Jennifer Sieracki
Aquatic Ecology of the Tropics (Spring 2011) - EEES 4980-008/6980-008
Aswan Reservoir
Objective:
Discuss the ecological, economic, and cultural effects that the creation of the Aswan Reservoir has had in
Egypt and Sudan with special emphasis on the changes in hydrology and sedimentation.
Introduction:
 The Aswan reservoir is comprised of two lakes, Lake Nasser in Egypt and Lake Nubia in Sudan,
that were formed during the construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River at Aswan,
Egypt in 1964 (completed 1970). The dam was constructed to provide water to agriculture,
control flood conditions, and produce power.
 Morphometric data (at maximum storage capacity, from Latif 1984): mean depth = 25 m,
maximum depth = 130 m, surface area = 6,216 km2, volume = 157 km3, surface elevation = 183
m, length = 496 km, width = 12 km, shoreline to length ratio = 18:1.
 Virtually no rainfall occurs in the Aswan Reservoir region. Most of the reservoir’s inflow comes
from the floodwaters of the Ethiopian Plateau and equatorial lakes region. The reservoir is
monomictic. Based on physico-chemical characteristics, the reservoir can be divided into three
sections: (1) the Northern section is fully lacustrine, (2) the Middle Sector is semi-riverine, and
(3) the Southern Sector is fully riverine (Latif 1984).
 While the creation of the Aswan Reservoir has met its goals, it has created many side effects as
well. One hundred thousand people were displaced in Sudan and Egypt prior to the inundation of
their lands. The land is becoming less fertile due to the loss of silt deposited during floods,
waterlogging, and salinization. There has also been an increase in schistosomiasis, a parasitic
disease. Futhermore, water loss due to seepage and evapotranspiration in the reservoir and canal
system may lead to a lack in water supplies for future project needs (Fahim 1981, Park 2001).
Selected Publication:
Kim and Sultan (2002) constructed a groundwater flow model to determine the long-term impacts of Lake
Nasser and development projects in the Western Desert. In recent years, the Aswan reservoir has reached its
maximum storage capacity of 183 m, and has had to overflow into depressions in the Western Desert of
southwestern Egypt. The Egyptian government designed and began a project to move excess water from
Lake Nasser via the Tushka Canal to these depressions where it can either be injected back into the Nubian
aquifer, which sits under much of Egypt, or be dispersed across the Western Desert to create more
agricultural lands. The groundwater flow model predicts the possible effects of this project on the hydrology
of the area. The model found that if the planned projected is implemented, there will be an increase in
waterlogged area in the Western Desert, with some areas becoming more prone to flooding. These areas will
also experience increased salinization.
Selected Management Problem:
Since the construction of the Aswan High Dam, sedimentation in the reservoir has led to a variety of
problems, both economic and ecological (Fahim 1981). Turbid floodwaters from the Ethiopian Plateau
begin reaching the Aswan Reservoir in July (Latif 1984). Prior to the construction of the Aswan High
Dam, the nutrient-rich silt carried by the floodwaters would deposit along the Nile River valley, creating
fertile areas for crop production (Fahim 1981). Silt would also travel to the delta at the Mediterranean
Sea, providing nutrients to the estuary and supporting a large sardine population. Since the construction of
the High Dam, stream velocity through the reservoir has slowed, and much of that silt is falling out in the
southern portions of the reservoir, creating issues for the reservoir itself. This has led to the filling in of
the reservoir and loss of storage capacity, an increase in fertilizer required on agricultural fields along the
Nile River, and the crash of the sardine fishery in the Nile Delta (Chen 2005, Fahim 1981, Park 2001).
Lessons for the Future
Today, many developing countries in the tropics look to the Aswan High Dam and the creation of its
reservoir as a success; however, it is important that they understand the problems associated with the
project, as well. Alternatives to dam building can include investing in programs encouraging population
control, rural development, and more efficient agricultural production (Park 2001). These alternatives do
not have the problems associated with dam-building, and, unlike dam-building, also mitigate some of the
possible negative impacts of climate change.
References:
Chen, Jiyu. "Dams, Effect on Coasts." Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Dordrecht: Springer,
2005. 357-59. Print.
Fahim, Hussein M. Dams, People, and Development: the Aswan High Dam Case. New York:
Pergamon, 1981. Print.
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.
Latif, A. F.A. "Lake Nasser—The New Man-made Lake In Egypt." Lakes and Reservoirs. Ed. F.
B. Taub. Vol. 23. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science B.V., 1984. 385-410. Print. Ecosystems of the
World.
Park, Chris C. "Chapter 3: Environmental Systems." The Environment: Principles and
Applications. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2001. 58-98. Print
Shibl, Yūsuf A. The Aswan High Dam. Beirut: Arab Institute for Research and Pub., 1971. Print.