Abstract
Egypt is located in the arid and semiarid region, where the limited availability of renewable freshwater is the main challenge in future agriculture and urban development. The main water resource in Egypt is the River Nile; Nile water alone is no longer sufficient for the increasing water requirements for the different developmental activities in Egypt due to a rapid increase in population and expected impacts of climate change especially on the agriculture sector. The agriculture sector in Egypt is the main consumption of freshwater; it consumes more than 80% of the total water resources in Egypt. The role of groundwater is steadily increasing especially in the newly reclaimed areas along the desert fringes of the Nile Delta and Valley. Abstraction from groundwater in Egypt is dynamic in nature as it grows rapidly with the expansion of irrigation activities, industrialization and urbanization.
The quality of the groundwater in this area may be strongly affected by the impact of the sea level rise combined with changes of Nile River flows, leading to an increase in the salinity levels of groundwater. In addition, the current and future human activities, especially extensive and unplanned groundwater abstraction, are resulting in deterioration of the available groundwater resources. Serious negative socioeconomic impacts can follow as a consequence. In the Nile Delta, extensive groundwater abstraction is also a very significant factor that increases seawater intrusion. Groundwater wells which were beyond salinization zones in the past are consequently showing upconing of saline or brackish water.
There are many efforts from researchers to control groundwater level on farm via controlled drainage which contributes to water requirements for some crops like rice. On the other hand, shallow groundwater may cause soil salinization, waterlogging and damage to crop roots. Agriculture activity may cause pollution of groundwater with fertilizers and pesticides through seepage so integrated management for sustainable use of groundwater is a very important issue in the Nile Delta, so in this chapter the author will provide an overview of the exchangeable relationships between groundwater and agriculture in the Nile Delta region.
References
Dawoud MA, Darwish MM, El-kady MM (2005) GIS-based groundwater management model for western Nile Delta. Water Resour Manag 19:585–604. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-005-5603-z
MWRI (2005) National water resources plan for Egypt 2017. Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Giza
Kumar CP (2012) Climate change and its impact on groundwater resources. Int J Eng Sci 1:43–60
Geirnaert W, Laeven MP (1992) Composition and history of groundwater in the western Nile Delta. J Hydrol 138:169–189
Sefelnasr A, Sherif M (2013) Impacts of seawater intrusion in the Nile Delta aquifer, Egypt. Natl Groundwater Assoc 52:264–276
Abd-Elhamid H, Javadi A, Abdelaty I, Sherif M (2016) Simulation of seawater intrusion in the Nile Delta aquifer under the conditions of climate change. Hydrol Res 47:1198–1210. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2016.157
Kashef AI (1983) Harmonizing Ghyben-Herzberg interface with rigorous solutions. Groundwater 21:153–159
El-gamal H, Dahab K, Aeschbach-hertig W (2004) A multi-tracer study of groundwater in reclamation areas south-west of the Nile Delta, Egypt. In: International workshop on the application of isotope techniques in hydrological and environmental studies UNESCO, Paris, France, 6–8 Sept 2004
Al-Agha DE, Closas A, Molle F (2015) Survey of groundwater use in the central part of the Nile Delta. In: Water and salt management in the Nile Delta: Report No. 6
Sefelnasr A, Sherif M (2014) Impacts of seawater rise on seawater intrusion in the Nile Delta aquifer, Egypt. Groundwater 52:264–276. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.12058
Sharaky A, Atta SA, El Hassanein AS, Khallaf KMA (2007) Hydrogeochemistry of groundwater in the Western Nile Delta Aquifers, Egypt. In: 2nd international conference on the geology of the Tethys, Cairo University, 19–21 Mar 2007, pp 19–21
