How the Aswan High Dam Has Greatly Impacted on the Nile River Basin and Affected the Marine and Aquatic Life - Essay Example

Watersheds, Rivers, and Dams Name of Student Student Number Institution Course Code Lecturer’s Name Submission Date How the Aswan High Dam Has Greatly Impacted on the Nile River Basin and Affected the Marine and Aquatic Life. This essay critically looks at River Nile and its basin in respect to the environmental implications arising from the Aswan High Dam (AHD) project having a direct impact to aqua and marine life. The reference environmental stands for the life aspects directly or indirectly affected by the socio-economic activities along the Nile basin. The Nile River has a long history coupled with many issues surrounding the usage and flow of its waters. Water as a resource in Africa and the world at large is a great issue and a key aspect in the life of man, animals and plants (Ogutu-Ohwayo and Balirwa 2006; Kondolf 1997). This essay critically looks into diverse activities carried out in the Basin and the environmental impact therein. This will be evaluated by first analysing the history of the Nile water usage, followed by the impact of the AHD in Egypt: being the biggest project along the Nile, and finally the measures to counter the implications. The essay will terminate with the recommendations and conclusions pertaining to watershed, river basin and dams in regard to the River Nile basin. This will form a basis of clearly understanding the aspect of watersheds, dams and rivers all over the world with a special evaluation of the longest river in the world. History of River Nile and the Aswan High Dam Being the longest liver in the world, River Nile has a length of 6,800 kilometres and covers 3.12million square kilometres. It has great impact in continent Africa and across the Sahara desert. The Nile basin covers most of Egypt and Sudan, a third of Ethiopia, whole of Uganda, and some parts of Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Congo and Burundi (Walling 1996). One notable fact as stated by (El-Shinnawy et al. 2000) is that the Nile basin extends 4oS to 31oN and stretches over various geographical, climatologically and topographical regions. The lives and economic activities around the resourceful river Nile stand out as a critical environmental consideration. Looking at the hydrological and hydrographical traits of the Nile, it is clear that they vary considerably over the basin and most of it has sufficient rainfall in the headwaters and arid conditions in areas of Sudan and Egypt (Walling 1996). Clear reductions in the abiotic and biotic trait features of the Nile are evident in literature. The waters of the Nile are utilised in fishing, irrigation, domestic and industrial use. They are also used for navigation through the waterways with dams holding water for power generation and irrigation (Simpson 2008). These are factors showing the extent of life support and attachments characterised by the Nile basin. To understand the impacts along the Nile basin, it is critical to state that the Nile is conventionally divided into various sub-basins incorporating the White (Equatorial) Nile together with Lake Victoria its source, the Blue Nile in conjunction with its source Lake Tana, as well as the Main Nile (El-Shinnawy et al. 2000). Further, there is the Atbara River which is in most cases considered a separate river but, essentially a sub–basin of River Nile. In respect to watershed, the Nile has nine recognised components and constitutes the Lake Victoria Basin; the Bahr el Jebel and the Sudd region; East African Lakes and south of Lake Victoria; the Sobat Basin and the Machar Marshes, the Bahr el Ghaza Basin; the Blue Nile as well as its Tributaries; the White Nile south of Malakal, the Atbara and Main Nile to Wadi Halfa and finally the Main Nile to Wadi halfa (Walling 1996). Environmental Implications from Aswan High Dam Construction to Humans and other Living Things According to el Aali (2003), the construction of the Aswan high dam by the Egyptians can be termed a great project that saw the upgrading of the status of the river into an economic, electric power and agricultural hub. Nevertheless, amid the great returns from agriculture, hydropower generation and flood management, there are major disadvantages and problems that have resulted from project. The use of Nile water has been a centre of interest and conflict in respect to the various countries sharing the great river (Wandiga 2003). Looking at the major achievements that were attained along the River Nile upon construction of the Aswan High Dam, three main goals were realised and constitute flood management, hydropower generation and achieving a perennial irrigation scheme in the region. The construction of the Aswan High Dam along the Nile valley not only impacted positively on the lives of many, but also vitiated the real aspect of the project to bring about negative effects (El-Shinnawy et al. 2000). A number of immediate negative implications that were evident pursuant to the construction of the High Dam were the loss of coastal fishery for the sardines and anchovies which comprised crucial food sources for the locals at the intersection of Blue and White Niles (White 1988). Nevertheless, fishing output increased within the Nile Basin like in the Lake Nubia. As a result of the increased sedimentation and agricultural chemicals into the Mediterranean, the sea became a desert of fish in regard