Since the dawn of human history, the River
Nile has embraced Egyptians within its valley, bringing
forth life, fertility and growth. Had it not been for the
world's longest and greatest river, the ancient Egyptian
civilization would not have been possible. But it not only
began, it developed and flourished for thousands of years.
Through the succession of generations, the world’s largest
and oldest irrigation and drainage networks have been built
with the unprecedented efforts of Egyptian peasants (the
first irrigation engineers on earth). Over time, this myriad
of branches and tributaries was extended outward, furnishing
our forefathers, their children and grandchildren with the
ability to grow and prosper.
From the beginning, our ancestors’ lives
centered around the river, sanctifying and protecting it and
proclaiming a solemn oath not to pollute its water. Since
that time, preservation of Nile water has become the key
pillar of policies set forth by the Ministry of Water
Resources and Irrigation. This has formed the basis for
development and effective management of the river’s
available water resources, of rationalizing its uses and of
maximizing its economic returns. To achieve these
principles, the Ministry has formulated a practical strategy
for effective action, focusing on the efforts of developing
Egypt’s water resources in cooperation with the other Nile
basin countries. Joint developmental projects to optimize
water potential and losses upstream have been established
for the welfare of all Nile basin countries. They are based
on precise and comprehensive plans for integrated water
resources management. Such plans rationalize water use,
include state-of-the-art technologies for controlling floods
and develop hydro-electric power resources. Integrated
water resource development plans have been combined with the
balanced and continuous Egyptian approach to enhance and
develop economic and political relations with the Nile basin
countries. These plans are founded upon the following basic
constants; preserving both the historical and acquired
rights of the River Nile, providing new water resources for
all the river partners and withholding the establishment of
any project that may cause harm to any of the ten basin
countries.
Since 1998, Egyptian water-related
philosophy, as well as diplomatic and political activity
produced the Nile Water Initiative. This proposition
constitutes a mechanism for constructive cooperation amongst
the Nile basin countries, and it addresses projects of water
resource development, power and electricity generation and
application of environmental protection systems along with
agricultural, economic and social projects. The initiative
was accepted and supported by more than twenty worldwide
sponsors that funded preliminary studies with nearly two
hundred million dollars. Actual execution of the plan will
presumably cost billions of dollars.
Egypt’s strategy for developing and managing
its own water resources is based on preserving and
developing all available water resources and rationalizing
its various uses through applying the most up-to-date
scientific innovations, particularly in the fields of
irrigation and drainage systems, rehabilitation and
maintenance of existing networks and industrial facilities
serving such systems. For optimal use of water resources,
the Ministry’s irrigation and drainage authorities have
continued implementation of regular maintenance schedules
for canal networks, specifically main and tributary drains
whose total lengths exceed sixty thousand kilometers and
extend throughout Egyptian cities, towns and villages. In
addition, an ambitious program has been implemented for
irrigation improvement in the ‘old lands‘, constituting an
area of three and a half million feddans. New irrigation
techniques and changing the long-established rotation method
to a continuous flow system ensures water will effectively
reach the fields in equal proportions, resulting in water
savings to be directed towards reclamation of new lands.
This program depends on the cooperation of water councils
so that actual users of irrigation water would have a direct
role in making the decisions related to the maintenance and
preservation of their water courses and combating waste or
contaminating such a precious natural resource.
The Ministry of Water Resources and
Irrigation also promotes research and experimentation
directed towards maximizing unconventional water resources
such as desalination, reuse of agricultural drainage water,
treatment of sewage water and making full use of rainfall
and floods. In a new approach adopted by the Ministry for
preserving ground water resources, new hydro-geological maps
for locating deep and surface groundwater wells are being
prepared. New rules and systems for inventory of existing
groundwater wells are being set forth and stipulations for
the acquisition of licenses for digging new wells are now
available.
The last pillar of Egypt’s strategy is
protecting water quality. Controlling pollution and
negative environmental impact is being achieved through
growing support of comprehensive water awareness programs.
Laws governing protection of the Nile and other watercourses
are being reconsidered, creating a tight balance between
household and industrial requirements and ensuring the
safety and purity of the Nile water.
The ideas discussed herein are endorsed and
supported by the Ministry’s research battalions comprised of
the best Egyptian professors, scholars and specialists in
irrigation and drainage districts. They operate under the
umbrella of the National Center of Water Researches and its
specialized research institutes in all areas for raising the
efficiency of available water resources. Special emphasis
is placed upon providing additional water resources,
improving and developing drainage techniques in arable
lands, searching for unconventional methods for irrigation
and supplying water necessary for reclaiming and cultivating
new areas.
Lastly, we must work together to protect our
natural water resources from loss, pollution and waste.
This goal brings about a deepening sense of belonging and
devotion to the immortal Nile becomes our national patriotic
mission. We cherish the Nile in our hearts and raise our
children to love the river that represents our past, our
present and most importantly, our future. We seek to impart
to them the conscientiousness and awareness to preserve
every precious drop of its fresh water. It is a gift
bestowed by the Lord Al-Mighty upon Egypt and its people.
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Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation
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