The River Nile
Use an atlas to draw on the River Nile.
Colour the countries that use the River Nile.
http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/contemporarymaps/world/africa/index.html
The start of the River Nile is in the Ethiopian Highlands.
Key Word the start of
a River =
(NB – I need a map like the one below but with all the information on one map with rainfall
superimposed)
OCR Spec B 1998
Use the key to complete the map to show the areas that receive between 100 and
400mm and those areas that receive over 12000 mm a year
Which of the three countries receives the least rainfall?
How much rainfall this country receives
Egypt
Sudan
Ethiopia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ethiopia_Topography.png
http://www.bestcountryreports.com/Precipitation_Map_Ethiopia.html
Describe the relationship between rainfall and topography.
The highlands of Ethiopia receive relief rainfall.
Complete the diagram below to show how relief rainfall occurs.
Describe what is happening in the diagram in 4 sentences:
1. _________________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________________________
Key Word = Drought – a long period where less rain falls than usual.
In eastern Ethiopia where there are no mountains, there is much less rainfall.
People living in Ethiopia have to learn to live with drought.
Causes of
drought
Short-term effects
Long-term effects
Rains can fail to
arrive
So
Rain arrives but only
in heavy storms
So
The rainy season is
at the same time as
the highest
temperatures
Deforestation
so
Crops fail
So
People don’t have
any clean drinking
water
People migrated in
large numbers from
remote rural areas
Farmers have to
take their animals to
find new food
supplies
Farmers have no
crops to sell and
crops don’t grow
There are less crops
to sell
Farmers leave their
land
So
So
so
so
So
So
So
Answers
They will have more chance of surviving and there
will be less food shortages
There is less soil erosion/desertification and more
shade and more transpiration and people earn
money.
There is less overgrazing
Camels and goats need less water so it is easier for
the farmer
If children are in school they are not out finding wood
so there is less deforestation. Also they can learn
farming skills to help their parents
Farmers can keep farming so there won’t be food
shortages
Surface run-off is reduced and there is more
underground water
Surface run-off is reduced so there is more water
stored in soil and rock
They can store water in the wet season for when
there is a drought
The stored water does not evaporate
They can access underground water
Case Study - Ethiopia drought 2008/9

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



Ethiopia has had serious droughts in 1973, 1978, 1984-5, 1987, 1994, 1997, 2000 and
most recently in 2008-9.
2 seasons in a row very low rainfall.
6 million children under 5 at risk of malnutrition. Over 100,000 had to be treated
by doctors for malnutrition. 2-3 children died each day of malnutrition in the worst
affected areas.
12 million people needed food relief.
60% of cattle died. 50% of goats died. 40% of camels died.
There was a slight increase in the death rate but Ethiopia has received
international aid and support since 1 m people died in the 1984/5 drought.
Managing drought in Ethiopia
Farmers can plant more drought
tolerant crops so
Charities like Band Aid Trust are
paying people to plant trees so
Divide areas into wet and dry
season grazing areas
Change livestock from cattle to
camels and goats because
Charities like Oxfam help to pay
for primary education because
The United Nations provides seeds,
tools and fertiliser to farmers so
Farmers can build stone lines so
Farmers can terrace hillsides to
farm so
Farmers could build rock dams so
Farmers could build covered stores
of water (birkhads) so
Farmers could dig wells so
Case Study – A River Landform – The Blue Nile Falls
The start of the River Nile is Lake Tana.
Key Word: The start of a river =
Blue Nile
Falls
30km downstream from Lake Tana is the
Blue Nile Falls.
It is known as Tis Issat or ‘smoking water’
They are one of Ethiopia’s best known
tourist attractions.
The Waterfall is 400m wide in flood – the
month after when there is heaviest
rainfall (see climate graph above).
The Blue Nile Gorge is up to 4000km high.
http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguid
e/Countries/Ethiopia/Map
Human Use of the River Nile
 In 2004, a $63 million HEP station has been built up stream from the waterfall called Tis Abay II.
 About 75% of the water is being diverted down a canal. The HEP station only works on weekdays so
there is normal flow on weekends.
 On weekdays, tourists can now only see ¼ of the water going down the waterfall so less are going to
see it.
 HEP is important to Ethiopia because large areas have been deforested to produce energy so this will
reduce deforestation. Only 4% of people in Ethiopia currently have access to electricity.
37-45 metres
Lava/basalt
rock
Erosion
Hydraulic action =
Abrasion =
Blue Nile Gorge or
canyon
Sandstone, limestone and granite
Unlike most waterfalls which are formed when a layer of __________ rock meets a layer of
____________ rock, the Blue Nile Falls was formed by a volcanic uplift which created the
sheer cliff over which the waterfall flows.
