The Nile River Basin

doi:10.1017/9781108261142.007

7 - The Nile River Basin

from Part III - Engineered Rivers

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 September 2021

Muhammad Khalifa ,

Sephra Thomas and

Lars Ribbe

Edited by

Jurgen Schmandt and

Aysegül Kibaroglu

Edited in association with

Regina Buono and

Sephra Thomas

Show author details

Jurgen Schmandt: Affiliation:
Houston Advanced Research Center
Aysegül Kibaroglu: Affiliation:
MEF University, Istanbul
Regina Buono: Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
Sephra Thomas: Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin

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Summary

The chapter analyzes upstream-downstream issues in the Nile river basin. The large increase in population in the future and the resulting push for development will increase demand of the Nile flow in upstream riparian countries where headwaters are sourced. Variability in temperature and precipitation due to climate change will impact the heavily populated areas the most, which in the case of the Nile, is at the Delta in Egypt. This will have a deep economic impact as Egypt is the most prosperous country along the Nile. However, the increased development and engineering upstream will affect how much of the Nile is available at a specific time for Egypt. These tensions are already seen in the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. An agreement still has not been reached as countries are struggling with sharing ownership of the river. If sufficient flow is not released to Egypt, saltwater intrusion in Egypt can endanger current groundwater storage, pushing the country to invest in more desalination.

Keywords

Nile Egypt Sudan Ethiopia groundwater water resources and water use patterns agriculture and energy production transboundary conflcts High Aswan Dam Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam-GERD

Type: Chapter
Information: Sustainability of Engineered Rivers In Arid Lands
Challenge and Response
, pp. 79 - 93

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108261142.007 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

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7 - The Nile River Basin

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