Located in Egypt, the Aswan Dam has been a controversial construction project from the very beginning. It is one of the most impressive engineering accomplishments in all of Africa and helps to keep the Nile River in check during the wet season. Over the course of history, the Nile would flood every year during the wet season. This wasn’t an issue in ancient times, but as the population of the area increased, so did the need to control the river. That’s why this 111 meter tall dam has been constructed.
As with any dam, there are some pros and cons with the decision to install the Aswan Dam. Here are some of the most important points to consider.
It Provides a Resource for Irrigation
Before the dam was installed, the waters of the Nile would go into the Mediterranean Sea. Now the waters can be used for annual irrigation so that the lands of Egypt can be used for farming instead of just arid desert if need be. In other words, the Nile has become more usable than ever before.
It Provides Clean Power
The water that flows through the Aswan Dam is a good source of hydro-electric energy. This is a clean source of power that won’t affect the environment, yet isn’t as expensive as solar energy or other alternative energies to create.
It Controls Flooding
The villages of the Nile River no longer need to deal with the threat of the river flooding every year. Because there is more consistency within the river, it is also easier to send shipping traffic down the river so that it can be used as an industrial channel. Cities downstream can have ports that connect them to the Mediterranean and then the world beyond to increase economic opportunities.
It Eliminates Silt Replenishment
When the river would flood every year, it would give the soil a chance to have it fertilized for the next season. The Aswan Dam eliminated this, so now fertilizers have to be used instead and some of them are chemically based.
It Increases the Chances of Erosion
Although any body of water will create erosion in the lands around it, the installation of the Aswan Dam created an environment where the banks of the river are actually prone to erode. This is because of the elimination of silt that comes downstream.
It Affects the Mediterranean Sea
Without the added flow of water from the Nile into the Mediterranean, the nutrients that it provided sea life became reduced. This has, in turn, affected the fishing industry in that region of the Mediterranean. Because there are fewer nutrients, there is also less overall sea life around.
There is Better Fishing Above the Dam
Lake Nasser was created from the dam and although it has affected Mediterranean fishing, local fishing in the lake has dramatically improved. This has helped to change the course of life for those in the region, although there were over 100,000 people who needed to be relocated in order to accomplish the final project.