Sudan flood 2007
Most affected was Khartoum at Confluence of Blue
and White Nile.
Key Word – Confluence =
Causes:
 Heavy summer rains in Ethiopia raised level of Blue
Nile.
 Heavy local rainstorms started 3rd July 2007 and
caused flash floods
 Flat land
 Silt-clay soil which dissolved quickly with the rain
and filled the rivers.
http://sudan.embassyhomepage.com/sudan_map_khartoum_map_hotel_wadi_halifa_tourist_map_sudan
_road_map_al_ubayyid_tourist_map_kassala_holiday_map.htm
Buildings and roads delayed the rainwater reaching the rivers so the worst flooding
happened days and weeks after the rainfall. By the 19th August the worst of the flooding
had happened.
Short-term effects
30,000 homes destroyed. Most damage in
the refugee camps and squatter
settlements because
120,000 houses damaged. Many houses
were built from silt/clay soil so
Rural to urban migration meant many
people forced to live in flood prone areas
so drowning and deaths by buildings
damaged. People moved to the city
because
Long-term effects
3.5 million people at risk of disease and
waterborne diseases e.g. cholera and
typhoid killed one person every 2 weeks.
People got waterborne diseases because
Total of 90 deaths including 57 from watery
diarrhoea because
750,000 people left homeless so
12,000 livestock and 16,000 chickens died so
250 schools destroyed and 56,000 pupils
affected so
Responses to flooding – some action had happened after previous flooding.
Within 4 weeks of the flooding (by 6th August) most aid had arrived and was getting to the
people affected.
By 28th August the UN appealed to the world for more help for the flood victims. They
asked for US$20.
After previous heavy flooding in 1988, stone
embankments were built along the river so
A drainage ditch was also built close to the
river so
Settlements have been built on the river
terraces away from the floodplain because
UNICEF provided clean water because
WHO (World Health Organisation) provided
17 mobile medical treatment centres
because
UN charities provided essentials to 40,000
homeless families e.g. blankets and
Aircraft sprayed the city with insecticide,
especially any areas of stagnant water
because
UNICEF paid for radio and TV adverts to
advise people on healthcare and the
importance of using mosquito nets because
Key Word – embankment/levée =
Key Word – floodplain =
Higher Tier Case Study - For a named area that has flooded
i.
ii.
iii.
Name the area
Describe the effects of the flood on different groups of people
Explain why the flood took place
Candidate A Total = 4/8 marks
1
The area of Sudan in 2007. The flood effected the people of Sudan because
many people as the flood spoiled the water supply became ill and died. Many
houses became damaged and were unable to be used. Many also did not have
a food supply for days because support was not sent.
2 Other countries were effected as they got asked to help the country with aid and
support. The government was effected as they had to solve the problem to stop it
happening again and to save the people of Sudan.
3 The flood took place because the rivers surrounding Sudan over flowed and
flooded the surrounding area. There was heavy rainfall into the surrounding Rivers
causing the Rivers to be more overflowed/flooded.
Quality of Written Communication = Level 3
 The writing is logical and has structure.
 Some specialist terms (key words) are used well.
 Spelling, punctuation (full stops, commas, capital letters at start of sentences etc) and
grammar are good.
TASKS
1. Use a highlighter to identify anywhere the QWC mark could be improved e.g.
spelling errors, missing commas, capital letters that shouldn’t be there.
2. Suggest at least 3 key words that could be included in a flooding case study.
Geography - Level 2 = 3 marks




Appropriate case study named.
Provides an account with some specific description and explanation.
Must include at least 2 different groups of people affected.
Might only answer part of the whole question.
Improving paragraph 1
The area of Sudan in 2007. The flood effected the people of Sudan because many people as the
1 flood spoiled the water supply became ill and died. Many houses became damaged and were
unable to be used. Many also did not have a food supply for days because support was not sent.
____ million people were at risk from waterborne diseases e.g.
_____________________________________
People got these diseases
because_______________________________________________________________
______________ homes were destroyed. There was most damage in refugee and squatter
settlements
because_______________________________________________________________________________________
__
Improving paragraph 2
2
Other countries were effected as they got asked to help the country with aid and support. The
government was effected as they had to solve the problem to stop it happening again and to
save the people of Sudan.
The UN children’s charity ___________ provided clean water because
______________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
_
UN Charities provided essentials to ______________ homeless families e.g.
____________________________
__________________________________________ because
______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
_
Improving paragraph 3
3 The flood took place because the rivers surrounding Sudan over flowed and flooded the
surrounding area. There was heavy rainfall into the surrounding Rivers causing the Rivers to be more
overflowed/flooded.
The flood took place in the months of _______________________________________ in 2007.
