The River Nile
Geology, Hydrology and Utilization
- 1st Edition - October 22, 2013
- Imprint: Pergamon
- Author: R. Said
- Language: English
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 3 2 - 8 7 6 8 - 3
This multidisciplinary book by the author of The Geology of Egypt is the result of many years of research. It attempts to reconstruct the history of the River Nile from its origin… Read more
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This multidisciplinary book by the author of The Geology of Egypt is the result of many years of research. It attempts to reconstruct the history of the River Nile from its origins to its present shape and regimen and also to ascertain the amount of water which has been carried by the river during the course of its history. It examines the manner in which this water was utilized in the past and the ways in which it will have to be used in future if the inhabitants of the river basin are to cope with their anticipated needs.
Part One traces the geological history of the Nile from the time it started to excavate its valley some six million years ago until the present shape was assumed during the wet period which affected Africa after the retreat of the ice of the last glacial age some 10,000 years ago. Part Two deals with the amount of water that the river and its tributaries carry at present and have carried in the past. Part Three discusses the utilization of the water of the Nile from the time of the first appearance of man in the valley until the present time. It traces man's attempt to harness the river from the earliest time to the building of the Aswan High Dam. The book evaluates the effects of the dam after twenty years of operation. Part Four covers the present water supply-demand balance in each basin state and discusses the future plans of these countries to use the waters of the Nile. The rapidly growing populations and the prolonged droughts of recent years have put pressure upon the available waters of the river.
For geologists, hydrologists, archaeologists, irrigation and water management engineers and Middle East specialists.
Chapter headings and section headings: Preface. Part I: Origin and Evolution of the River Nile. Introduction. The lake plateau. The Sudd and the Central Sudan Basin. Rivers of the Ethiopian highlands. The Nubian Nile: transit from the interior of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. The Egyptian Nile. The modern landscape of the floodplain of the Nile Valley, Delta and Fayum. Climate and evolution of the river. Part II: The Hydrology of the River Nile. Introduction. Rhythm and ritual of the Nile. In search of the sources of the Nile. The amount of water carried by the Nile. The Nile at Aswan. Past fluctuations of the Nile. The Nile in ancient and medieval Egypt. Part III: The Utilization of the Waters of the Nile. The early settlers meet a hostile river. The river becomes beneficial: agriculture comes to the Nile Valley. Basin irrigation. Perennial irrigation. The High Dam, benefits and side effects. Part IV: The Future Uses of the Waters of the Nile. Agreements pertaining to the waters of the Nile. Present and future land and water use in the Nile basin states. Concluding remarks. Appendix: references. Index. 116 illus., 397 lit. refs.
- Edition: 1
- Published: October 22, 2013
- Imprint: Pergamon
- Language: English
RS
R. Said
Affiliations and expertise
Consulting Geologist, formerly Head of The Geological Survey of Egypt, 3801 Mill Creek Drive, Annandale, VA 22003-2330, USARead The River Nile on ScienceDirect