How did the Egyptians control the flooding of the Nile?

To get the most out of the Nile's waters, ancient Egyptian farmers developed a system called basin irrigation. They constructed networks of earthen banks to form basins, and dug channels to direct floodwater water into the basins, where it would sit for a month until the soil was saturated and ready for planting.



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Local authorities merely directed farmers to dig channels and construct small earthen dams and riverbank levees to divert floodwaters into or away from certain areas. The first extensive Egyptian irrigation projects did not occur until after 300 B.C. in the area of the Faiyum Oasis.

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The Aswan High Dam brought the Nile's devastating floods to an end, reclaimed more than 100,000 acres of desert land for cultivation, and made additional crops possible on some 800,000 other acres.

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The Nile, that mighty supplier of potable and irrigation water for millions and vital transportation artery, is shrinking. The agent responsible for the river's diminishment is climate change. Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan alone cannot stop global warming, and each country nervously watches its effect on the Nile.

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ASWAN, Egypt (Reuters) - A granite inscription tells us that for seven years during the reign of the ancient Egyptian king Djoser, the Nile failed to go through its annual flooding cycle, causing a devastating drought and famine.

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It's with Nour El Nil and their one of their FAQ is is it safe to swim in the Nile? Their answer is Yes, of course! Every week our guests swim in the Nile without any problems or cause for concern. The currents ensure that you are swimming in clean, non-stagnant water.

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Famine and death occur when the flood is delayed and the Nile dries up. About 110 million Egyptians eat, drink and live on the Nile waters, the only life artery.

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