20 USC § 79 - Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake to be set aside

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t20/s79"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "20 USC § 79 - Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake to be set aside"
title_number: 20
title_name: "EDUCATION"
section_number: "79"
section_name: "Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake to be set aside"
chapter_number: 3
chapter_name: "SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, NATIONAL MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES"
subchapter_number: "IX"
subchapter_name: "CANAL ZONE BIOLOGICAL AREA"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(July 2, 1940, ch. 516, § 1, 54 Stat. 724.)"
---


# § 79. Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake to be set aside

The President is authorized and directed to set aside within the Canal Zone an area in Gatun Lake known as Barro Colorado Island in which the natural features shall, except in event of declared national emergency, be left in their natural state for scientific observation and investigation.

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**Source Credit**: (July 2, 1940, ch. 516, § 1, 54 Stat. 724.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in text, see , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to , Territories and Insular Possessions.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Termination of War and Emergencies

Joint Res. , , provided that in the interpretation of this section, the date , shall be deemed to be the date of termination of any state of war theretofore declared by Congress and of the national emergencies proclaimed by the President on , and .