Variation and Trends in Agricultural Drainage Water Reuse in Egypt

Abstract

ABSTRACT A substantial quantity of agricultural drainage water flows annually from the Nile Delta to the Mediterranean Sea and North Lakes. The volume and salinity of this water vary both with time and space. Policies for developing water resources in Egypt and maximizing its use include the reuse of agricultural drainage water for irrigation. This implies that water of lower quality than the Nile water will be used in irrigation. The reuse of this water as a reliable resource is limited by its quality, which in turn determines the quantity that can be used. During the past decade Egypt started an ambitious program towards the goal of achieving higher water use efficiency to face the increasing water demands. The future improvement of the irrigation system, the better allocation of available water resources and the efficient utilization of irrigation water will affect the quantity and quality of agricultural drainage water: The start of this program was associated with a sharp decrease in the natural flow of the River Nile. The prevailing operational and management conditions had decreased the irrigation and drainage discharges and increased the salinity of drainage water In this paper the historical discharge and salinity data about the drainage water in the Nile Delta will be analyzed to determine the trends and tendencies of their changes. The effect of management of Nile water releases from the High Aswan Dam on drainage water quantities and qualities is discussed. This study is carried out on a regional scale, covering the east, the middle and the west parts of the Delta.