They were caused by heavy rainfall in ____________________ which flowed downstream
along the River ________________ They were made worse by heavy _______________________
_________________________ which caused ____________________________. When rain fell on
the hard dry ground it couldn’t ____________________ (key word meaning to soak into the ground)
so there was increased _____________________________________ (key word meaning water running
over the ground)
This water flowed into the river and there was increased _____________________ (key word meaning
volume of water flowing in a river in a given time and measured in cumecs)
The River burst it’s ______________ at the city of _______________________ which is the
_____________________ (key word meaning where 2 rivers join) of the ______________________
and the____________________________
Aswan Dam
Causes of flooding along the River Nile in Egypt
The Nile used to flood in Egypt every July and
August. The floods were not caused by heavy
rainfall in Egypt but by
Benefits of flooding
Wheat, barley and rice grew fast on land close
to the river because
The soil next to the river became fertile because
90% of Egypt’s food supply has to be imported
so farming is important because
Because of the fertile land farmer’s didn’t have
to buy fertiliser so
Disadvantages of flooding
The amount of floodwater was not reliable.
Sometimes there was very little summer rain so
Egypt has a growing population. Over 95% of
Egypt’s population live in the narrow strip of
land along the Nile where flooding can cause
damage. They live here because
When the river flooded it destroyed crops so
Boats use the river for tourism and transporting
goods. Because the river level dropped during
the dry season boats could not use the river so
The ASWAN DAM
The Aswan High dam was started in 1960 and
finished in 1970 and is almost 5km long,
100m high and 1.2km thick at the base.
The town of Wadi Halfa in Sudan was
flooded to create Lake Nasser and Egypt
had to give Sudan £2.5 million to help
resettle the people. In total 90,000
people were relocated.
The water in the lake is used to irrigate 30%
more new farmland. The water is stored in
canals and ditches around the farmland and is
released whenever it is needed.
Hydroelectric power is made at the dam
and fed into Egypt’s electricity supply
which has helped new industry to grow
in Egypt.
The Villages along the
Nile are no longer
flooded
The Nile Delta is shrinking
as it is eroded by the sea
There is less fishing
around the Nile Delta
The people who live along
the Nile have a reliable
supply of water
The water in the soil
evaporates and leaves
behind salt deposits
There is more electricity
produced by the Aswan
Dam for homes and
factories
Farmers have to spend
more money on fertiliser
Boats can use the River
Nile all year
Farmers can use the River
to irrigate their crops all
year
Lake Nasser (formed by
the Aswan Dam) is filling
up with silt
There are more
nutrients in Lake Nasser
so more fishing can take
place
There is more farmland
around the Aswan dam
There is more standing
water around the River
Nile which is a breeding
ground for snails
carrying the parasite
bilharzias and
mosquitoes
More farmers are using
chemical fertilisers on
their land
source of information: www.en.wikipedia.org
A. Because the level of water in the river doesn’t rise and fall dramatically.
B. Because the river no longer overflows its banks.
C. Because the Aswan Dam has an HEP station.
D. Because the lake is rich in silt and nutrients.
E. Because the water evaporates from the soil quickly.
F. Because less of the fertile silt is transported along the river and deposited in the sea.
G. Because floodwater no longer washes away breeding snails.
H. So silt gets trapped behind the dam, blocking the turbines, which is expensive to clean.
I. So there is more water pollution in the river.
K. Because the river is bringing less silt to deposit on the delta.
L. Because the water from the Ethiopian rains is stored in the dam and released slowly into the river
throughout the year.
M. Because the river no longer flood farmland, depositing fertile silt.
N. Because the river brings more water spread throughout the year.
O. There is more water to irrigate land around Lake Nasser.
Now colour in the benefits of the dam in green.
Colour the problems caused by the dam in red.
START
-----------This country has
heavy rains in
July and August
which caused
the Nile to flood
every year.
ETHIOPIA
-----------Crops grew well
on land next to
the River Nile
because this was
deposited by the
floodwaters.
SILT
-----------Farming is
important to
Egypt because
90% of this is
imported.
Food Supply
-----------Because the
amount of
floodwater was
not reliable there
were shortages
of this.
WATER SUPPLY
-----------Because of the
lack of fertile
land, this
percentage of
Egypt’s people
live in a narrow
strip of land
along the Nile.
95%
-----------The River Nile is
an important
transport route
for goods and for
this growing
service industry.
TOURISM
-----------The Aswan Dam
was completed
in this year.
1970
-----------This town in
Sudan was
flooded to
create Lake
Nasser behind
the Aswan Dam.
WADI HALFA
-----------This is how much
Sudan received
to help resettle
the people of
Wadi Halfa.
£2.5 MILLION
-----------This type of
power is made
by the Aswan
Dam and has
helped industry
to grow.
