Construction of the High Dam
Egypt, History, 7/23/2001

The High Dam Project commands a special position in modern Egyptian history, being the greatest project carried out by Egypt during the 20th Century.

The project concept was based on continuous storage system, by building a huge dam across the Nile to store water, during years of abundance to be used in years of scarcity.

The Government of the July 1952 Revolution, interested in the project concept, decided in October 18, 1952, to start examining the project studies enlisting the service of specialised international dam experts, in conjunction with Egyptian experts.

The International Bank for reconstruction and Development (IBRD), following deliberate studies made by its experts, on the project, confirming the project's technical safety and importance to Egypt's development programme, proposed to offer a loan to finance the project.

In January 1956, the IBRD Director, signed a preliminary agreement with the Egyptian Government to grant a project-financing loan.

Due to imperialist pressures, the International Bank withdrew its offer on July 19,1956. Therefore, in order to provide necessary funding for this significant project, there came the decision to Nationalize Suez Canal Company.

On December 27, 1958, Egypt signed with the former Soviet Union a technical and economic assistance agreement, to provide the resources necessary for implementing first phase of the project.

In August 27, 1960, another agreement to complete second phase of the project was signed.

Before proceeding with the High Dam project, Egypt signed in 1959, the Nile Water Agreement with Sudan, whereby the proceeds of the Nile Water, following the erection of the High Dam, were to be divided as follows: Egypt's total share: 55 billion cubic metre/year, Sudan's share: 18.5 billion cubic metre/year. According to the Agreement, Egypt paid an amount of L.E. 15 million to the Government of Sudan as indemnity for such property that would be overflouded under the stored water.

On January 9,1960, Late President Gamal Abdul Nasser, pressed a detonating button, launching first Phase of the High Dam Project.

This phase was actually completed mid-May, 1964, when the river water was diverted to the Diversion Canal and the tunnels, and the river course was blocked, and water started to build up in the High Dam Lake (known since then as Lake Nasser). Full-capacity storage in front of the High Dam was completed since 1998.

In October 1967, the first electric spark was generated by the High Dam Power Station.

In mid-July 1970, the project was fully completed, when the last power-generating unit started operating.

On January 15,1971, Late President Anwar Sadat headed a ceremony marking the completion of the High Dam Project.

The High Dam is a huge cumulative structure which blocks the entire Nile Course, with a total length of 3,600 m. The Dam rises 111 m above the Nile bed and 196 m above sea level.

The water retained in front of the Dam, makes a vast man-made lake (Lake Nasser), with a length of 500 km average, width of 12 km, and a total area of 6,000 sq. km. The highest water retaining level in front of the Dam in Lake Nasser is 183 m, with a total capacity of 164 billion cubic metre at the highest stor-age capacity, of which 33 billion cubic metre are assigned for day sedimentation into the Lake over 500 years.

Water flowing in excess of the highest water level in front of the Dam is being disposed through a spillway on the west bank of the Nile, at a disposal capacity of 2,400 cubic metre/second, in addition to the Toshki spillway, which was used for the first time during the 1996 flood season, when the water level at Lake Nasser exceed the level of 178 m. A part of the increase is also disposed through the electric power station.

The electric power station comprises 12 hydraulic generating units, each of a capacity of 175,000 kw, generating an electric power of 10 billion kwh/year.

To ensure control of the safety of the High Dam, a collection of instruments and marks were established to measure vertical settlement, horizontal movements and internal pressures, in addition to a barometer grid at varying depths and levels to gauge leakage and injection screem efficiency. The High Dam Authority is in charge of the control of the Dam, the conducting of research and studies, periodic monitoring operations for the body of the Dam and the surrounding area as well as the implementation of projects necessary for maintaining the safety of the Dam.

The High Dam is so designed as to resist earthquakes up to 7.5 degrees on Richter Scale.

The body of the dam is made of a reinforced concrete and plain concrete structure and an earth embankment, arch-shaped to resist seismic pressures. A seismic monitoring network was made around the Dam and the surrounding area, with about 13 monitoring stations.

Positive effects of the High Dam Project

Basin irrigation was converted into perennial irrigation. Arable area was increased from 5.8 million feddans to 7.8 million feddans.

Crop area was increased from 9.3 million feddans to about 14 million feddans.

Potential expansions in cultivating high water volume crops such as rice and sugar-cane.

Protection of the country from the dangers of high flood, latest of which occurred last year, as well as dangers of low water level and drought disaster.

Provision of electric power necessary for industrial development as well as the rural electrification project, at a total capacity of 10 billion kwh/ year which had the favourable impact of developing social life in the Egyptian countryside.

Improvement of river shipping conditions throughout the year, and the flourishing of Nile-Cruise tourism.

Fish-wealth development-as about 40,000 tons of fish a year are produced out of Lake Nasser.

Contributions to the increase in national income.

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