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Impact of irrigation modernization and high Aswan Dam inflow on Nile water system efficiency and water reuse in Egypt

Author

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  • Abdellatif, Gaber
  • Gaafar, Ibrahim
  • Van Der Vat, Marnix
  • Hellegers, Petra
  • El-Naggar, Hosam El-Din
  • de Miguel Garcia, Angel
  • Seijger, Chris

Abstract

Irrigation Modernization is promoted to save water in many countries, because of its proven achievement of higher efficiencies on the field level. However, the potential of irrigation modernization in achieving water savings on the basin level is contentious. Whether it also improves the Nile basin system efficiency is studied in this paper by simulating Egypt's Nile River water balance using the River Basin Simulation Model (RIBASIM-Delwaq) under regular, high, and low inflow conditions. In addition, the impacts of three irrigation modernization strategies (all canals lined, drip irrigation on all agricultural land, all canals lined and drip irrigation on all agricultural land) were investigated for the system efficiency, water reuse, and outflow to the Mediterranean. The results show that the Nile Basin system efficiency in Egypt is very high under the baseline conditions reaching up to 75.6 % due to formal and informal water reuse activities. This leaves little room for modern irrigation strategies to achieve higher system efficiencies; 75.6 %, 78.5 %, and 77.0 %, respectively. The paper concludes that modern irrigation will not increase system efficiency or the outflow to the Mediterranean significantly, however, it will reduce official and unofficial water reuse by allowing farmers to receive more water from canals instead of drains and shallow groundwater.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdellatif, Gaber & Gaafar, Ibrahim & Van Der Vat, Marnix & Hellegers, Petra & El-Naggar, Hosam El-Din & de Miguel Garcia, Angel & Seijger, Chris, 2025. "Impact of irrigation modernization and high Aswan Dam inflow on Nile water system efficiency and water reuse in Egypt," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:316:y:2025:i:c:s0378377425002902
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109576
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M. A. Abdelzaher & Mohamed M. Awad, 2022. "Sustainable Development Goals for the Circular Economy and the Water-Food Nexus: Full Implementation of New Drip Irrigation Technologies in Upper Egypt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Wang, Yahui & Li, Sien & Qin, Shujing & Guo, Hui & Yang, Danni & Lam, Hon-Ming, 2020. "How can drip irrigation save water and reduce evapotranspiration compared to border irrigation in arid regions in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    3. Ritzema, Henk & Abdel-Dayem, Safwat & El-Atfy, Hussein & Nasralla, Magdy Rashad & Shaheen, Hanny Saad, 2023. "Challenges in modernizing the subsurface drainage systems in Egypt," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    4. Yang, Danni & Li, Sien & Kang, Shaozhong & Du, Taisheng & Guo, Ping & Mao, Xiaomin & Tong, Ling & Hao, Xinmei & Ding, Risheng & Niu, Jun, 2020. "Effect of drip irrigation on wheat evapotranspiration, soil evaporation and transpiration in Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    5. Kevin G. Wheeler & Marc Jeuland & Jim W. Hall & Edith Zagona & Dale Whittington, 2020. "Understanding and managing new risks on the Nile with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Hesham Abd-El Monsef & Scot Smith & Kamal Darwish, 2015. "Impacts of the Aswan High Dam After 50 Years," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(6), pages 1873-1885, April.
    7. Ismail Abd-Elaty & Ismail Fathy & Alban Kuriqi & Am Pris John & Salvatore Straface & Elsayed M. Ramadan, 2023. "Impact of Modern Irrigation Methods on Groundwater Storage and Land Subsidence in High-water Stress Regions," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(4), pages 1827-1840, March.
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