what are the disadvantages of the aswan high dam

List of the Cons of the Aswan High Dam

1. The project forced over 1 million people to be relocated. ...
2. Access to critical archaeological sites was limited by the project. ...
3. It changed how sediments flow to the sea. ...
4. Fertilization issues are now present in Egypt. ...
5. It encourages coastline erosion around the delta. ...
6. Local groundwater tables are influenced by salinity. ...

More items...

Full Answer

How much does the Aswan Dam cost?

Written By: Aswan High Dam, Arabic Al-Sadd al-ʿĀlī, rockfill dam across the Nile River, at Aswān, Egypt, completed in 1970 (and formally inaugurated in January 1971) at a cost of about $1 billion.

What are the cons of building dams?

Cons of dams. Risk of sediment buildup: When water rushes through a dam and its internal turbines, it can create a great spot for sediment layers to be trapped and congregate, which then can pollute the water and disrupt the ecology of the water environment.

Why was the Aswan Dam built?

The Aswan High Dam was constructed after the Egyptian revolution to control the flooding of the River Nile, improve irrigation downstream and provide hydroelectric power that would facilitate Egypt's planned industrialization after independence.

How was the Aswan Dam a disadvantage to Egypt?

DISADVANTAGES OF ASWAN DAM The hydroelectric power accounts for 45% of Egypt's energy needs. and the size of the Egyptian population increases. variations downstream as the amount of water released is regulated. with the temples that line the river.

What were the negative effects of building the Aswan Dam?

The negative effects include increasing soil salinity, changes in the water table, excessive downstream water plant growth, and diseases such as schistosomiasis and other intestinal parasites, and the social impact on the Nubians, whose homeland was flooded.

What problems has the Aswan Dam caused?

Despite its successes, the Aswan High Dam has produced several negative side effects. Most costly is the gradual decrease in the fertility of agricultural lands in the Nile delta, which used to benefit from the millions of tons of silt deposited annually by the Nile floods.

What are some advantages of the Aswan High Dam?

The collective benefits of Aswan High Dam (AHD) are increasing the Egyptian water resource, controlling and regulating floods, protecting Egypt from potential frequent droughts, increasing agriculture productivity, and completely regulating the river water.

What are 3 negatives of a High Dam?

List of the Cons of the Aswan High DamThe project forced over 1 million people to be relocated. ... Access to critical archaeological sites was limited by the project. ... It changed how sediments flow to the sea. ... Fertilization issues are now present in Egypt. ... It encourages coastline erosion around the delta.More items...•

How did building the Aswan High Dam affect human health?

How was the Aswan high dam had an adverse effect on human health? It created new ecosystems in which diseases such as malaria flourished. An environmental challenge facing the Great Man Made River is that pumping water near the coast. May contaminate aquifers with salt water from the sea.

How does the Aswan create environmental problems?

The Aswan High Dam, when it was build created Lake Nasser, Lake Nasser Streches back 270 kilometres from the Dam. The Lake has also created alot more land for people to farm on. This is because a lot of water is stored in the lake, and in turn this water can be used to irrigate land around Lake Nasser.

Which of the following is a problem created by the construction of the Aswan High Dam?

increased diseases, human issues, changes to the Egyptian fishing industry, and. erosion of the Delta.

Why was the Aswan High Dam so controversial?

Controversies surrounding Aswan High Dam It created tension between various countries and contributed to the Cold War, when Egypt decided to fund the project by nationalising the Suez Canal. The project came through after the then Soviet Union funded part of the project.

Why does Egypt not want the dam to be built?

Egypt has vowed not to allow the dam to impede its water supply, and it held joint military maneuvers with Sudan in May. Sudan has since petitioned the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency session as soon as possible.

Is the Aswan Dam a good thing?

Effects. The High Dam has resulted in protection from floods and droughts, an increase in agricultural production and employment, electricity production, and improved navigation that also benefits tourism.

What were the pros and cons of the Aswan Dam?

Built across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt between 1960 and 1970, the construction was based on the successes of a lower dam built in the region. The goal was to maximize the utilization of the river while controlling flooding, improving water storage, and encouraging hydroelectricity development.

Why is the Aswan Dam eroded?

