The Nile and Its Masters: Past, Present, Future: Source of Hope and Anger

Kerisel, Jean

ISBN 10: 9058093433 / ISBN 13: 9789058093431

Published by CRC Press, 2001

About this Item

Clean text. Like new book. Most of our orders are shipped within 24 hours.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1749017073730

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Nile and Its Masters: Past, Present, Future: Source of Hope and Anger
• Publisher: CRC Press
• Publication Date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9058093433
• ISBN 13: 9789058093431
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: As New

About this title

Synopsis

The Pharoahs were masters of the Nile: they had a detailed understanding of the ways of the river.  Modern Egyptians see themselves as heirs to this tradition, and as owners of the Nile waters.   In the 1960's,  Egypt decided to protect its increasingly-populated Nile valley from the ravages of annual flooding by building a dam. A relatively small dam in the valley of Nubia, in the region of Tushka, would have enabled the excess floodwaters to safely be diverted towards the fossil valley of the pre-Nile. However, it was decided to select a site near Aswan, making it necessary to inundate more than 250km of river valley. Over the years, this strategy has been revealed to have been faulty, and numerous irrigation schemes in  upriver countries have progressively reduced the amount of water descending into Egypt. The dire warning of the 14th century oracle appears to be prophetic: "the water of the river in my country will be stopped from reaching yours, which I shall cause to die of thirst..."

About the Author

Jean Kerisel (Author) Emeritus Proffessor, Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussces, Paris