Nile Delta Case Study Flashcards
Where is the Nile located?
Egypt
How long is the Nile?
6650km
How big is the catchment area?
3 million km2
What are the sediment loads?
30% clay, 40% silt and 30% fine sand
What type of delta is the Nile?
Arcuate
What is the prevailign wind direction?
Northwesterly
What is the speed of the winds?
- 26-13.5 cm/s during summer
- 14 cm/s during winter
- 46 cm/s during autumn
- 4 cm/s during spring
Have there been changes in the sediment budget?
Reduction from 120 million tonnes/year to trace amounts for sediment accreted
What has caused the large changes in sediment budget?
Building of the Aswan High Dam
Define a delta
Large areas of sediment found at the mouths of rivers. Deltaic sediments are deposited by rivers and tidal currents. They form when rivers and tidal currents deposit sediment at a faster rate than waves and tides can remove it
What are the two main promontary’s
Rosetta and Damieta
What is the Rosetta promontary? What were the processes in the past around this?
Result of deposition where the Nile enters the Mediterranean
NW winds means that the promontory is exposed to incoming waves = erosion
LSD and ocean currents ccarry eroded sediment to the east along the outer edge of the delta
Leads to deposition = growth of spits /bars along the Burullus Lagoon
What processes happen at the Rosetta promontory today?
NW wind facing beaches are being eroded again - lack of sediment from the Nile means erosion exceeeds deposition
Sediment is moved and deposited in more sheltered water around Gamasa
Sand deposits at Gamasa is blown inland by secondary PW to form sand dunes
How is the Damieta promontory formed?
Build of deposition from fluvial sediment (alluvium) by the Nile
Eroded as faces NW winds
Material transferres east to fomr spits /bars across the Manzala lagoon - now eroding
Alexandria
Popular tourist destination
Carbonate ridge of sedimanetary rock
Start of the delta system
