# Canal del Dique > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Canal_del_Dique > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Canal_del_Dique.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_del_Dique > Source revision: 1319047128 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Canal in Colombia Sunset in the Levee Channel in [Mahates](/source/Mahates) town The **Canal del Dique** ([English](/source/English_language): Levee Channel) is a 118 km artificial canal connecting [Cartagena Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cartagena_Bay&action=edit&redlink=1) (at the [corregimiento](/source/Corregimiento) of [Pasacaballos](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pasacaballos&action=edit&redlink=1)) to the [Magdalena River](/source/Magdalena_River) in the [Bolívar Department](/source/Bol%C3%ADvar_Department) in northern [Colombia](/source/Colombia). The canal is a bifurcation or artificial arm of the Magdalena River, and its eastern portion forms most of the border between the departments of Bolívar and [Atlántico](/source/Atl%C3%A1ntico_Department). The port on the Magdalena River is [Calamar](/source/Calamar%2C_Bol%C3%ADvar). ## History The canal was needed since the mouth of the [Magdalena River](/source/Magdalena_River) (which provided access into the interior of Colombia) was virtually impenetrable, and Colombia's two main colonial ports ([Cartagena](/source/Cartagena%2C_Colombia) and [Santa Marta](/source/Santa_Marta)) had no access to the river.[1] It was built by the [Spanish](/source/Spain) in 1582 but quickly fell into disrepair; it was rebuilt in 1650.[2] However, by the end of the 18th century, it had become impassable except during times of high runoff, and by 1821 it was completely blocked.[2] Thus, trade moved increasingly away from Cartagena to Santa Marta and Sabanilla[2] (a port near the mouth of the Magdalena, later eclipsed by [Puerto Colombia](/source/Puerto_Colombia) and [Barranquilla](/source/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.[2] [George M. Totten](/source/George_M._Totten) engineer, helped rebuild part of this canal, in the mid-19th century.[3] In 1923 and 1952, the canal was improved, but use then began to decline due to increased sedimentation of the Magdalena River.[4] In 1972 an extensive study was made of the morphology of the Rio Magdalena and the Canal del Dique.[5] Currently, a modernization of the channel is being considered in order to boost trade in the port of Cartagena.[6] Since 2013, [river diversions](/source/Sedimentation_enhancing_strategies) have been planned with Dutch company [Royal Haskoning DHV](/source/Royal_HaskoningDHV) to control [sediment](/source/Sediment) and [water flow](/source/Discharge_(hydrology)) along the canal.[7] This has led to creation of a new [mangrove](/source/Mangrove) [wetland](/source/Wetland) area, land building and [ecological restoration](/source/Restoration_ecology) in the region. ### In the literature The canal figures prominently in [Gabriel García Márquez](/source/Gabriel_Garc%C3%ADa_M%C3%A1rquez)'s novel *[Love in the Time of Cholera](/source/Love_in_the_Time_of_Cholera)*. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-EL_1-0)** ["| Eduardo Lemaitre| (1988). El Tránsito del Canal del Dique in González, M., Orlando, J. et al. (Eds) *Caminos Reales de Colombia*"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090207030618/http://lablaa.org/blaavirtual/historia/caminos/trans7.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.lablaa.org/blaavirtual/historia/caminos/trans7.htm) on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-GB_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-GB_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-GB_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-GB_2-3) ["Boletín Cultural y Bibliográfico, Número 21, Volumen XXVI, 1989"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100722203958/http://lablaa.org/blaavirtual/publicacionesbanrep/boletin/boleti5/bol21/canal.htm#). Archived from [the original](http://www.lablaa.org/blaavirtual/publicacionesbanrep/boletin/boleti5/bol21/canal.htm#) on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2019-08-31. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Canal del Dique (in English)"](https://americancanalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Canal-del-Dique.pdf) (PDF). *American Canal Society, David G. Barber, date 2012*. Retrieved December 16, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Monsalve Garcia, A. El Canal del Dique: 350 Años de Lucha Continua"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110707052706/http://fluidos.eia.edu.co/hidraulica/articuloses/historia/dique/dique.htm). Archived from [the original](http://fluidos.eia.edu.co/hidraulica/articuloses/historia/dique/dique.htm) on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Prins, A. (1973). [*Río Magdalena and Canal del Dique survey project*](https://repository.tudelft.nl/record/uuid:d4ee4a1c-1ba6-4c5a-8657-64f1c82a80b1). Nedeco. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*El Espectador*, July 9, 2009](http://www.elespectador.com/articulo149213-construccion-del-canal-del-dique-requerira-330000-millones) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Project Canal del Dique: bringing Dutch water management expertise to Colombia"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210615172026/https://www.royalhaskoningdhv.com/en-gb/news-room/news/project-canal-del-dique-c-bringing-dutch-water-management-expertise-to-colombia/8504). *www.royalhaskoningdhv.com* (in Dutch). Archived from [the original](https://www.royalhaskoningdhv.com/en-gb/news-room/news/project-canal-del-dique-c-bringing-dutch-water-management-expertise-to-colombia/8504) on 2021-06-15. Retrieved 2021-03-12. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Canal del Dique](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Canal_del_Dique). - [The Canal del Dique Corporation (Spanish)](http://www.cardique.gov.co/) Authority control databases International VIAF Geographic Structurae Other Yale LUX [10°09′N 75°30′W / 10.150°N 75.500°W / 10.150; -75.500](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Canal_del_Dique¶ms=10_09_N_75_30_W_region:CO_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Canal del Dique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_del_Dique) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_del_Dique?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.