So long as it doesn't go through any mountains, I don't see a problem provided it takes a hell of a hell of a lot of time and manpower for the canal to be completed.

And [@Frengo], beautiful. One of the reason the Promethean remnants were conquered was because the plague was still effecting them, so there weren't as many warriors as in an unaffected society (plus there weren't many to begin with).

And about ayel babies, [@SavOrhchid], I don't imagine them as being particularly pudgy. But more like tiny ayels with those disproportionately long limbs and big heads babies tend to have. So, all in all, pretty creepy little things.  

EDIT: [@Shorticus] how far do the saurians raid? Because if they go out far enough I can use that to my advantage to spread northwards in the next century. It'd be a nasty surprise for saurian raiders to hit a small village on the northern coast only to find the professional, fanatical warriors of the Brotherhood of the Covenant.