Abu-Zeid: Nile flooding probably higher than average this year

Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mahmoud Abu- Zeid stressed that the Nile flooding will probably be higher than average this year, according to observation stations and satellites which have reported heavy rain on the Ethiopian Plateau.

"We won't know for sure until late September," said Dr. Abu- Zeid during an inspection of the work in progress in the development mega-project in the Southern Valley in Toshka, which aims to reclaim land for cultivation and to create new urban communities.

Abu-Zeid also inspected the huge Mubarak Pumping Station, which is now partly operational.

The station, built at a cost of L.E. 1.2 billion, will be able to pump an estimated 25 million cubic meters of water per day.

The Minister of Water Resources then visited the new Water Research Centre at Abu-Simbel, whose main task is to find the best irrigation methods for the newly-reclaimed lands.

He also inspected work progress on three sub-canals which feed the Sheikh Zayed Canal.