It encourages coastline erosion around the delta. Because there is more water pressure around the Aswan High Dam at the delta than before when the waters flowed freely, the shoreline in the region experiences higher levels of erosion. At the current rate, the coast erodes by up to 575 feet per year.

How does the Aswan Dam work?

1. It provides a majority of the energy needs of Egypt.#N#During a typical operational year for the Aswan High Dam, about 15% of the total electrical supply available to the country comes through this project. When it first came online, almost half of the available electric power came through the dam. The electricity generated by the dam is environmentally friendly, offers predictable cost structures, and is cost-effective to maintain. At total capacity, the 12 generators with the dam are each rated for 175 MW, which means the facility can produce 2.1 GW of electrical energy.

What are the effects of the Nile dam closure?

Long-term infections may cause bladder cancer, liver damage, and kidney failure. After 15 years of dam closure with the Nile, some issues of this disease have disappeared from upper Egypt altogether. Improved irrigation practices to reduce snail influences have promoted reductions of this disease too. 7.

How much did subsurface drainage systems cost?

To correct this problem, subsurface drainage systems were installed over the course of 30 years at the cost of more than $3 billion.

Why is schistosomiasis reduced?

There are reduced issues of schistosomiasis because of the dam. This disease, caused by parasitic flatworms, infect the intestines or the urinary tract. Symptoms include blood in the urine, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and abdominal fluid collection.

Is Aswan Dam good or bad?

More algae now grows on the Nile, which increases the cost of drinking water treatments, but irrigation costs are down. More time is needed to determine how effective or ineffective this project will be.

What are the plusses of the Egyptian dam?

Here are some of the plusses I can identify. The dam will control, and humans can manage the controlled flooding to maximize the benefits to the Egyptian people. It will bring the desperately needed electricity they need to move their economy, and all of the blessings that come with it, along an industrialization path. Two very big pluses.

How does a dam affect the Delta?

The down side is that the dam blocks fertile silt from flowing down river which adversely affects the fertility of the River bank farming, the blocked silt builds in the bottom of the dam lake itself and also back builds up far upriver and the delta suffers from erosion which for lack of silt build up the silt on Delta is wasting away into the ocean.

Why did the Russians build the Aswam?

Yet they served their purpose in years gone by such as bringing water to the deserts of of the world. As we progress throug time Dam water retention levels are ebbing lower and lower to te point where they will no longer be necessary. This is because water as a resourse is drying up worldwide and rivers lakes and seas are receding. So Aswam built with all good intentions by the Russians for Nassar has achieved its purpose in regulating the Nile annual flooding that once plagued lower Egypt. Now it is just a matter of time as Answam will fail to deliver its original mandate as water gets scarcer and scarcer worldwide?

What causes silt to settle at the bottom of Lake Nasser?

By blocking the river's flow, it causes silt to settle at the bottom of Lake Nasser instead of along the Nile's banks in Egypt during floods or in the Nile Delta.

Which countries are negotiating on how many years the dam should be filled in?

Right now Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan are negotiating on how many years the dam should be filled in; an international team of technical experts is looking over the issue.

What is the cause of the erosion of the Nile Delta?

That lack of silt has caused the Nile Delta to experience erosion and shrinkage instead of replenishment and growth. As a result, farmland is being lost, and shorelines are receding.

What happened after the dam was built?

After the dam was built, the nutrient levels that funneled into the Mediterranean were greatly reduced. In return, this mean that there were less fish available, so fishing in the area was dramatically reduced. It forced the relocation of over 100,000 people.

How does the Nile River help the environment?

It has helped contribute to higher levels of erosion. When the Nile River would flood, it would do more than provide farmers with fertile soil that could be used for planting. It would also help to replenish the silt that sits along the banks of the river that are naturally eroded by the movement of the water.

Why did the Nile River flood?

For thousands of years, the Nile River flooded to provide the desert landscape with fertile soil that could be used for growing. It’s flooding was predictable, provided farmers with resources, and was often the only source of irrigation. The building of the Aswan High Dam changed all of this by preventing the flooding season from happening.

How much of Egypt's electricity is hydroelectric?

