Aswan Dam

Aswan Dam, Egypt

Case Study

The Aswan Dam is located on the River Nile in Southern Egypt. It stands 111 metres high and 3,830 metres wide.

This case study can be used for GCSE geography or AS Level for the WJEC exam board. I will be using it in my AS level geography exam for 'Flood Management Schemes'.

If I were asked the question - 'Evaluate the pros and cons of a flood management scheme (10)' ... this is the answer I would give. I've done each paragraph in different colours to make it easier to read. Also, after the wordy bits, I've done the whole answer in bullet point form. 

Firstly, I will talk about the history of the River Nile, and why there was a need for the Aswan High Dam to be built.

Throughout time, the River Nile has been the only reason that people have been able to live and prosper in Egypt. Annual floods that covered farmland on the banks of the river, deposited silt that fertilized the land naturally and officiently. Unfortunately, some years the floods wouldn't arrive - leaving the country in famine, which lead to disease. Hundreds upon thousands would die if the Nile did not fertilize the farmland. Other years, the Nile would flood over the farmland, washing away entire villages and killing many people.

To combat this, the Egyptian government decided to build the Aswan High Dam, in Aswan. The main idea was that controlled flooding would ensure that no lives were lost due to famine or flood. The dam also generated Hydroelectricity, which was supplied to over 20% of the country. On top of all these pros, the dam also created enormous tourism due to Lake Nasser, the reservoir that was…