HYDROELECTRIC
FERTILISER
POWER
---------------------When the hot sun
Farmers have to
evaporates
spend more
water from the
money on this
soil in Egypt it
because the Nile
leaves this
no longer floods
behind which
their land.
makes the soil
less fertile.
SALT DEPOSITS
--------This industry has
grown on Lake
Nasser because
it has more silt
and nutrients.
FISHING
-------This disease is
more common
because the
breeding snails
are no longer
washed away.
BILHARZIA
----------This is shrinking
because there is
less silt being
deposited at the
mouth of the
River Nile.
NILE DELTA
-------FINISH
Nile Delta – a river and coastal landform
When the river reaches the sea the river mouth becomes
blocked with sediment. This causes the main river channel to
split into smaller channels or distributaries.
Key word – Distributary =
Features of the Nile Delta:
 250km wide at the coast
 16km from north to south
 2 main distributaries – Rosetta and Damietta
http://www.sln.org.uk/geography/schools/blythebridge/GCSERiversRevisionLC.htm
Deltas only form where there is:
 A high sediment load
 Weak sea currents and waves which cannot wash away the sediment
 Shallow river at the mouth
Draw a sketch map of the Nile Delta – an arcuate delta
How does the delta form?
1.
The River slows down/loses _____________ when it enters the sea.
2. River has less ____________ because it has slowed down so it can’t carry as much sediment.
3. River _____________ or drops the sediment which builds up in layers.
4. It forms flat and __________________ farmland. It covers 4% of Egypt but supports 99% of the
population.
Sort out the phrases into the following sections:
1. Location
2. Describing the delta
3. How the delta was made
4. How the delta affects peoples’ activities
5. How people are changing the delta.
1. Made of silt (alluvium) deposited by the
river as it loses energy when entering
the sea.
2. The delta has an arcuate or fan shape.
3. Deposited silt provides fertile farmland
4. Located in northern Egypt where the
River Nile meets the Mediterranean
Sea
6. Weak tides mean the delta is not
eroded away.
5. The land on the delta was not stable –
earthquakes caused buildings to
collapse and land to sink.
7. The Aswan Dam traps most of the
sediment being transported by the
River Nile
9. The Nile Delta is one of the most
densely populated parts of Egypt.
8. As the delta gets less sediment it has
started to sink.
11. The delta is flat low-lying land
12. Lagoons gradually silt up.
13. Over time the delta builds out to sea
14. Now the delta has stopped building up
and the sea is eroding it away.
15. The delta has some salty lagoon lakes.
17. People use the silt to make mud bricks
for building.
16. Sea wall defences have been built to
try to save the delta. But Climate
change and rising sea levels could
make things worse.
18. Each year the annual flood added
more silt to raise the delta land level.
19. Now the river no longer floods or drops
silt.
20. The main river channel splits into a
number of small distributaries.
21. The Nile Delta is located at the mouth
of the River Nile.
22. Part of the delta erodes at 30 metres a
year.
23. Inland parts of the delta become more
solid and dry out.
25. Less nutrients in the sea means less
fish. Sardine fisheries declined from
18,000 tonnes a year to nothing so
less food. 30,000 fishermen lost their
jobs.
27. Lagoons are being poisoned by
chemical fertilisers which is killing
wildlife.
24. The Nile Delta is located North of
Cairo, Egypt’s capital city.
26. Due to less sediment, farmers have to
buy expensive fertiliser.
10. The Aswan Dam was finished in 1970.
28. Because the delta is fertile it allows 3
crops cycles a year.
http://www.geogonline.org.uk/water_landforms_and_people.htm
Foundation Tier Case Study - For a named river landform:
i.
ii.
iii.
Name the landform
Describe the main physical features of this river landform
Explain how the river landform was formed
Name of landform: Nile Delta in Egypt
Candidate B - Total marks = 3/5
Tasks
1. Use a highlighter to find any key words that
the person has used.
2. Circle any spelling mistakes or anywhere
there is not a capital letter at the start of a
sentence or a full stop at the end
Describe: It has 3 distributaries. It helps local people earn a living as this location is one of the
main farming areas of Egypt, therefore crops are grown because of warmth. The Nile Delta is
fertile due to the nutrients carried in the deposits.
Other Nile Delta features:
_______ shaped or arcuate
 _______km wide and _______km from north to south
farmers can grow ____ crops a year
_____ distributaries called __________ and _________________
Explain: The River Nile carries material such as silt, sand and clay so as soon as it meets with the
Meditteranien sea, the material is deposited on the sea bed with the heaviest material as close to
the shore. When fresh and saltwater meet, this causes, electric energy which drops the material
onto the sea bed and when the energy of the water has run out, the material gets deposited.
Explain
3. Improve the sketch above to
explain how the Nile Delta is formed.