"Saving the Nile", January 2020

For the 280 million people from 11 countries who live along the banks of the Nile, it symbolises life. For Ethiopia, a new dam holds the promise of much-needed electricity; for Egypt, the fear of a devastating water crisis. 

Large hydroelectric dams are touted as a green source of electricity, but they can leave a trail of environmental damage and water insecurity. Al Jazeera partnered with earth and space scientist Dr Essam Heggy to analyse the impact of large dams on the Nile as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) nears its completion date in 2023. The mega-dam has triggered a major dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over access to the Nile’s vital water resources.

[One of the main issues is with regards to]...the Nile Delta [in Egpyt]; a lush area...formed by the accumulation of silt brought downstream. It is one of the largest deltas on Earth and is home to more than 40 million people. About half of Egypt's agricultural produce comes from this fertile area. However, scientists have warned that Egypt's largest food basket is under threat. In 1971...Egypt inaugurated the Aswan High Dam. It generated around half of Egypt's electrical power at the time, but this mega-dam also triggered the gradual decline of the Delta's ecosystem. [There are worries that Ethopia's hydopower & dam projects could similarly compromise Egypt's food security].