South Valley Development Project in Toshka

Most of Egypt’s population lives in a narrow strip in the Valley and Delta sector; an area that does not exceed 5.5 % of Egyptian territories. There rose the need for establishing giant projects aiming to a redistribution of the population, moving out of the narrow valley and, making use of Egypt’s desert lands via creating new urban communities that are equipped with all the life necessities.

Location

Location Toshka area lies in the western desert 225 km south of Aswan. Toshka is Nubian word means “the homeland of Al-Ghabeera Plant”; which is a famous aromatic plant in the area.  Toshka is marked by its pristine lands that have never been exposed to use of pesticides or chemicals, which ensures production of safe crops conforming to world environmental standards/specifications. Toshka is also characterized by its warm dry climate that contributes to fast ripeness of the cultivated crops, compared with other countries, and facilitates the promotion of these crops in the international markets.                        

Objectives

• Addition of a new area of arable land amounting to 540 thousand feddans that may be extended in the future to  one million feddans irrigated by surface water drawn from the Nile as well as the available ground water resources in the area;
•  Establishing integrated agricultural and industrial communities that are based on exploitation of agricultural raw materials and are further extended to include industries dependent on local materials, mining and generation of power;
•   Setting up new urban communities to decrease the high population density in the Valley and Delta areas;
• Generating employment for all levels of workforce in fields of agriculture, industry, trade and exploration of mineral deposits and raw materials;
• Creating a road network  serving developmental objectives and plans in the area;
• Promoting different tourist activities; safari, therapeutic touring and rallies in the area

Project Components

Mubarak Station is a unique model of colossal stations that apply state-of-the-art technologies; the main control room is connected to all the head regulators of the canals and cross regulators through an electronic system called “Escade System”. The amount of water outflowing from the station’s units is controlled according to actual irrigation requirements.

• Extensive hydrographic and hydraulic studies were conducted to choose the best location for the intake feeding the gigantic pumping station;  
• The station is on the left side of Lake Naser: 8 kilometers north of Khawr Toshka;
• The station comprises 24 pumping units, three are spare units and three designed for future expansion;
• The station’s Maximal static pumping  is 54 m, in addition to the option of continuous operation even if the water level in Lake Naser drops down to its minimal storage limit;
• Designed discharge for the station in the project’s first phase is 25 million m³ per day;
• Constructions of the station is complete, final testing for 21 pumping units have been conducted;
• Total cost of the station’s construction reached nearly 1480 million pounds.

• Total Canal Length = 50.8 kilometers

First: The Concrete Structure

• The canal starts with a concrete structure with a length of 3.35km and bottom width of 9.5 m. The structure is composed of two u-shaped parts with the purpose of overcoming the problem of low water levels prevalent in the area. The structure is intended to connect the discharge basin of Mubarak pumping station marked by the relatively high water level with Al-Sheikh Zayed Canal that is of low water level.

Second: The Main Canal

• Bottom Width = 30m
• Side slopes = 2:1
• Hydraulic slope is 15 cm/km starting from Kilo 3.35 till kilo 5.35, then it is decreased to 8 cm/km till the end
• Water depth = 6 m
• Berm width = 20 m
• Bank Width = 20 m
• The canal is bedded with sand reinforced with cement

 Industrial Works on Al-Sheikh Zayed Canal

• Cross regulator at kilo 20 to control water levels in the Canal;
• Five reinforced concrete bridges with a load limit of 70 tons;
• A spillway at kilo 6.455 in the right side to drain excessive water from safe operation levels;
• A reinforced concrete bridge at kilo 7.032

Al-Sheikh Zayed Canal Branches
At its end, the Canal is ramified into two conduits:

Distributary Canal for Branches (1) and (2)

• Distributary Length: 22 km
• Bottom width: 20m
• Side slopes: 2:1
• Hydraulic sloping : 8 cm/km
• water depth = 5 m
• Berm width = 7 m
• Bank width =20 m
• The Distributary is lined with sand reinforced with cement  
• Water has been released in the Distributary till its end

Industrial Works on Distributary for branches (1) & (2)

• Two intakes for the right bank and one intake for the left bank to irrigation a command area of nearly 75 thousand feddans;
• Reinforced concrete bridges with a load limit of 70 tons;
• A spillway at kilo 21.9 on the left bank to discharge water that exceed safe operation levels

First: Branch (1)

• Branch command area is 120 thousand feddans that were allocated to Al-Mamlaka for Development and Al-Raghy Companies.
• Nearly 20 thousand feddans of the branch’s command area receive irrigation water via the right intake of the Distributary for branches 1&2
• Branch length:24.015
  kilometers
• Bottom width:9 meters
• Side slopes: 2:1
• Hydraulic sloping : 8 cm/km
• Water depth = 4.2 m
• The branch is bedded with sand reinforced with cement
• Water current was released till the end of the branch

 Industrial Works on Branch (1):

• Head regulator
• Two cross regulators; one is at kilo 8.00 and the other at kilo 17.00
• Three concrete bridges at kilo 4.350, kilo 12.5 and kilo 21.5
• Eight right bank intakes and five left bank intakes
• A spillway at kilo 23.849 in the left bank to drain water exceeding safe operation levels

Second: Branch (2)

