Ministry Of Water Resources And Irrigation Research Articles

Sustainable Agricultural Groundwater Management for New Reclaimed Areas in Farafra Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt

Sustainable groundwater management is an important practice of water resources engineering, especially, in case of deserts and oases where there is no source of surface water and precipitation rarely occurs. The importance increases when the only source of groundwater is a nonrenewable aquifer. This is the case of new reclaimed areas in Farafra Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt. The only source of irrigation water is groundwater extracted from the nonrenewable Nubian Sandstone Aquifer (NSA). There is a great agricultural development in Farafra Oasis as a part of the 1.5 million feddan mega project. Agricultural development, for new areas, is a must for Egypt to fulfil the increasing food demand accompanied with the increasing population growth rate. However, this development has to consider the sustainability of groundwater usage along with the social, economic, and national security aspects. Groundwater extraction rate from NSA has increased. As it is a nonrenewable aquifer, there is no groundwater recharge. Consequently, the groundwater potentiometric level (GPL) decreases with time. The traditional sustainability concept of safe yield or discharge equals recharge is not applicable on such cases. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) of Egypt set the groundwater sustainability criteria for groundwater-dependent new reclaimed areas in Farafra Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt. Both duration and economic lifting depth, have been considered. This paper presents groundwater sustainability assessment for extraction rates, Qwell = -1000, -2000, -3000, -4000, and -5000 m3 /d, to obtain the most beneficial sustainable extraction rate according to the MWRI sustainability criteria. A new groundwater-dependent reclaimed area of 10,000 feddan in Sahl Baraka, Farafra oasis, was taken as a case study area. GIS functions were used to obtain the values of unknown data and develop the initial groundwater potentiometric map. MODFLOW was used to construct a numerical model for groundwater extraction rate simulation for the case study area. This model was calibrated and used to obtain the depression cone drawdown (DCD) associated with different extraction rates. All NSA regional drawdown rates at Farafra oasis were considered. Benefit –Deficit analysis for duration and economic lifting depth criteria are presented and show that the extraction rate of Qwell = -3000 m3 /d is the most beneficial sustainable extraction rate according to the MWRI adopted sustainability criteria.

Closure of Lake Nasser Khores by Different Types of Dams, using Satellite Images

According to the agreement between Egypt and Sudan in 1959 for the full utilization of Nile water arriving Aswan, both countries agreed to build the High Aswan Dam (HAD) in 1964 to get benefits from the water which was flowing to the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, Lake Nasser, the greatest artificial lake in the world, was created with large areas of shallow depths adjacent to the edges of the lake on both sides according to the topography of the surrounding area namely (khores). These khores increased the surface area; consequently, the estimated evaporation losses reach about 10 BCM/year in average. Reducing evaporation losses from HAD Lake is an option to increase the Egyptian available water resources. Many studies were done in order to partially or completely closure of the Khores, where the surface area of the khores of Lake Nasser is about one third of the total area of the lake, which indicates the effectiveness of its closure in decreasing the evaporation. The objectives of the research are studying the Lake Nasser’s large area khores, evaluating the idea of closing these khores using different types of dams such as earthfill, rockfill and rubber dams, and the consequent saved water. Meanwhile, a preliminary cost study for the different types of dams was done to determine the most suitable dam type. This research used the land sat 4 & 5 at years 1988 and 1999 in order to identify the surface area of the lake for the lowest and highest levels respectively. Also it gets benefit from the data available at Ministry of water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), such as the Khores bathymetric maps and the evaporation rates of Lake Nasser. The results of the study show that Kalabsha khore is the most optimum for dam closure as its entrance is suitable for dam construction, and at high water levels it has the greatest area thus, reducing the evaporation. It is highly appreciated to use rubber dam either economically or environmentally. The amount of saved water reach about 1.0 Milliard m3 representing 11.11% of the annual total evaporation losses from Lake Nasser, the water saved may reach 1.53 Milliard m3 if the water level reaches 181.52 m for considerable time span.

