning a few hundred miles across. This thing would have tides back and forth.
It’s actually mostly due to the landscape of Panama, including the lake it uses to traverse and the mountains. The Pacific and Atlantic oceans don’t different that much, maybe a few feet. And mostly due to tidal differences.
Oh, so it’s like an escalator for ships up and down.
Yep.
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2FKT5K5/panama-canal-profile-structure-of-locks-logistics-and-transportation-of-international-container-cargo-ship-freight-shipping-nautical-vessel-concept-2FKT5K5.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boat_lift
Essentially yeah. Or a bunch of elevators up then down. Both descriptions work.
Plus literally chopping down a large stretch of both the Appalachians and the Sierra Nevada would be insane.
Or could just go over tbh
You ever take your boat off any sweet water ramps?
Just made the entire river underground! A big underground river spanning thousands of miles. It’d require a hell of a lot more work but it wouldn’t disrupt things on the surface as much.
Imagine getting Ever Givened under Kansas.
My first thought too. This needs a Randall Monroe ‘What If?’ explanation.
There’s a sea level canal in Greece, the Corinth canal. And it has pretty strong tidal currents.
I wonder if, hypothetically, we could use such currents for more efficient power generation compared to the current tidal power generation.