• Branch command area is 120 thousand feddans allocated to South Valley Development Company  and Al-Raghy Company.
• Nearly 35 thousand feddans of the branch’s command area are irrigated via the left intake of the Distributary for branches 1&2
• Branch length: 26.5
  kilometers
• Bottom width: 8 meters
• Side slopes: 2:1
• Hydraulic sloping : 8 cm/km
• Water depth = 3.86 m
• The branch is bedded with sand reinforced with cement
• Water current has been released till kilo 13.5 so far

Industrial Works on Branch (2)

• Head regulator
• Three cross regulators: at kilo 7.00, kilo 14.00 and  kilo 24.00
• Three concrete bridges at kilo 3.00, kilo 9.8 and kilo 21.00
• Four left bank intakes and two right bank intakes
• Three left bank spillways at kilo 0.8, kilo 11.5 and kilo 22.170 in the to drain water beyond safe operation levels

2- Distributary for Branches (3) and (4)i

• Distributary Length: 7.594 km
• Bottom width: 20m
• Side slopes: 2:1
• Hydraulic sloping : 8 cm/km
• Water depth = 5 m
• Berm width = 7 m
• Bank width =20 m
• The Distributary is lined with sand reinforced with cement
• The Distributary is still under construction

Industrial Works on Distributary for Branches (3) and (4)

• A reinforced concrete syphon under Toshka Spillway Canal at kilo 6.00. the syphon’s sector comprises four
  square-shaped openings
  (5.4m x 5.4 m)with a total length of nearly 800 m. Construction works in the syphon are in progress.

First: Branch (3)

• Abu Dhabi Fund undertakes financing the branch with a total cost of 100 million dollars;
• Command area of the branch is 100 thousand feddans that were allocated to the Emirates Al- Zahera Company;
• Branch Length : 100 thousand feddans
• Branch length : 23.67 km
• Bottom width : 8 m
• Side slopes: 2:1
• Hydraulic sloping: 8 cm/km
• Water depth = 3.9 m
• The branch is bedded with sand reinforced with cement

Industrial Works on Branch (3)

• Head regulator
• Three reinforced concrete bridges with a load limit of 60 tons;
• Four intakes for the right bank and three intakes for the left bank;
• Three pumping stations with a total static pumping of 63 m by the end of the branch

Second: Branch (4)

• Branch command area is 200 thousand feddans that will be open for investors;
• Branch length is 57 kilometers in low-level areas and 19.5 km for high lands;
• A spillway at kilo 50.0to discharge water surpassing the Canal’s safe operation levels; it ends with a channel empting in Toshka Spillway Canal;
• Head regulator of Distributary for branches 1 and 2

Head regulator of Distributary for branches 3 and 4

Converters Stations and Electricity Transfer and Distribution Connections

• Executed by the Ministry of Electricity and Power and include the following:
• Toshka Converters Station 1 serving Mubarak Pumping Station
• Toshka Converters Station 2 for charging Al-Eslah Stations no. 1, 2, 3and 4
• Al-Eslah station 1 serving command area of branches 1 & 2
• Al-Eslah Station 2 serving command area of branch 4
• Al-Eslah Station 3 serving pumping station at kilo 12.275 on branch 3
•  Al-Eslah Station 4 serving two pumping stations at kilo 16.370 and kilo 23.203 on branch 3
• 280-km electricity network for transferring and distributing power
• Three electricity distribution boards

• Economic studies have shown that rates of development of ground water resources in the South Valley area and the Western Desert can reach approximately 2.5 billion m³ annually.

• Number of target wells is 316 wells for cultivating nearly 30 thousand feddans in dispersed areas.

• Total wells that have been dug so far amounted to 130 productive wells plus other 58 experimental wells

• Cultivated lands that have been irrigated by ground water reached more than three thousand feddans.

• The road leading to the Project area has been established and lit.

• The sides and inner roads connecting Aswan-Abu Simbel and Abu-Simbel-Al-Owaynat Strengthened and repaved.

• Completing the administrative and residential buildings in the Project’s permanent settlement at kilo 50.0 is in progress. The settlement is fitted with two stations: one for purifying drinking water and another for treating sewage water.

• Some vital services are available in the Project area, for example:

• Bank of Development and Agricultural Credit, a media station, a station for agricultural machinery, a mall, a police station, a fast aid unit, a medical center (that is still under construction)

First, Agricultural Investment

• The climate of the Project area is marked by warmth and aridity which helps to accelerate ripeness of fruit and vegetables earlier than other neighboring countries.
• Some crops, such as grapes, cantaloupe and green beans are exported to the European markets
• Different types of crops are cultivated:

- Cultivation using water flowing from Al-Sheikh Zayed Canal and its branches: Corn, barley, wheat, artichoke, strawberry, grapes, asparagus

- Cultivation using ground water prevalent on the sides of Al-Sheikh Zayed Canal: Hibiscus, peanuts, wheat, citrus, palm trees

- Shoreline cultivation on banks of Khawr Toshka and Sides of Depressions: Watermelon and cantaloupe

Second, Animal Production

• The area is characterized by crops that may serve as animal clover which leads to abundant production of red meat, milk and dairy products

Third, Industrial Investment

• The Project area is rich in mineral resources like lead, precious stones and iron
• Basalt rocks are abundant in the area
• Many agricultural industries such as organic fertilizers, sorting out and  packing  of vegetables and fruits, fridges and freezers are in preparation

Fourth, Tourism

• The area is of  a unique desert nature, particularly around Toshka Depression and Lake Naser
• The Project area is located nearby the Pharaonic Monuments in Abu-Simbel