INFLUENCE OF GREAT HYDRAULIC WORKS UPON NATURE AND MANKIND

The great hydraulic works represent heavy environmental modifications and influence both humans (during the construction and the utilization) and nature. The present paper compares these influences for two such works the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal. Both are relatively recent, have the same purpose (the increase of the East-West trade) and were initiated by Ferdinand de Lesseps. The possibility of realization was analyzed long time before the beginning of the work. Both works are sources of huge incomes and created endless disputes between the great powers. The forecast level increase of the planetary ocean will affect differently these works.