Aswan Reservoir Jennifer Sieracki. Location Aswan High Dam Begun in 1959 Goals: –Provide water for...
-
Upload
helena-griselda-osborne -
Category
Documents
-
view
218 -
download
0
Transcript of Aswan Reservoir Jennifer Sieracki. Location Aswan High Dam Begun in 1959 Goals: –Provide water for...
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
Inflow
• Virtually no rainfall occurs in the region
• 84% of floodwaters from the Ethiopian Plateau
• 16% from the equatorial lakes
(Fahim 1981)
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
• 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