RIGW/IWACO (1988/1993) Hydrogeological map of Egypt, scale 1:2,000,000. Research Institute for Groundwater, Cairo
MWRI (2012) Strategy of water resources of Egypt till 2050. Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Giza
Christen EW, Ayars JE (2001) Subsurface drainage system design and management in irrigated agriculture: best management practices for reducing drainage volume and salt load. CSIRO Land and Water, Clayton South
Kahlown MA, Ashraf M, Zia-ul-Haq (2005) Effect of shallow groundwater table on crop water requirements and crop yields. Agric Water Manag 76:24–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2005.01.005
Rose DA, Ghamarnia HM, Gowing JW (2010) Development and performance of wheat roots above shallow saline groundwater. Aust J Soil Res 48:659–667
Khalil BM, Abdel-Gawad T, Millette JA (2004) Impact of controlled drainage on rice production, irrigation water requirement and soil salinity in Egypt. In: Drainage VIII proceedings of the eighth international symposium, Sacramento, CA, USA, 21–24 Mar 2004, p 1
Ng HYF, Tan CS, Drury CF, Gaynor JD (2002) Controlled drainage and subirrigation influences tile nitrate loss and corn yields in a sandy loam soil in Southwestern Ontario. Agric Ecosyst Environ 90:81–88
Skaggs RW, Youssef MA (2008) Effect of drainage water management on water conservation and nitrogen losses to surface waters. In: 16th national nonpoint source monitoring workshop, Columbus, OH, pp 14–18
Bonaiti G, Borin M (2010) Efficiency of controlled drainage and subirrigation in reducing nitrogen losses from agricultural fields. Agric Water Manag 98:343–352
Wahba MS, El-Ganainy MA, Amer MH (2008) Water table management strategies for irrigation water saving. In: Twelfth international water technology conference, IWTC12 2008, Alexandria, Egypt
Prathapar SA, Qureshi AS (1999) Modelling the effects of deficit irrigation on soil salinity, depth to water table and transpiration in semi-arid zones with monsoonal rains. Int J Water Resour Dev 15:141–159
DRI (2001) Drainage criteria study at Mashtul pilot areas part 3: fluctuation in the groundwater table. Technical Report No. 59, pilot area and drainage technology project. Advisory Panel on Land drainage in Egypt, Giza
Ballantine DJ, Tanner CC (2013) Controlled drainage systems to reduce contaminant losses and optimize productivity from New Zealand pastoral systems. N Z J Agric Res 56:171–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2013.781509
Ayars JE, Christen EW, Hornbuckle JW (2006) Controlled drainage for improved water management in arid regions irrigated agriculture. Agric Water Manag 86:128–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2006.07.004
Cary L, Trolard F (2006) Effects of irrigation on geochemical processes in a paddy soil and in groundwaters in Camargue (France). J Geochem Explor 88:177–180
Mohamed ES, Morgun EG, Bothina SMG (2011) Assessment of soil salinity in the Eastern Nile Delta (Egypt) using geoinformation techniques. Moscow Univ Soil Sci Bull 66:11–14. https://doi.org/10.3103/S0147687411010030
Houk E, Frasier M, Schuck E (2006) The agricultural impacts of irrigation induced waterlogging and soil salinity in the Arkansas Basin. Agric Water Manag 85:175–183
Corwin DL, Rhoades JD, ŠimYuunek J (2007) Leaching requirement for soil salinity control: steady-state versus transient models. Agric Water Manag 90:165–180
Herrero J, Pérez-Coveta O (2005) Soil salinity changes over 24 years in a Mediterranean irrigated district. Geoderma 125:287–308
Zhou D, Lin Z, Liu L, Zimmermann D (2013) Assessing secondary soil salinization risk based on the PSR sustainability framework. J Environ Manag 128:642–654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.06.025
Houk E, Frasier M, Schuck E (2006) The agricultural impacts of irrigation induced waterlogging and soil salinity in the Arkansas Basin. Agric Cult Water Manag 85:175–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2006.04.007
Jolly ID, Mcewan KL, Holland KL (2008) A review of groundwater – surface water interactions in arid/semi-arid wetlands and the consequences of salinity for wetland ecology. Ecohydrology 1:43–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco
Rengasamy P (2006) World salinization with emphasis on Australia. J Exp Bot 57:1017–1023. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erj108
Rengasamy P (2002) Transient salinity and subsoil constraints to dryland farming in Australian sodic soils: an overview. Aust J Exp Agric 42:351–361
Fernández-Cirelli A, Arumà JL, Rivera D, Boochs PW (2009) Environmental effects of irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions. Chilean J Agric Res 69:27–40
De Wrachien D, Feddes R (2003) Drainage development in a changing environment: overview and challenges. In: 9th international drainage workshop – drainage for a secure environment and food supply, pp 1–17
Ibrahim SM (1999) Wheat cultivation under limited irrigation and high water table conditions. Egypt J Soil Sci 39:361–372
Nosetto MD, Jobbágy EG, Jackson RB, Sznaider GA (2009) Reciprocal influence of crops and shallow groundwater in sandy landscapes of the Inland Pampas. Field Crop Res 113:138–148
Brisson N, Rebiere B, Zimmer D, Renault P (2002) Response of the root system of a winter wheat crop to waterlogging. Plant Soil 243:43–55
Schultz B, Zimmer D, Vlotman WF (2007) Drainage under increasing and changing requirements. Irrig Drain 56:S1
Bhutta MN, van der Sluis TA, Wolters W (1995) Review of pipe drainage projects in Pakistan. In: Proceedings of the national workshop on drainage systems performance in plain and future strategies, pp 10–18
Ali AM, Van Leeuwen HM, Koopmans RK (2001) Benefits of draining agricultural land in Egypt: results of five years’ monitoring of drainage effects and impacts. Int J Water Resour Dev 17:633–646
Nijland H, Croon FW, Ritzema HP (2005) Subsurface drainage practices: guidelines for the implementation, operation and maintenance of subsurface pipe drainage systems. ILRI, Wageningen
Ritzema HP, Satyanarayana TV, Raman S, Boonstra J (2008) Subsurface drainage to combat waterlogging and salinity in irrigated lands in India: lessons learned in farmers’ fields. Agric Water Manag 95:179–189
Ritzema H (2009) Drain for gain – making water management worth its salt. Subsurface drainage practices in irrigated agriculture in semi-arid and arid regions. PhD thesis, Wageningen University and UNESCO-IHE, Delft
Ritzema H, Schultz B (2011) Optimizing subsurface drainage practices in irrigated agriculture in the semi-arid and arid regions: experiences from Egypt, India and Pakistan. Irrig Drain 60:360–369
Valipour M (2014) Drainage, waterlogging, and salinity. Arch Agron Soil Sci 60:1625–1640. https://doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2014.905676
Fang H-Y, Daniels J (1997) Introduction to environmental geotechnology. CRC press, Boca Raton
Ciaran H (2002) The effect of basement on heterogeneity on saltwater wedge a physical and numerical modelling approach. The University of Western Australasia, Crawley. Text Book
Freeze RA, Cherry JA (1979) Groundwater. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, pp 375–379
Abdelaty IM, Abd-Elhamid HF, Fahmy MR, Abdelaal GM (2014) Investigation of some potential parameters and its impacts on saltwater intrusion in Nile Delta aquifer. J Eng Sci Assiut Univ Fac Eng 42:931–955
El Raey M (2009) Vulnerability assessment of the coastal zone of the Nile Delta, Egypt, to the impacts of sea level rise. Ocean Coast Manag 37:29–40
Dawoud MA (2004) Design of national groundwater quality monitoring network in Egypt. Environ Monit Assess 96:99–118
Mabrouk MB, Jonoski A, Solomatine D, Uhlenbrook S (2013) A review of seawater intrusion in solid the Nile Delta groundwater system – the basis for assessing impacts due to climate changes and water resources development. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci Discuss 10:10873–10911. https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-10-10873-2013
Faried MS (1985) Management of groundwater system in the Nile Delta. PhD thesis, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Egypt
Sherif M, Sefelnasr A, Javadi A (2012) Incorporating the concept of equivalent freshwater head in successive horizontal simulations of seawater intrusion in the Nile Delta aquifer, Egypt. J Hydrol 464:186–198
