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Optimization of floodwater redistribution from Lake Nasser could recharge Egypt’s aquifers and mitigate its excessive floods

Journal Article · · Communications Earth & Environment
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States); National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Cairo (Egypt)
  2. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States)
  3. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  4. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States); National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Cairo (Egypt); Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
  5. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States); Helwan University, Cairo (Egypt)
  6. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States); Tanta University (Egypt)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Extreme precipitation periods, possibly related to climate change, over the Nile River source areas caused flooding in Sudan and excess runoff reaching Lake Nasser in Egypt in 1998–2002 and 2019–2022. Excess water from the 1st event (25.5 × 109 m3) was channeled to depressions within the plateau west of the Nile Valley, forming the Tushka Lakes, where it was left to evaporate, a fate that awaits the 53.5 × 109 m3 from the 2nd event while the underlying fossil Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System is being depleted (–0.98 × 109 m3/yr). We simulated release scenarios of excess Lake Nasser waters (53.5 × 109 m3) to proximal lowlands; preference was given to the scenario that recharged the aquifer through infiltration (74.3%) and minimized losses to evaporation (20.1%) and surface runoff (5.6%). Findings serve as an example of adaptations that replace catastrophic consequences of climate change with beneficial and sustainable development opportunities.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); US Agency for International Development (USAID); USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
2447736
Journal Information:
Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Name: Communications Earth & Environment Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 5; ISSN 2662-4435
Publisher:
Springer NatureCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
climate-change mitigation
hydrology