The Story of the Great High Dam in Egypt

A vast building on the Nile River in Egypt holds enormous freshwater masses in Arab countries, with a high dam behind it. The High Dam is one of the essential giant projects of the modern era and perhaps the most critical project in Egyptians’ lives. It is also the third-largest aquifer in the world.

Before the dam’s construction, the Nile flooded and submerged Egypt every year. In some years, the flood level increased and destroyed most of the crops, and in other years, its level decreased, the water was insufficient, and the agricultural lands were destroyed.

The dam’s construction helped retain and release flood water when necessary. The Nile flood has come under human control. Construction of the High Dam began in 1960 and was completed in 1968; it was officially opened in 1971.

The dam was built during the era of President Gamal Abdel Nasser with the help of the Soviet Union. The dam was initially constructed to prevent flooding and as a source of electrical power generation.

The High Dam consists of 180 water drainage gates that control and regulate water flow and achieve complete control over floods. It contains 12 turbines to generate electricity, equivalent to 2,100 megawatts. Its construction required about 44 million square metres of building materials and 34,000 labourers. The dam’s height is approximately 111 metres, its length is 3830 metres, the width of its base is 980 metres, and the drainage channel can drain about 11,000 square metres per second.

The Story Behind The Construction

The idea was initiated with the Revolution of July 1952. The Egyptian Greek engineer Adrian Daninos presented a project to build a massive dam at Aswan to block the flood of the Nile, store its water and use it to generate electric power.

The studies began in the same year by the Egyptian Ministry of Public Works, and the final design of the dam, specifications, and conditions for its implementation was approved in 1954. In 1958, Russia and Egypt signed an agreement to lend Egypt 400 million roubles to implement the first phase of the dam. In the following year, 1959, an agreement was signed between Egypt and Sudan to distribute the dam’s water reservoir.

The work began on 9 January 1960 and included:

• Digging the diversion channel and tunnels.
• Linking them with reinforced concrete.
• Pouring the foundations of the power station.
• Building the dam to a level of 130 metres.

On 15 May 1964, the river’s water was diverted to the diversion channel and tunnels, the Nile stream was closed, and the water began to be stored in the lake.

In the second phase, the dam’s body construction continued until its end, and the structure of the power station, installation, and operation of turbines were completed, along with the transformer stations and power transmission lines being built. The first spark was set off from the High Dam power station in October 1967, and water storage began entirely in 1968.

The opening of the High Dam was celebrated on 15 January 1971 during the era of the late Egyptian President Mohamed Anwar El Sadat. At the time, the total cost of the High Dam project was estimated at 450 million Egyptian pounds, or about $1 billion.

Naser Lake Formation

Nasser Lake was formed due to water accumulation in front of the High Dam. The reason for naming the lake as such goes back to Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who established the Aswan High Dam project.

The lake is divided into two sections: one in the Upper region of south Egypt and the other in the north of Sudan. It is considered one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. Its length is about 479 kilometres, its width is about 16 kilometres, and its depth is 83 feet. The total area surrounding it is approximately 5,250 square kilometres. The storage capacity of water inside the lake is about 132 cubic kilometres.

The lake’s formation resulted in the transfer of 18 Egyptian archaeological sites and the Abu Simbel temple. As for Sudan, the river port and Wadi Halfa were moved. In addition, the city was moved to an elevated area, and several Nuba residents were displaced due to drowning in the lake.

The lake is characterised by its environmental conditions, which make it suitable for breeding many types of fish and crocodiles and encourage hunting in the area.

Advantages of Building the High Dam

The first year of building the dam contributed about 15% of the total electricity supply available to the state. When this project was first operated, nearly half of the general electric energy was generated through the dam. The electricity generated by the dam through water is considered simple and environmentally friendly.

The risk of flooding ultimately ended after the construction of the High Dam, which worked to protect Egypt from flooding and drought, and Lake Nasser, which reduced the rush of flood waters and stored it permanently for use in drought years. The dam protected Egypt from the disasters of drought and famine in the years of scarce floods, such as the period from 1979 to 1987, when nearly 70 billion cubic metres were withdrawn from Lake Nasser’s reservoir to compensate for the annual deficit in the natural revenue of the Nile River.

It provides electric energy used to run factories and illuminate cities and villages. It also increased fisheries through Lake Nasser and improved river navigation throughout the year. The dam increased Egypt’s agricultural land area from 5.5 to 7.9 million acres and helped grow more water-intensive crops such as rice and sugar cane.