Frihy OE (2003) The Nile Delta-Alexandria: vulnerability to sea-level rise, consequences and adaptation. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Chang 8:115–138
Sherif MM, Singh VP (1999) E ect of climate change on sea water intrusion in coastal aquifers. Hydrol Process 13:1277–1287
Sherif M (1999) Nile delta aquifer in Egypt. Seawater intrusion coast. Aquifers? Concepts, methods and practices. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 559–590
Wassef R, Schüttrumpf H (2016) Groundwater for sustainable development impact of sea-level rise on groundwater salinity at the development area western delta, Egypt. Groundwater Sustain Dev 2–3:85–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2016.06.001
Atta SA, Sharaky AM, EL Hassanein AS, Khallaf KMA (2007) Salinization of the groundwater in the coastal shallow aquifer, Northwestern Nile Delta, Egypt. ISESCO Sci Technol Vis 3:112–123
Taha AA (2004) Pollution sources and related environmental impacts in the new communities Southeast Nile Delta, Egypt. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 9:35–49
El Tahlawi MR, Farrag AA, Ahmed SS (2008) Groundwater of Egypt: an environmental overview. Environ Geol 55:639–652. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1014-1
Ebraheem A-AM, Senosy MM, Dahab KA (1997) Geoelectrical and hydrogeochemical studies for delineating ground-water contamination due to salt-water intrusion in Northern part of the Nile Delta, Egypt. Groundwater 35:216–222
Hussien MM (2007) Environmental impacts of new settlements on the groundwater in a region in Delta. MSc thesis, Zagazig University, Faculty of Engineering, Egypt
Masoud AA (2014) Groundwater quality assessment of the shallow aquifers west of the Nile Delta (Egypt) using multivariate statistical and geostatistical techniques. J African Earth Sci 95:123–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2014.03.006
El Alfy M, Merkel B (2004) Assessment of human impact on quaternary aquifers of Rafah area, NE Sinai, Egypt. Int J Econ Environ Geol 1:1–9
Dahab KA (2003) Influence of hydrogeologic flow pattern and aquifer material on water quality and mineral contents: case study, Nile Delta Egypt. Sci J Fac Sci Menoufia Univ 17:65–86
Cruz JV, Silva MO (2000) Groundwater salinization in Pico Island (Azores, Portugal): origin and mechanisms. Environ Geol 39:1181–1189
Cartwright I, Weaver TR, Fulton S, Nichol C, Reid M, Cheng X (2004) Hydrogeochemical and isotopic constraints on the origins of dryland salinity, Murray Basin, Victoria, Australia. Appl Geochem 19:1233–1254
Morsy WS (2009) Environmental management to groundwater resources for Nile Delta region. PhD thesis, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Egypt
Abo-El-Fadl M (2013) Possibilities of groundwater pollution in some areas, East of Nile Delta, Egypt. Int J Environ 1:1–21
Grwp (2004) Parys Underground Group. http://www.parysmountain.co.uk/
Nasr P, Sewilam H (2015) The potential of groundwater desalination using forward osmosis for irrigation in Egypt. Clean Technol Environ Policy 17:1883–1895. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-015-0902-4
Nashed A, Sproul AB, Leslie G (2014) Water resources and the potential of brackish groundwater extraction in Egypt: a review. J Water Supply Res Technol 63:399–428
Pandian RS, Nair IS, Lakshmanan E (2016) Finite element modelling of a heavily exploited coastal aquifer for assessing the response of groundwater level to the changes in pumping and rainfall variation due to climate change. Hydrol Res 47:42–60
Gleeson T, Alley WM, Allen DM, Sophocleous MA, Zhou Y, Taniguchi M, VanderSteen J (2012) Towards sustainable groundwater use: setting long-term goals, backcasting, and managing adaptively. Groundwater 50:19–26
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mahmoud, M.A. (2017). Groundwater and Agriculture in the Nile Delta. In: Negm, A. (eds) Groundwater in the Nile Delta . The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 73. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_94
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_94
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-94282-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-94283-4
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)