Panama Canal Authority–Supported Open Data Initiative

Background and Context

The Los Chorros de Ciri basin, located west of Panama City, is a hydrologically and socially important watershed that supports rural communities while contributing to regional water security. In recognition of this dual importance, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) funded a high-resolution mapping project focused on community-oriented outcomes and long-term public benefit.

This project represents a shift away from closed, single-purpose GIS deliverables toward open geospatial data that can support community planning, environmental stewardship, and collaborative mapping initiatives.

Project Objectives

The mapping effort was designed around the following goals:

• Generate high-accuracy base mapping of the Los Chorros de Ciri basin using drone photogrammetry
• Identify and document community presence within the watershed
• Release derived GIS products for public and open-source use

Data Acquisition and Processing

Drone Photogrammetry Surveys

Multiple drone missions were conducted in early September 2025, covering discrete but adjacent blocks within the basin. The surveys achieved consistent, high-resolution coverage suitable for both environmental and community-scale mapping.

Key characteristics of the datasets include:

• Area coverage exceeding 9 square kilometers across all survey blocks
• Ground sampling distance between 4 and 5 centimeters
• Full image reconstruction for all flights
• Dense point clouds exceeding hundreds of millions of points per block

These datasets were processed using WebODM Lightning and generated orthophotos, digital surface models, and digital terrain models suitable for GIS analysis and mapping.

Accuracy and Quality Control

Survey accuracy was evaluated using GPS and 3D error metrics derived during processing. Reported results indicate:

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