How the Nile River’s Changing Waters Affect Life in Africa

by Sofia Zapata, age 14

The Nile River, one of the longest rivers in the world, is an important transportation and trade route, but in recent years it has faced new problems.

The river flows around 6,600 kilometers and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. It flows from south to north through eastern Africa, starting from rivers that flow into Lake Victoria. The Nile River runs either along the border or through ten African countries. The river also has provided a source of irrigation to help transform dry areas around it into lush, agricultural land.

The Nile River provided ancient Egypt with fertile soil and water for irrigation, as well as a means of transporting materials for building projects. The banks of the river contain rich soil, thanks to annual flooding that deposits silt. This silt builds up in a delta, which is the soil between the Nile River and the Mediterranean Sea. Every time the Nile River drains away, it leaves rich silt on the previously flooded plains. This makes the soil along the Nile River extremely fertile, enabling farmers to enjoy good harvests year in and year out. For thousands of years, Egypt’s food was cultivated in the Nile region. Ancient Egyptians created irrigation methods to support their communities and grow a variety of crops for storage and trade. Along with agriculture, Ancient Egyptians utilized the Nile River for bathing, drinking and recreational activities.

For thousands of years, the Nile River has been a trading and transportation route, but now the river and its capacities are shifting. Its routes have now changed. The river now has canals that support bringing water to farms and cities, which helps agriculture and fishing. Residents of Cairo started to use the river as a way to avoid crowded streets by using private speed boats, water taxis, or ferries.

There is a high dam that has been installed in the Nile river in the past hundreds of years. This dam is located just south of the city of Aswan in Egypt to stop the annual flooding. It also provides a source of hydroelectric power. However, this is causing the silt and sediment that used to flow north to build up behind the dam. This makes the delta shrink due to erosion along the Mediterranean Sea, instead of growing through the soil deposits. The dam does help stop the river’s annual flooding, but these floods were necessary to flush out the water of human and agricultural waste. Due to these changes, the water of the Nile River has become more polluted.

The Nile River provides many benefits for trade in Africa, but ongoing issues in the river are increasing due to the sediment build-up behind the dam. The Nile River continues to be an important natural water source connecting regions of Africa and providing trade routes with markets across various countries.

[Source: National Geographic]