IRRIGATION IN EGYPT

Evening Star, Issue 19797, 22 February 1928, Page 8

IRRIGATION IN EGYPT

THE SENNAR DAM

(British Official News.) Press Association—By Wireless—Copyright.

RUGBY, February 20. The Foreign Secretary (Sir Austen Chamberlain) was asked in Parliament about the capacity of the Seunar dam in relation to the requirements of Sudan and Gezira, and how the method of operating the dam affected navigation on the Nile in Egypt and the supply of irrigation water during the summer.

He replied: “ Tho quantity of water stored at Sennar last year exceeded tho requirements of Sudan and Gezira by 400,000,000,000 cubic metres, ami it is estimated that the same surplus will ho available this year for tho benefit of Egypt. Were the Sennar dam not in existence, this additional supply would have already bowed unused to the sea, so that the dam, so far ns damaging Egypt, has hitherto had the effect of increasing her water supply at a period when it is most required. Arrangements for filling and emptying the Sennar reservoir, both last year and this year, were especially designed U> meet Egypt’s requirements. They wore submitted to ami approved by the Egyptian Ministry of Public Works. Tho reservoir has not affected navigation in Egypt. Such interference as has recently occurred is the result of the recent decision of tho Egyptian Government to store greatly increased volumes of water at Assuan.”