It provides a tremendous amount of energy. Up to 40% of Egypt’s total electricity supply comes from the hydro-electric power that is generated by the Aswan High Dam. This means that the nation’s residents are receiving power from a source that is environmentally friendly, predictable in cost, and easy to maintain.

Is the Aswan Dam good?

There have been many good things that have come out of the building of the Aswan High Dam, but there have been some consequences to its creation as well. By weighing the pros and cons of its existence, we can continue to evaluate if its present and future value will continue to outweigh its present and future cost.

What is the effect of the Nile Delta dam?

Nile Delta Erosion. Building the dam has also led to the reduction of sediment and silt supply due to the occurrence of floods every year. Because of this, there has been erosions experienced at the Nile Delta which reduced the land area. At the same time, the overflowing of the dam has brought the trapped silt to fall into the reservoir.

What is the name of the dam that Egypt built in 1970?

Part of the rich of history of Egypt is the building of Aswan High Dam in 1970. At 111 meters, the location of the dam is between Egypt and Sudan with water coming from the River Nile. As a result, the reservoir that it has created has formed Nasser Lake.

How have droughts and famines been prevented?

Drought and famine have been prevented because they are able to use the hectares of land as agricultural land instead of desert. 2. Hydroelectric Power. Hydroelectric energy is an excellent source of electricity from dams. Even other dams around the world are able to supply water to agricultural areas.

Why is the Nile flooding important?

The yearly flooding of the Nile was crucial to water crops in farmlands. However, the different level of flooding has not been good for agriculture. In this, the water levels that are high has destroyed the crops while low water levels has also caused famine and drought.

What are the pros and cons of the Aswan Dam?

1. It is a great water irrigation source. Before its construction, water from the Nile would flow to the Mediterranean Sea. With the presence of the dam, water is now used to irrigate the farms. It also prevented drought and made it possible to use hectares of what used to be desert as agricultural land.

What is the Aswan Dam?

Pros and Cons. On July 21, 1970, Aswan Dam or what is also referred to Aswan High Dam became a part of Egypt’s history. The dam is located between Sudan and Egypt with its water coming from the Nile River while the reservoir it creates forms Lake Nasser.

What were the effects of the Nile dam?

1. There was an effect in the fishing, agricultural and red-brick construction industries.#N#The construction of the dam led to a decline in the fishing industry. Since it was built, the nutrients from the river that used to flow to the sea were trapped, leaving lesser food for aquatic life. Also, the absence of flooding in Upper Egypt, the minerals that serve as fertilizers to farms were gone while sediment deposits along Nile which are used to make red bricks have been affected.

How did the Nile Delta affect the water supply?

As a result, reducing land area. Also, when the dam overflows, the trapped silt falls on the reservoir, reducing the area and its capacity to supply water and electric ity.

Was the Aswan Dam built with good intentions?

Aswan Dam was built with good intentions and its construction has indeed become instrumental in the industrialization of Egypt. However, just like in other new developments and changes, there are also consequences. It is just a matter of ensuring the pros outweigh the cons.

Is Aswan Dam bad for health?

There is bad effect on health. After Aswan Dam was built and irrigation canals existed, there was a problem about the stagnant water that have become a breeding ground for snails carrying a parasite known as bilharzia. Also, the prevalence of schistosomiasis became a threat. 3.

What is the Aswan High Dam?

Aswan High Dam, Egypt. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The Aswan High Dam yields enormous benefits to the economy of Egypt. For the first time in history, the annual Nile flood can be controlled by man. The dam impounds the floodwaters, releasing them when needed to maximize their utility on irrigated land, to water hundreds of thousands ...

Who built the Aswan Dam?

The Old Aswan Dam (also called Aswan Low Dam), Egypt, designed by Sir William Willcocks.

What is the name of the dam in Egypt?

The Aswan High Dam, Aswān, Egypt, an earthfill dam.

Why is the Nile dam not deposited?

This is because of the dam’s complete control of the Nile’s annual flooding. Much of the flood and its load of rich fertilizing silt is now impounded in reservoirs and canals; the silt is thus no longer deposited by the Nile’s rising waters on farmlands.

How long is the Nile dam?

Once one of the largest dams in the world, it is 7,027 feet (2,142 metres) long and is pierced by 180 sluices that formerly passed the whole Nile flood, with its heavy load of silt. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now.