to production as there were no nutrients for life like phosphorous and nitrogen (Simpson 2008). The Aswan High Dam clearly illustrates the complexity in the scientific grounds of establishing the entirety of the results of evaluation and consequential effects coming up due to the enormous, particular intrusion in regard to physical and human activities. The impact of the socio-economic activities along the Nile Basin has resulted to collapse of the fishery of Egyptian Coastal strip after the construction of the Aswan High Dam (Walling 1996). Further, there was the use of bricks from the sediments of River Nile, but with ceasing of floods, dredging of canals that availed the sediments was no more. It is evident from history that Egypt’s civilization came as a result of the Nile waters as it transformed the high desert country into an agriculture nation through agriculture (White 1988). This clearly shows the fact that water is a great resource in life and development. However, going by the objectives of the essay, it is critical to note that the flow of the Nile has been tampered with and the natural environment of the water basin rendered vulnerable. With increased modern agriculture, chemical utilisation to boost agriculture in form fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides have increasingly been used (Kondolf 1997). Further, the agricultural activities along the Nile Valley have caused alluvium wash into the river as result of erosion carrying with it the fertile soils and chemicals used. The results are siltation, pollution and eventual effects of the aqua lives in the Nile waters. There has been carbon deposits that have been established in three zone soft eh Nile basins, and which could also contribute to river pollution. Shinnaway et al. (2000) states that the construction of the Aswan high dam brought about the adjustment of the aquatic ecosystem in respect to the aquatic botanical aspects with myriad problems of aquatic weed infestation causing great menace. The results were massive loss of water, water flow retardation, navigation interference, health hazards and the altercation with regard to the chemical features of both the water and hydrosol in the basin (Simpson 2008). The increased chemicals and fertilisers caused algae bloom that led to affecting the natural aquatic life in the river basin and the Mediterranean region. Consequently, thriving of disease causing parasites like the mosquitoes for malaria and snails for bilharzias have been enhanced with the dam creation as a result of standing waters which a pose a great health challenge. Conclusion and Recommendations The essay clearly evaluates the history, geography and ecology of the Nile River with a special scrutiny of the activities surrounding the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. A critical analysis of the Nile Basin shows that the Aswan project have impacted considerably and affected the lives of living things in the Nile Basin. The result has been of great effects to botanical life and aquatic marine life amid the major socio-economic returns from the dam project. With the increase of fish in some basins, it is evident that agricultural activities have affected fish in the Mediterranean due to chemicals and algae bloom. Further, mosquito infestation has been enhanced with the population growth along the dam and Nile basin increasing malaria epidemic (Mitchell 2008). Cases of schistosomiasis (bilharzias) have also been evident to escalate as a result of thriving and increase of snails causing the epidemic (El-Shinnawy et al. 2000). Nevertheless, the project is here to stay and this calls for countries where the Nile River passes to take measures to protect the water flow and its quality to cater for aquatic and marine life as well as life surrounding the Nile Basin. Environmental and health mitigation measures to chemical washing and siltation into the Nile River should be launched to counter the environmental and health hazards evident in the Nile basin. This will ensure the activities along the Nile and in specific from the Aswan High Dam do not bring more damage than good in the region. References Aali, S., 2003. The Aswan High Dam, Unpublished T. Scudder Manuscript. Accessed on March 28, 2013, from El-Shinnawy, I., Abdel-Meguid, M., Eldin, I. M. and Bakry, M ., 2000. Impacts of Aswan High Dam on the Aquatic Weed Eco System. ICHEHM2000, Cairo University, Egypt, p. 534- 541. Kondolf, G. M., 1997. Hunger water: Effects of Dams and Gravel Mining on Rivers Channels. Environmental Management, Vol. 21(4), p. 533-551. New York: Springer-Verlag New York Inc. Mitchell, T., 2008. “Can the Mosquitoes Speak? in Rule of Experts: Parasites of Capitalism. Los Angeles: University of California Press. Ogutu-Ohwayo, R. and Balirwa, J., 2006. “Management Challenges of Freshwater Fisheries in Africa Lakes and Reservoirs: Research and Management,” Vol. 11, p. 215-226. Simpson, J. 2008. Aswan High Dam Impacts; Fossil Ground Waters in North Africa. Accessed on March 28, 2013, from Walling, D., 1996. Hydrology and Rivers. In Adams. W., Goudie, A. and Orme, A. (Eds.). The Physical Geographical of Africa. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 1001-121. Wandiga, S., 2003. Lake Basin Management Problems in Africa: Historical and Future Perspectives. Accessed on March 29, 2013, from White, G., 1988. The Environmental Effects of the High Dam at Aswan, Environment, vol. 30(7), Proquest, p. 4-11, 34-40. Read More