The construction of the Aswan high dam was a great dream for President Gamal Abdel Nasser to ensure developing Egypt for all Egyptians. The high dam is fed by the River Nile from south.
The History of Aswan High Dam There are two dams in Aswan, Aswan Low Dam and Aswan High Dam. Aswan Low Dam was constructed in 1898 and completed in 1902. But it was not adequate to control the annual flooding, leading to President Gamal Abdel Nasser think in constructing a higher dam in 1952. The construction for the project began in 1960 after getting funding and was completed in 1968. It was officially inaugurated in 1971.
There is a huge reservoir behind the dam, called Lake Nasser. It was finished filling in 1979. This reservoir is with a reservoir capacity of 132km³.
The construction of this dam is considered an impressive engineering feat, as it is 360 feet tall and 12,500 feet across.
The Benefits of the Dam Although the construction of the dam led to a rise in the level of the Nile River, which led to immersion of many monuments and archeological sites as Philae Temple.
Despite this, the dam provides several benefits to Egypt, as
- It provides water for around 33,600km² of irrigation land and contributes to increasing the cultivable land in Egypt.
- It controls flooding that was threatening the lives of citizens.
- It generates power, as it was responsible for producing around 50 % of the electricity production in Egypt and providing many villages with electricity for the first time.
- It helps in improving navigation across the Nile.
