Nile River Delta
By: Brendan Peters
History
The Nile Delta is the delta to the worlds longest river. It was formed by the different branches of the Nile River.The Nile Delta has been farmed for over 5,000 years and the Delta has the richest farmland in all of Egypt. The Delta is one of the most densely populated agricultural areas in the world. People have lived there for thousands of years. The river used to flood annually but this ended when the Aswan Dam was built. The Delta used to have 7 branches, but overtime, man and nature have closed all of the delta's branches except for 2.
More Info
The Nile River Delta's rich farmland and densely populated areas are currently being threatened by the risk of rising sea levels. The rising sea levels could put an end to Egypt's richest farmland. The Nile Delta is also known for its many archaeological sites. In 1799, in the city of Rosetta, the Rosetta Stone (below) was found in the Nile River Delta.
Geology stuff
Nile River from Cairo Tower
Limestone
Conglomerate
News Article Summary
Many scientists believe that the Aswan Dam could be the reason for the rising sea levels. The Nile always delivers fresh water and fresh sediments, but the Aswan Dam could also be blocking a lot of the rich sediments that come upstream from Cairo. Now scientists are studying the rate of the rising sea-level and seeing what needs to be done. The Egyptian government is also working on a 'megaproject' that made the largest pump in the world to be diverting 10% of the Nile into an uninhabited area of the desert to create a new delta.
The Nile River Delta at night (photographed by NASA)
Bibliography
"Nile Delta." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
"Nile Delta of Egypt - Sea Level Rise Map." Nile River Delta Egypt. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
"NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration." NASA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013
"The Nile Delta." The Nile Delta. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
"The Nile Delta's Sinking Future." The Nile Delta's Sinking Future. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.