Aswan Reservoir

Jennifer Sieracki

Location

Aswan High Dam

• Begun in 1959• Goals:

– Provide water for agriculture– Prevent release of floodwater to the

Mediterranean– Prevent flooding and provide water during droughts– Produce power

Morphometric Data

• Mean depth = 25 m• Max depth = 130 m• Surface area = 6,216 km2

• Volume = 157 km3

• Surface elevation =

183 m asl• Length = 496 km• Max Width = 12 km• Shoreline:length =

18:1

Photo credit: J. Sieracki

Morphometric Characteristics

Inflow

• Virtually no rainfall occurs in the region

• 84% of floodwaters from the Ethiopian Plateau

• 16% from the equatorial lakes

(Fahim 1981)

Outflow

• Mostly evaporation

• Some seepage to the Nubian aquifer

Photo credit: J. Sieracki

Northern Sector: Fully Lacustrine

Middle Sector: Semi-riverine

Southern Sector: Fully Riverine

Benefits of the Aswan Reservoir

• Flood and drought control

• Increase in agriculture

• Increase in

electrical power

• Increase in

Egypt’s national

income

Photo credit: J. Sieracki

Costs of Aswan Reservoir

• Increased seismic activity• Disruption of Mediterranean flow circulation• Increase of water-born diseases• Drowning of archaeological sites• Displacement of Nubian peoples

Photo credit: J. Sieracki

Costs of the Aswan Reservoir

• Water loss• Salinization and waterlogging• Scouring of downstream sections• Loss of nutrients• Erosion of the Nile Delta• Reduced fish catches in the delta

Photo credit: ask.com

Waterlogging and Salinization

• Kim, J., and M. Sultan. "Assessment of the Long-term Hydrologic Impacts of Lake Nasser and Related Irrigation Projects in Southwestern Egypt." Journal of Hydrology 262.1-4 (2002): 68-83. Print.

• Modeled the possible long-term hydrologic effects of irrigation projects occurring in the Western Desert

Waterlogging and Salinization

• Aswan Reservoir has reached max capacity

• Water has overflown into Western Desert

• Government has two plans for excess water:– Water can be injected

back into Nubian Aquifer

– Water can be dispersed for agriculture

Kim and Sultan 2002

Waterlogging and Salinization

• Results (for 2020 and 2050):– Increase in waterlogging– Increase in flooding– Increase in salinization– Change in water table will complicate the

distribution of groundwater

Sedimentation

• Floodwaters carry silt from the Ethiopian Plateau

• Prior to construction of the High Dam:– Nutrient-rich sediments deposited by

floodwaters– Silt provided nutrients to the delta estuary– Delta depth was maintained

Photo credit: J. Sieracki

Sedimentation

• Turbid waters from the Ethiopian Plain no longer reach the dam

Latif 1984

Sedimentation

Latif 1984

Sedimentation

• Problems created by sedimentation:– Lake infilling– Erosion downstream of dam– Deepening of the Nile delta– Loss of nutrients to farm lands– Loss of nutrients to the delta estuary

Photo credit: NASA.gov

Lessons for the Future

• Developing countries in the tropics are considering similar projects

• Must understand problems associated with large dams

• Alternatives may

include programs in:– Population control– Rural development– Efficient ag

production

Photo credit: J. Sieracki

Questions?