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
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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
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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?