Suggestion and discussion on Canals. I say go big

[geoffalrich]

OK so Seuz and Panama canals back.

Why not dozens, it not 100s of buildable smaller historical canals?
Histoically they where bulit.
The purpose was linking rivers for better transport.

In game rivers are the best form of inland proximity.
Why not have canal building as a major long term economic improvement feature that improves proximity?

Also rivers could be split into navagatable and not navagatable.

That way inland port trading centers become more important.

Nations up and down stream could cut-off this trade as a stratigic option.

These seem like obvious suggestions to me
Anyone else have any thoughts?

[KroganCharr]

I do like the idea of turning navigable rivers into strategic assets, both for trade and military purpose. We could also consider using dams for military purposes, such as strategic flooding, the Dutch have been doing this for a long time. If we wanted to go really far, we could consider diverting entire rivers to mess with the people downstream, but AFAIK that would be somewhat ahistorical. I know the idea existed during the period, but I don't know if it was ever done successfully.