Water Cycle Case Study - The GERD and the Nile Flashcards
Where is it located?
Ethiopia, along the Blue Nile downstream of the Tana lake
What does GERD stand for?
Gramd Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
What type of dam is it?
Roller-compacted concrete
How many power stations does it have?
Two
How many spillways does it have?
Three
Does it have a saddle dam?
Yes
What is a saddle dam?
A secondary dam
Is it Africa’s biggest hydroelectric plant?
Yes
How much does it cost?
US $5 billion
How tall is it?
170m
When did it begin generating electricity?
February 2022
How much does the reservoir contain?
74 billion cubic metres of water
What are the advantages of the GERD?
- generates hydropower = capacity is 6000 megawatts
- can generate up to 2% of Ethiopias annual GDP
- allows for expansion of agricultural land by 2 million acres
- has a flood retention basin which protects downstream in periods of heavy rainfall
- storage capacity of 74 billion cubic metres (act as strategic reserve during drought)
- diplomatic route of working with Egypt to resolve water disputes
-hydropower = clean resource, reduce country’s C02 emissions
-can double electricity production = useful for 60m people who have no access to electricity - designed to trap 100 years of sediment inflow
What are the Downsides of the GERD
- Reduces water supplies to Egypt by 1/3
- alters natural flow of the Nile = affect biodiversity and ecosystems
- during drought the dam may exacerbate water scarcity downstream
- construction has resulted in displacement of communities
- geopolitical disagreements
- construction was delayed so went over the expected budget
- possible increase in water bourne diseases
- Egypt have concerns over structural integrity and its potential to fail
- Egypt relies on the Nile for 97% of its water needs
- The UN has said Egypt could run out of water by 2025
What happened in 1929?
The Nile Water Agreement was made which granted Egypt the rights to most of the river water apart from a tiny bit in the Sudan
What happened in 1959?
In 1959 Egypt and Sudan signed an agreement increasing the allocations of water in both Egypt and Sudan
What percentage of Egypt’s water comes from the Nile?
The problem is that Egypt is 90% dependent on the waters of the Nile for its survival
What happened in 2006?
A Nile River Basin Commission was established to ensure equal and fair usage of the River Nile