HYDRAULIC ASSESSMENT OF MEDIA FILTERS UTILIZING TREATED WASTEWATER FOR COTTON IRRIGATION

Key Words: Media filter, Treated wastewater, Drip irrigation, Cotton Growth and Yield.INTRODUCTIONAccording to Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWIR), Egypt (2014) Agriculture expends a large amount of the obtainable water in Egypt, with its share exceeding 85% of the total demand for water. Utilizing treated wastewater represents a viable option. The study were carried out at Sarapium Forest, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation in “Sarapium”, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, during 2018 and 2019 seasons to investigate the effect of media depth on the performance of different types of emitters for irrgating cotton (verity Giza 94) using treated wastewater. Also this study estimates the effect of using treated wastewater on the cotton growth, quantity and quality. The first experiment design for filtration performance was a split-plot with four replications. The main plots involved two media filtration depths (50 cm and 70 cm) and the sub-plots involved the time of operation (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100h). While the second experiment design for planting cotton was a split-plot with three replications. The main plots involved two plant distribution (Mutual and Opposite) and the sub-plots involved the three types of emitters namely: online 4 l/h compensative, online 4 l/h non-compensative and built- in 4 l/h-30cm non-compensative the distance between emitters were (30 cm).The results indicated that: Increasing media filtration depth from 50 to 70 cm has led to decrease the filtration flowrate with increasing pressure losses, biological oxygen demand (BOD5) and total suspended solids (TSS). The filtration flowrate decreased by increasing operation time from 0 to 100 but pressure losses, BOD5 and TSS was increased. Emitters performance of online compensative and built-in non-compensative were generally better than the online non-compensative under using wastewater quality and emitters performance decrease by increasing operation time from zero to 100 hours. Plants distribution significantly effect on growth and yield components of cotton. Planting cotton by mutual method gave the highest values of number of opened bolls per plant, seed cotton yield (Ken./fed.)

Assessment of slope instability of canal with standard incomat concrete-filled geotextile mattresses lining

Geosynthetics polymeric materials are recently widely used for geotechnical problems of canals specifically seepage losses with cost-effectiveness, low environmental impact, and quantifiable performance. While the geotextile is one of the geosynthetics, incomat filled concrete mattress is the standard and most famous polyethylene (PE) and polyamide (PA) double woven type of geotextiles. Its main functions are as a liner and/or controlling erosion of soil that creates changes of permeability which could affect the stability of the side slopes of canals. Among irrigation canals in Egypt, Ismailia canal (129.5 km length) is considered the worst case of seepage problems and erosions. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) implemented preliminary technical studies to locate the most critical sections along the canal which seepage losses are the maximum. Lining samples (100 m2, area) by standard incomat were executed in 2016 where four sections of lining with a total length of 61 km were defined. This research assesses the effect of applying the geotextile liner on the slope instability of Ismailia canal at the different proposed four locations of lining where the canal geometry and soil properties are variables. SLOPE/W module of GeoStudio finite element software was used to model the simulation after a clear definition of the soil and geotextile physical properties. The factor of safety, Fs of slope stability for the normal condition of the canal (without lining) ranges from 1.68 to 2.23. The lowest Fs (1.421) was obtained for the first part (km 17.5–28.0) of the second lining section of the canal (km 17.5–38.0) where bed width equals 49 m, maximum and minimum water depth equals 5.79 m and 5.05 m where the soil type is fine sand and the side slopes are 2:1. After implementing the lining, the minimum factor of safety was 1.421 for the same previous location with a 15.57% reduction. The maximum reduction in Fs was obtained for the second part (km 75.0–92.5) of the fourth lining section (km 72.0–92.5) while it records 21.61% with a factor of safety 1.491. Those two parts are critically affected after implementing the lining. However, the maximum reduction in Fs was not exceeded 5% for all sections with sandy clay soil where the Fs did not fall below 1.70. While the geotextile is significant in seepage controlling, particularly at locations where the soil type is coarse sand, specifications and requirements of the thickness uniformity of the mattresses should be achieved for the concrete filling process during the construction and measurements of long-term durability could be considered to sustainably function.

Issues and Challenges in Spatial and Temporal Water Allocation in the Nile Delta

“Egypt is a gift of the Nile,” wrote Herodotus, and indeed, without the Nile there would be no Egypt as the world knows it. Egypt is mainly dependent on the flow in the Nile River (with an agreed share of 55.5 BCM) and it receives about 1.3 BCM rainfall annually (mainly along the north coast). The overall water use efficiency is already high, due to e.g., water scarcity and reuse of drainage water. Egypt’s water resources are managed by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), with agriculture as by far the largest user of irrigation water, with a share of about 85%. The purpose of the paper is to discuss the major issues and challenges in the spatial and temporal allocation of water, in relation to a free cropping pattern and the characteristics of the irrigation system. We conclude that the current world-wide call for “crop-demand-based precision irrigation supply” will not be easily attainable in Egypt. Instead, “water security” in the form of “guaranteed or agreed” water supply may be a preferred water allocation aim for various reasons, including lack of large storage possibilities, impossibility of fine-tuning supplies in the system, and the needed capacity to deal with (future) droughts. Although the paper concentrates on technical issues, it is increasingly realized that the challenges are not only of a technical nature and that there is a need for integration of policies as well as a need to establish effective science–business–policy interfaces at the national level.

