Lake Nasser (Arabic: بحيرة ناصر Boħēret Nāṣer, Egyptian
Arabic: [boˈħeːɾet ˈnɑːsˤeɾ]) is a vast reservoir in southern Egypt and
northern Sudan. It is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Before
construction, Sudan was against the building of Lake Nasser because it would
encroach on land in the North, where the Nubian people lived. They would have to be resettled. In the end
Sudan's land near the area of Lake Nasser was mostly flooded by the lake.
Strictly, "Lake Nasser" refers only to the much
larger portion of the lake that is in Egyptian territory (83% of the total),
with the Sudanesepreferring to call their smaller body
of water Lake Nubia (Egyptian Arabic: بحيرة النوبة Boret Nubeyya, [boˈeːɾet nʊˈbejjæ]).
Description
The
lake is some 479 km (298 mi) long and 16 km (9.9 mi) across
at its widest point, which is near the Tropic of Cancer. It
covers a total surface area of 5,250 km2 (2,030 sq mi)
and has a storage capacity of some 132 km3 (32 cu mi)
of water.
The
lake was created as a result of the construction of the Aswan High Dam across
the waters of the Nile between
1958 and 1970. The lake is named after Gamal Abdel Nasser,
one of the leaders of the Egyptian
Revolution of 1952, and the second President of Egypt,
who initiated the High Dam project. It was President Anwar Sadat who
inaugurated the lake and dam in 1970.
Current issues
Egypt
lacks the water it needs for agriculture. The Grand
Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, currently being constructed in Ethiopia will most
likely adversely affect Lake Nasser. While the Renaissance Dam will benefit
Sudan and Ethiopia, it has caused tensions between Egypt and Sudan and
Ethiopia. Egypt
is worried that the new dam will stop the Nile River from adequately
filling Lake Nasser. The water supply of Lake Nasser produces electricity,
and there is concern that diminishing water flowing into Lake Nasser will
adversely affect Aswan Dam's ability to generate electricity. There are pumping
stations that control the water going into Lake Nasser, and currently this
project generates "10 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each
year" to Egyptians.
Sport and tourism
A fish
enclosure was built in Lake Nasser. Fishing among tourists, especially
for Nile perch, has
become increasingly popular, both on the shore and from boats. Although
the Abu Simbel and
other temples were physically moved to a higher ground and to different
sites to spare their destruction by the new lake, other ancient Egyptian sites
like the massive fortress of Buhen were
flooded and are now at the bottom of the lake. The statue of Ramses II and
others, at Abu Simbel Temple, look out over Lake Nasser and tourists
can enjoy the view from their cruise ship.