The Chagres National Park is a

nature park A nature park, or sometimes natural park, is a designation for a protected natural area by means of long-term land planning, sustainable resource management and limitation of agricultural and real estate developments. These valuable landscape ...

and

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

created in

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

located between the Province of Panama and Colon, in the Eastern sector of the Panama Canal with a total surface area of . The park contains tropical rain forests and a set of rivers which provide sufficient water to guarantee the operation of the

Gatun Lake Gatun Lake ( es, Lago Gatún) is a large freshwater artificial lake to the south of Colón, Panama. At approximately above sea level, it forms a major part of the Panama Canal, carrying ships of their transit across the Isthmus of Panama. Gatun ...

, main lake of the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...

: the Chagres River and the Gatun River. The highest point of the park is Cerro Jefe, at 1,007 m above sea level. It is considered a Key

Biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

Area of international significance.

Panama Canal Watershed

The park was created in 1985,Ecotourismpanama.com
/ref> with the aim of preserving the natural forest that composes it * to produce water in amount and quality sufficient to guarantee the normal operation of the Panama Canal * to supply potable water for the cities of Panama, Colon and la Chorrera, * and the generation of electricity for the cities of Panama and Colon.

References

{{authority control National parks of Panama Protected areas established in 1985 Panamá Province Colón Province Tourist attractions in Colón Province Tourist attractions in Panamá Province 1985 establishments in Panama