Overview
For centuries it has been clear that the flow of the Nile is the single largest key to having a successful life in the Delta region. There are many motivations for controlling the Nile's waters, and we will consider each of them in this unit. In order to develop a prosperous nation, the amount of water available year-round needs to be maintained, or at least seasonal fluctuations need to be predictable. Imagine having downtown Manhattan flooded each year under up to 20 meters of water! Imagine, too, having years of drought so severe that all crops withered and all livestock died of thirst. These were the issues facing rulers of Egypt from Pharaonic times through to the present.
When colonial rule began to weaken in northern and eastern Africa, control of the Nile changed hands from the British to a series of leaders of new, independent nations. Egypt was—and remains—the most highly industrialized nation in the Nile basin, and also the country most at risk during fluctuations of Nile water levels. To combat this problem, the Egyptians built the Aswan High Dam. The Dam controls the flood today, as well as providing electricity for much of the nation. As you will see, however, it is not without its problems, environmental, societal and medical. Today, the future of the Nile rests in Egypt's ability to negotiate peacefully and constructively with her neighbors in the Nile Basin.
Learning Objectives
By the end of Lesson 6, successful students should be able to...
- Recall the historical processes leading to the construction of the Aswan Dam.
- Calculate discharge data (highest, lowest, average) from data tables.
- Contrast the advantages and disadvantages that exist as a result of the construction of the Aswan dam.
Reading Assignment from e-Reserves
Electronic course reserves, or "e-Reserves," are articles that are available online through the University Libraries. You can access our course reserves by clicking on the Resources tab in ANGEL and then clicking on the "Library Reserves" link within the "Penn State Library Tools" box. E-Reserves directions are also available to help you learn how to use the online system.
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Pearce 1994. High and dry in Aswan. New Scientist, 7 May, 28-32.
READING GUIDE: Why was it so important for Nasser to build the Aswan Dam? Are there any similar structures or monuments in this country? We will be talking about the benefits and problems associated with the Aswan Dam over the next week or so, and this article provides you with some important background information.
Reading Assignment from the Web
- Biswas, A. (2002). Aswan
Dam Revisited: The Benefits of a Much-Maligned Dam.
READING GUIDE: The Aswan High Dam across the Nile River is perhaps one of the most controversial of the existing big dams in the world. Political, economic and environmental arguments have been raised against it ever since its construction in the early 1960s. But Asit K. Biswas, after a careful evaluation of the dam's impact on Egypt, concludes that it has been overwhelmingly beneficial to the country.
Deliverables
The following item is due by the end of this lesson (see the Calendar tab in ANGEL for specific due dates). Detailed information about this assignment and submission directions are included in this lesson.
- Discussion Forum: The Future of the Jonglei Canal
- Topic-Specific Assignment: The 1959 Water Agreement
Questions?
If you have any questions now or at any point during this week, please feel free to post them to the Lesson 6 Discussion Forum. (That discussion forum can be accessed at any time by clicking on the Communicate tab in ANGEL and then looking in the Discussion Forums box.)
