Glossary

Deutsch: Kanal / Español: Canal / Português: Canal / Français: Canal / Italiano: Canale

In the industrial or industry context, a canal refers to an artificial waterway constructed to allow for the passage of boats or ships, to irrigate land, or to convey water for industrial use. Canals are significant infrastructural elements that facilitate the transportation of goods and resources, often playing a crucial role in the economic and industrial development of a region.

Description

Canals are engineered to provide routes that are navigable by commercial and recreational watercraft, bypassing unnavigable or turbulent parts of river systems, or connecting bodies of water. Industrial canals may also be used for the delivery of water to power plants, factories, and other facilities where large quantities of water are required for industrial processes.

Application Areas

• Transportation: Canals are used to transport goods and materials efficiently and cost-effectively, often serving as critical links between different parts of a country or between countries.
• Irrigation: In agricultural industries, canals distribute water to farmlands, facilitating the irrigation of crops in regions where water scarcity might otherwise limit agricultural productivity.
• Energy Generation: Canals can be integral to hydroelectric power generation schemes, channeling water to turbines that generate electricity.

Well-Known Examples

Notable examples of canals include:

• Panama Canal: Connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, drastically reducing the maritime journey between the east and west coasts of the Americas.
• Suez Canal: Connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, providing the shortest maritime route between Europe and lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
• Erie Canal: Historically significant in the development of the Eastern United States, it originally ran from Albany, New York, to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, facilitating the transport of agricultural and industrial goods.

Treatment and Risks

The construction and maintenance of canals involve extensive civil engineering, with significant attention paid to impacts on local ecosystems and water resources. Risks include environmental degradation, disruption of local communities and habitats, and the spread of waterborne diseases. Furthermore, the substantial costs associated with constructing and maintaining canal systems necessitate careful economic planning and regulation.

Similar Terms

Related terms include aqueducts and waterways. Aqueducts specifically refer to structures built to convey water, often without navigation purposes, while waterways encompass all navigable bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, seas, and canals.

Weblinks

• allerwelt-lexikon.de: 'Kanal' in the allerwelt-lexikon.de (German)
• information-lexikon.de: 'Kanal' in the information-lexikon.de (German)

Summary

In the industrial context, canals are critical infrastructure for transportation, irrigation, and energy supply. They support economic growth and development, enhance the efficiency of resource distribution, and have profound impacts on the landscapes and regions they traverse.

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