The Aswan Dams

The Aswan High Dam was designed to control the Nile River. The huge dam controls flooding and stores water for times of drought, it is equipped to provide hydroelectric power. These benefits however do not come without a price tag. Hussein M. Fahim, who has been studying the impacts of the Aswan dam since 1963, writes "I view dams as engineering works, supposedly constructed to serve people; they, of course, have their technical specifications and requirements, but their potential humanistic implications should neither be overlooked nor underestimated." Engineers and governments must carefully weigh the benefits and the cost of any new technology. Huge environmental projects such as dams must entail even more thought and consideration than a new car engine or a faster microprocessor.

The High dam was actually the second dam at Aswan, the first one having been built in 1889. At the time Egypt was controlled by the British and they were interested in increased irrigation capabilities for cash crops, such as cotton. Due to the irregular flooding pattern of the Nile river and increased water demands, the dam had to be raised on 2 occasions (1912 and 1933) in order to ensure its continued usefulness and safety. When debates began again over raising the dam a third time, suggestions were made to possibly build a new super dam.

It wasn't until Egypt experience a revolution in 1952 that the political climate allowed the feasibility of a new dam to be properly studied. The new dam, the Aswan High Dam, was a technical marvel, being "5 kilometers long at its crest, and 1 kilometer thick at its base, and rises 107 meters above sea level." With the dam's hydroelectric capabilities, the Egyptian government strives to obtain the maximum benefits available from every gallon of water that flows down the Nile.

And, while most people would agree the flood control and the electricity the dam provides helps economic growth, the cost of these benefits must also be examined. When the Aswan Dam was built, the country of Nubia was flooded. The Egyptian government made arrangements for the Nubians to be relocated, but their lifestyle was destroyed. In fact many of the nomadic tribes in the area were not warned of the changes that would be happening to the river, which affected their routines in caring for their livestock. Prior to the appearance of Lake Nasser, as the northern part of the reservoir created by the dam is known, the Nubians cultivated plots along the shore. Those areas are now completely underwater. Many people have left the settlements that were created for them and returned to the lake's edge, trying to recreate their lost culture.