Canal del Dique
Encyclopedia
The Canal del Dique is a 118 km canal connecting Cartagena Bay (at the town of Pasacaballos) to the Magdalena River
in the Bolívar Department
in northern Colombia
. The river port is Calamar
. The canal was needed since the mouth of the Magdalena River (which provided access into the interior of Colombia) was virtually impenetrable, and Colombia's two main colonial ports (Cartagena
and Santa Marta
) had no access to the river. It was built by the Spanish
in 1582 but quickly fell into disrepair; it was rebuilt in 1650. However, by the end of the 18th century, it had become impassible except during times of high runoff, and by 1821 it was completely blocked. Thus, trade moved increasingly away from Cartagena to Santa Marta and Sabanilla (a port near the mouth of the Magdalena, later eclipsed by Puerto Colombia
and Barranquilla
). By 1831 traders in the city began to lobby for the canal's reopening, but repeated efforts to redredge the channel failed and by the end of the 19th century a railroad had replaced it.
In 1923 and 1952, the canal was improved but use then began to decline due to increased sedimentation of the Magdalena River.
Currently, a modernization of the canal is being considered in order to boost trade in the port of Cartagena.
The canal figures prominently in Gabriel Garcia Marquez
's novel Love in the Time of Cholera
.
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
in the Bolívar Department
Bolívar Department
Bolívar is a department of Colombia. It was named after one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. It is located to the north of the country, extending from the coast at Cartagena near the mouth of the Magdalena River, then south along the river to a border with Antioquia.Its...
in northern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. The river port is Calamar
Calamar
Calamar is a town and municipality located in the Bolívar Department, northern Colombia. The town is situated on the Magdalena River at the entrance of the Canal del Dique....
. The canal was needed since the mouth of the Magdalena River (which provided access into the interior of Colombia) was virtually impenetrable, and Colombia's two main colonial ports (Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
and Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
) had no access to the river. It was built by the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1582 but quickly fell into disrepair; it was rebuilt in 1650. However, by the end of the 18th century, it had become impassible except during times of high runoff, and by 1821 it was completely blocked. Thus, trade moved increasingly away from Cartagena to Santa Marta and Sabanilla (a port near the mouth of the Magdalena, later eclipsed by Puerto Colombia
Puerto Colombia
Puerto Colombia is a town and municipality in Atlántico Department, Colombia. Famous for its "Pier of Puerto Colombia". Duties were later transferred to the larger and modern Port of Barranquilla in Bocas de Cenizas, the mouth of the Magdalena River in the Caribbean sea.-External links:...
and Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
). By 1831 traders in the city began to lobby for the canal's reopening, but repeated efforts to redredge the channel failed and by the end of the 19th century a railroad had replaced it.
In 1923 and 1952, the canal was improved but use then began to decline due to increased sedimentation of the Magdalena River.
Currently, a modernization of the canal is being considered in order to boost trade in the port of Cartagena.
The canal figures prominently in Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez is a Colombian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist, known affectionately as Gabo throughout Latin America. He is considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in...
's novel Love in the Time of Cholera
Love in the Time of Cholera
Love in the Time of Cholera is a novel by Nobel Prize winning Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez first published in the Spanish language during 1985. Alfred A. Knopf published the English translation during 1988...
.