Assessment of Water and Salt Balance in Manzala Irrigation and Dra System Area

The main objectives of the study aim at optimal exploitation of the water resources in Eastern Nile Delta region. Until now, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) is managing water resources and the irrigation system by itself with high input of staff and high capital investment. The mission of MWRI is to ensure that Egypt's water resources are developed, allocated, used and preserved in a manner which is sustainable, equitable and efficient. The research work evaluated the water balance, the salt balance, the water quality and the management plans in the study area from August 2000 to July 2010, also, attempt a new water management plan. The water and salt balance first executed for the Eastern Nile Delta region. To create work breakdown structure, the Eastern Nile Delta region divided into two parts according to the irrigation and drainage systems. The first one is Manzala Irrigation and Drainage System (MIDS), the second is Ismailia Irrigation and Drainage System(IIDS). In this paper, a water and salt balance executed for MIDS. MIDS boundaries are Manzala Lake from the north, dammitta branch from the west, IIDS from the east and Greater cairo and IIDS from the south. Results of water balance showed gradually increasing of domestic and industrial water discharges from Greater Cairo to MIDS, the influent fresh water was almost constant and didn’t completely follow ET demands and the intruding seawater was almost decreasing. Results of salt balance elements showed adding extra soil salt loads to MIDS area. The MIDS water and salt balance results didn’t comply with MWRI mission.

Calibration of submerged multi-sluice gates

Sluice gates are used for flow measuring and control in irrigation channels. Free flowing sluice gates are simply calibrated while it turned to be more complicated when worked under submerged condition especially for multi-sluice gates. Experimental studies are conducted at the Hydraulic Research Institute, in National Water Research Center (NWRC), Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), Delta Barrages, Egypt, on a prototype for Assiut Barrage, to simulate flow scenarios and develop new calibration method.The main objective of this work is to study experimentally and verify empirically the different parameters affecting the discharge through submerged multiple sluice gates (i.e., the expansion ratios, gates operational management, etc.). Using multiple regression analysis of the experimental results, a general equation for discharge coefficient is developed. The results show, that the increase in the expansion ratio and the asymmetric operation of gates, give higher values for the discharge coefficient. The obtained predictions of the discharge coefficient using the developed equations are compared to the experimental data. The present developed equations showed good consistency and high accuracy.

Comparative Assessment of New Design Criteria for Irrigation Improvement in Egypt

The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) has expressed concern about the current high cost of the Irrigation Improvement Project (IIP) implemented in the “old lands” of the lower reaches of the Nile River. Because the IIP is financed through fees paid by the direct beneficiaries of the project, i.e., irrigation water users, these same Egyptian agricultural producers are especially sensitive to the higher than expected costs that the project has incurred to date. The objective of the current study is to evaluate whether this cost reduction is associated with any deficiency in irrigation performance. This Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) study aims to answer questions such as: Does reducing pump capacity and increased pump operation affect the farmers negatively? And, does the use of electricity instead of diesel fuel affect the farmers positively? Six indicators were used to compare new design criteria in the W10 and the IIP1 irrigation system designs, water savings, irrigation cost, irrigation time, night irrigation, and land savings. The W10 project design achieved the minimum actual operating cost per unit of area and per unit of water compared to the IIP1 project design on both Meet Yazied and El-Mesk Canals. The total cost per unit of area in the W10 project design is lower than IIP1 by 19.33% and 24.92% on the Meet Yazied and El-Mesk Canals, respectively. The total cost per unit of water in the W10 design is also lower than IIP1 on the Meet Yazied and El-Mesk Canals. Average irrigation time for rice and cotton crops cultivated in the W10 area are higher than average irrigation time for these crops cultivated in the IIP1 area for all locations on the Mesqa (head, middle and tail), because of increased pump operation in the W10 area (16 to 20 h d − 1). The number of irrigation events at the head of the Sefsafa Canal in the W10 area is higher than on the Meet Yazied and El-Mesk Canals in the IIP1 areas because of the increased pump operation in the W10 area.

Desalination of brackish groundwater in Egypt

Fresh groundwater resources in Egypt contribute to some 20% of the total potential of water resources in Egypt. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) increasingly recognizes its importance in the overall water resources management. The need for a more comprehensive groundwater management approach has led to the establishment of the Groundwater Sector (GWS) in December 1999. The GWS is now the sole responsible governmental agency for management of all groundwater resources and related water resources. The mandate of the GWS is: formulating and implementing the general policy for developing and managing groundwater and related water resources (flash floods, rainwater harvesting and desalinated water) on the national, regional and sub-regional level. Desalination of brackish groundwater in Egypt has a great potential with respect to the availability of the resource. All major aquifer systems in Egypt contain vast quantities of brackish groundwater. The exploitation of this resource is still limited. With the current low price of brackish water desalination there is a growing interest towards its exploitation. Brackish water desalination plants in Egypt confirm the potential of this solution. Other uses for brackish groundwater that are being considered are agriculture (salt tolerant crops) and fisheries (shrimp farms). The elements of the vision for desalination of brackish groundwater are: environmental sustainability through recycling of water and re-infiltration; public-private partnerships for exploitation, especially in the tourism sector; private sector financing through accepted modalities (BOT, DBO, etc.). With the input of experience from the Netherlands through the GWS project a new program for desalination was started. This program aims to provide the necessary concepts and data on desalination of brackish groundwater in Egypt to allow the GWS to formulate a clear policy in this regard.