Human societies have long worked on changing nature’s waterways for their purposes. Canals are artificial waterways constructed for irrigation , drainage, river overflows, water supplies, communications, and navigation, or in connection with power generation from hydroelectric dams. The digging of canals for irrigation probably dates to the beginnings of agriculture, with traces of canals found within ancient Chinese, Egyptian, and Babylonian civilizations.
Written evidence shows that the Suez Canal, for instance, was excavated prior to 2000 B.C.E. It was documented to be navigable for small vessels by 600 B.C.E. and remained in operation for fourteen centuries as a convenient trade route between the Mediterranean and Red Seas. One of the world’s longest canals, the Grand Canal of China, was constructed primarily during the seventh and thirteenth centuries. The 1,900-kilometer (1,200-mile) canal connected the cities of Beijing and Hangzhou, and is often considered the most notable of the early canals. Read more
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