The Gaillard (or Culebra) Cut of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal Crosses the Continental Divide at the Gaillard Cut

The Panama Canal engineers faced a major challenge in digging through the mountains of Panama at the highest point--the continental divide. Not only were they using early 20th century equipment, but the soil of the area is prone to mudslides, which means constant dredging to keep the Panama Canal open to traffic. This photo of the Culebra (or Gaillard) Cut shows the point at which the engineers had to dig down the furthest.