Egypt Daily News – Dr. Abbas Sharaqi, professor at Cairo University specializing in water resources and geology, has shared insights on the hydrology of the Nile River and the surrounding regions.
He emphasized that the rainfall from Aswan and Sudan does not significantly contribute to the Nile’s annual water revenues. Instead, the river’s main sources are Ethiopia, which provides about 85% of the flow, and the Lake Victoria region, contributing approximately 15%.
Dr. Sharaqi pointed out the paradox of the water situation in the region: Egypt had many rivers but suffers from low water levels, whereas South Sudan, despite receiving a surplus of rainfall—around 800 billion cubic meters annually—lacks the river systems to channel this water effectively.
This has resulted in vast swamps rather than flowing rivers. In contrast, Sudan receives around 200 billion cubic meters of rainfall, but much of this does not efficiently reach the Nile due to geographical challenges and river conditions.
Sharaqi highlighted that while the rainfall in Egypt is minimal and sporadic, the rainfall in South Sudan is abundant, creating opportunities and challenges.
He proposed that Egypt’s future water prospects might hinge on mitigating water loss in South Sudan by developing artificial waterways, such as the incomplete Jonglei Canal, to better utilize the region’s water resources.
