Scale and Impacts of Nile River
The Nile River is a major attraction in the African continent. For centuries, the river has played an integral role in the livelihoods of its people and the development of surrounding regions. While the Nile doesn’t hold the title of the longest river on Earth, it is one of the widest, crossing nearly three quarters of the width of Africa from the borders of South Sudan to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nile holds a wealth of freshwater in its banks. At its peak, the Nile covers more than 13,700 acres in a single day’s flow. Want to know the volume in metrics? The Nile holds an estimated 26 cubic kilometres of freshwater per day. The total volume of water stored in the entire river is difficult to measure, but researchers estimate it to be around 16,000 cubic kilometres. Compared to its bigger brother the Amazon, the Nile carries fewer cubic kilometres of water.
Geographical Distribution of Nile Water
In terms of geographical distribution, the Nile river holds less than 1 percent of the total fresh water supply on the planet. In Africa, however, the figure is significantly higher. The distribution of water in and around the Nile varies drastically throughout the year. During the dry season, the flow of water and intensity of the Nile is much lower than during the wet season; the dry season can account for up to 80 percent of the water lost in the Nile each year. The flow of water across the river basin affects the availability of water for agricultural activities and other uses, including hydroelectric power.
The Nile runs through eleven African countries: Burundi, Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The geography of these countries greatly affects the type of water resources on offer. Egypt and Sudan receive the bulk of their fresh water from the Nile, and so their populations are some of the most reliant on it, while countries downstream like Kenya and Ethiopia rely on flow into the Blue and White Niles, respectively.
Environmental Impacts of the Nile River
The strong flow of water has other impacts, such as seriously eroding the rocky banks and increasing soil salinity. The speed of the flow also causes high levels of siltation, resulting in blocked drains and reduced agricultural productivity.
The constant river flow also has a wide range of impacts on the ecology of the Nile; large parts of the Nile Delta in Egypt have been made impossible to live in due to a decrease in the water supply as a result of “the High Dam” upstream (or Aswan Dam). This has resulted in a decrease in biodiversity, loss of habitat for some of the unique creatures found in the Nile, and the disruption of essential fish nursery grounds. Additionally, fishermen have seen a decrease in their catches and have, as a consequence, started to supplement their incomes with other activities.
More generally, overuse of the Nile’s waters has resulted in conflicts across the continent in recent years; much of the water has been extracted for agricultural use in some countries, limiting the supply downstream. The need for countries to cooperate and work together to ensure the effective usage of the river water while minimizing the destruction of delicate ecosystems has been highlighted.
Water Management of the Nile River
The countries in the Nile Basin have tried to manage the volume of water in the river by some forms of conservation, including the establishment of nature preserves and water conservation efforts. These practices limit water extraction and help limit the impact of climate change. The two largest water-controlled measures are the dams and irrigation projects located in Ethiopia and Sudan.
The construction of the Aswan dam in Egypt has drastically reduced the amount of water flooding downstream, resulting in a reduced volume in the Nile during the wet season. It also created a large freshwater lake in the region, providing a large source of water for irrigating the land along the banks of the river.
The irrigation projects mostly replace the traditional methods of rain-fed agriculture that relied on the wet season flooding to supply water to the surrounding fields. But long-term analysis has shown that these practices are unsustainable and have negative environmental impacts. These projects have had an effect on the areas downstream, reducing the amount of water available as far north as Sudan.
Nile River and Climate Change
Climate change poses a great threat to the Nile and its surrounding environment. The changing weather patterns have deeply affected the frequency and intensity of seasonal dry periods and even interrupted the traditional monthly fluxes of the river.
In general, the river is becoming more unpredictable and water supply is decreasing. The lack of rainfall, erratic and sometimes extreme weather events and reduced river flow, will all contribute to further scarcity of water resources across the region. This, coupled with increased population, consumption and agricultural water use, may result in a worsening of water shortages in the future.
Nile River and Social Development
The Nile supports the economic development of many African countries. It provides an estimated 15 percent of Egypt’s energy and generates huge amounts of hydropower to Sudan. Moreover, the river irrigates the cotton farms of Sudan and Egypt, supports many industries in both countries, and is a key component in the tourism industry of Egypt.
The Nile River has also enabled communication and navigation between the countries along its path. As a result, there is improved connectivity between these countries, enabling the exchange of goods, ideas, and services.
On the other hand, the overuse of the river’s waters has caused water scarcity. This has resulted in poverty, displacement, and resource conflicts among these countries.
Effectivities of Nile Nutrient Project
In order to decrease conflict around the water sharing, different African countries agreed in 2019 to launch the Nile Nutrient Project. The project seeks to reduce water pollution, eliminate the sources of nutrients in the river, increase water infrastructure, and improve the efficiency of water extraction in agricultural projects to alleviate poverty.
The Nile Nutrient project is estimated to cost billions of dollars, but the effects of the project can be felt for decades. Cleaner water has made some lands suitable for fishing, and a new influx of fish to the region has also begun to take place. Additionally, improved access to clean drinking water has improved the health of local populations and restored agricultural production.
Financing the Nile Nutrient Project
Although the Nile Nutrient Project has been successful in some countries, it has been hampered by lack of funding. African states have struggled to finance the project due to economic crises, weak economies and limited access to international capital.
To address this problem, several African countries have joined forces to create a trust fund for the project. This fund would be made up from contributions from a range of sources, including public and private investors in the African countries. This source of local funding would help ensure the success of the project in the long term.
Strategies to Preserve the Nile River
African countries have come together to develop strategies to ensure the sustainability of the Nile River. The strategies focus on increasing water efficiency, reducing water loss and waste, and improving water quality.
These countries are also making efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. Mena region has agreed to increase the use of renewable energy sources. Additionally, African countries have increased their investment in the promotion of green initiatives and are transitioning to greener technologies and practices.
Finally, the African countries are committed to monitoring and evaluating the impact of their policies, as well as measures to promote local conservation. African countries are also working on improving early warning systems for flooding, which will make it easier for locals to mitigate the impacts of flooding.
