Panama Canal Authority project to deepen the navigational channel in Gatun Lake is 40 percent complete - ahead of schedule and within budget. The project's goal is to deepen the channel in the Lake, the large, man-made body of water that all ships navigate when transiting the Canal. Among the many benefits, when complete, the deepening will provide an additional meter of water storage, a 45 percent increase. This would minimize future draft restrictions, enhancing reliability and improving vessel safety, and accommodate future demand for drinking water.