Will the world’s largest man-made river be in Egypt?
Photo credit: Aswaq Al Malomat
An artificial river in the middle of the desert may sound unrealistic, but the project is becoming a modern reality in Egypt’s Western Desert.
To ensure the availability of sustainable water resources, Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is building the world’s largest man-made river. With a length of 114 kilometers, the river will be used to deliver water to sustain agricultural areas in the New Delta project.
Cultivating over 2.2 million feddan (9,240 square kilometers), New Delta is the largest scheme of its kind in the history of agricultural projects in Egypt.
Photo credit: Russia Today
Through this man-made river, groundwater, agricultural and drainage water will be treated at the Al-Hamam Agricultural Wastewater Treatment Plant, to produce nearly 10 million cubic meters of water. There are 22 kilometers of underground water pipelines in the river as well as 92 kilometers of open path.
Once completed, the project should make a significant contribution to food and water security in Egypt.
According to UNICEF, Egypt is currently struggling with an annual water deficit of around seven billion cubic meters, and the country could run out of water by 2025.
However, the Egyptian government is rationing water use, desalinizing seawater, purifying local lakes, establishing national megaprojects aimed at lining waterways and transitioning to modern irrigation systems. Egypt is also establishing the National Water Resources Plan 2037, which aims to maximize the country’s water resources.
In recent years, the Egyptian government has also been making efforts to promote food security by reclaiming agricultural lands and establishing wheat silos to produce wheat locally.
Subscribe to our newsletter
