Egypt constructs largest water project, Artificial River initiative, for irrigation

Dubbed Egypt’s largest-ever project, the £ 4billion Artificial River initiative will construct a canal over 70 miles (114 km) long to irrigate 1.2 million acres of desert for agricultural use west of the Nile Delta.

The canal will transfer wastewater from the Delta to a large treatment plant capable of treating 5 million cubic metres per day, with the goal of enhancing food security in Egypt.

The Artificial River project is an ambitious initiative aimed at creating a man-made waterway for various purposes such as irrigation, transportation, urban development, or environmental restoration.

The mega project is being carried out by contractors such as Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors.

Identified as a high national security priority by the Egyptian government, the initiative also includes plans to develop new cities around the canal.

However, technical challenges, such as shifting sand dunes along the canal route, have led some experts to argue that the project is unrealistic.

Supporters assert that the initiative is crucial for job creation and for adapting to changes in the flow of the Nile River due to upstream dam construction

The artificial river serves as a conduit for transferring water from the al-Hammam plant, which holds the distinction of being the largest treatment facility globally, in addition to utilizing a portion of the available groundwater.

Abbas Sharaky, Professor of Water Resources and Irrigation told Smart Water Magazine: “The artificial river project is one of the most important water projects in recent years in terms of construction engineering and economic importance.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1933396/artificial-river-project-egypt-river-nile