The Human and Environmental Impact

While the Great High Dam brought many benefits, it also had significant human and environmental consequences. One of the most immediate effects was the displacement of people living in the areas where Lake Nasser would flood. Over 100,000 people, including the Nubian population, were forced to relocate. The Nubians, who had lived in the region for centuries, were moved to new settlements in northern Egypt and Sudan. The relocation was a traumatic experience for many, as they had to leave behind their ancestral lands and adapt to new environments.

In addition to the human cost, the dam also had profound environmental impacts. Before the dam’s construction, the Nile’s annual floods deposited nutrient-rich silt on the farmland, replenishing the soil. With the dam in place, this natural process was disrupted, leading to a decline in soil fertility in the Nile Delta. Farmers were forced to rely more on chemical fertilisers, which brought their own set of challenges.

The dam also affected the Nile’s ecosystem. The reduction in silt and nutrients reaching the Mediterranean Sea led to a decline in fish populations, particularly sardines, a staple of the local fishing industry. Moreover, the dam altered the river’s flow, leading to the erosion of the coastline in some areas and sediment accumulation in others.

One of the most significant environmental concerns was the impact on the archaeological sites of Nubia. The rising waters of Lake Nasser threatened to submerge many ancient temples and monuments, including the iconic Abu Simbel temples. In response, an international effort led by UNESCO was launched to save these treasures. The temples of Abu Simbel were painstakingly cut into blocks and relocated to higher ground, a feat of engineering that remains one of the most impressive achievements of the 20th century.

Economic Benefits

Despite the challenges, the Great High Dam has brought considerable economic benefits to Egypt. One of the most significant advantages is the generation of hydroelectric power. The dam’s twelve turbines have a combined capacity of 2.1 gigawatts, providing a substantial portion of Egypt’s electricity needs. This reliable energy source has been crucial to the country’s industrialisation and economic development.

The dam has also played a vital role in improving Egypt’s agricultural productivity. By regulating the flow of the Nile, the dam has allowed for year-round irrigation, increasing the amount of arable land and enabling farmers to grow multiple crops each year. This has helped to ensure food security for Egypt’s growing population, reducing the risk of famine and food shortages.

Furthermore, the dam has protected against floods and droughts. In the past, the Nile’s floods could be devastating, destroying crops and infrastructure. The dam’s ability to control the river’s flow has mitigated these risks, providing a more stable environment for economic growth.

The Geopolitical Implications

The construction of the Great High Dam had significant geopolitical implications, not only for Egypt but for the broader region. The dam became a symbol of Egypt’s modernisation and independence, bolstering Nasser’s image as a leader of the Arab world. It also strengthened Egypt’s ties with the Soviet Union, further polarising the Cold War dynamics in the Middle East.

The dam’s construction also affected Egypt’s relationships with its neighbours, particularly Sudan. While the dam benefits both countries, it also raised concerns about water sharing and the potential impact on Sudan’s development projects. The two countries negotiated a series of agreements to address these issues, but tensions over water rights in the Nile Basin have persisted.

In recent years, the Great High Dam has also contributed to the broader debate over water resources in the Nile Basin. With the construction of new dams upstream, notably Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam, concerns have been raised about their potential impact on Egypt’s water supply. The Great High Dam remains critical to Egypt’s water management strategy. Still, it also highlights the challenges of managing shared water resources in a region where water scarcity is increasingly pressing.

Legacy and Future Prospects

Today, the Great High Dam is both a triumph of engineering and a reminder of the complex relationship between humans and the environment. It has brought undeniable benefits to Egypt, providing electricity, water, and protection from natural disasters. However, it has also had significant human and environmental costs that continue to be felt.

As Egypt looks to the future, the lessons of the Great High Dam will be crucial in shaping its approach to development. The dam’s legacy underscores the importance of careful planning and consideration of the long-term consequences of large-scale infrastructure projects. It also highlights the need for cooperation and dialogue in managing shared resources, particularly in a region as water-scarce as the Nile Basin.

Conclusion

It can be shocking how beneficial the High Dam is in Egypt, not only because it is home to thousands of families but also because it protects their crops from the yearly flood that ruined their lands and turns the extra amount of water into the blessing they needed for watering their crops of rice, sugarcanes, wheat, and cotton, not to mention the electricity supply provided.