Aswan Dam Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Aswan High Dam
The Aswan High Dam as seen from space
Location of the Aswan Dam in Egypt
Official name	Aswan High Dam
Location	Aswan, Egypt
Coordinates	23°58′14″N 32°52′40″E / 23.97056°N 32.87778°E / 23.97056; 32.87778
Construction began	1960
Opening date	1970
Demolition date	N/A
Owner(s)	Egypt
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Embankment
Impounds	River Nile
Height	111 m (364 ft)
Length	3,830 m (12,570 ft)
Width (base)	980 m (3,220 ft)
Spillway capacity	11,000 m³/s (390,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Nasser
Total capacity	132 km³ (107,000,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface area	5,250 km² (2,030 sq mi)
Maximum length	550 km (340 mi)
Maximum width	35 km (22 mi)
Maximum water depth	130 m (430 ft)
Normal elevation	183 m (600 ft)
Power station
Commission date	1967–1971
Turbines	12×175 MW (235,000 hp) Francis-type
Installed capacity	2,100 MW (2,800,000 hp)
Annual generation	10,042 GWh (2004)

The Aswan High Dam is a huge embankment dam built across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. It was constructed between 1960 and 1970. This dam is very important for Egypt. It helps control floods, stores water for farms, and makes hydroelectricity.

Before the High Dam, there was an older, smaller dam. But even with that dam, the Nile River would flood every year. These floods brought rich soil, which was good for farming. This made the Nile valley perfect for growing crops since ancient times.

However, the floods were not always the same. Sometimes, there was too much water, which could destroy all the crops. Other times, there was too little water, leading to drought and famine. As Egypt's population grew, people wanted to control the river better. They wanted to protect their farms and important crops like cotton.

The Aswan High Dam was built to solve these problems. It can store a lot of water. This means floods can be stopped, and water can be saved for many years. This helps make sure farmers always have enough water. The dam was designed by a company in Moscow called the Hydroproject Institute.

Why the Dam Was Built
Building the Dam
- A Big Project
- Moving Ancient Temples
Impact of the Dam
- Benefits for Egypt
- Challenges and Changes
Images for kids
See also

Why the Dam Was Built

Controlling the Nile River

The Nile River is very long and flows through many countries. For thousands of years, the river would flood every summer. These floods brought fertile mud, which was great for farming. But the floods were also unpredictable.

Sometimes, the floods were too big. They would wash away homes and crops. Other times, the floods were too small. This meant there wasn't enough water for farming, leading to hunger. The Aswan High Dam was built to control these floods. It helps keep the water level steady all year.

Providing Water for Farms

Egypt is mostly desert, so water is very important for growing food. The Aswan High Dam created a huge lake called Lake Nasser. This lake stores a lot of water. This stored water can be released slowly when needed, especially during dry seasons.

This means farmers can grow crops more reliably. They don't have to worry as much about too much or too little water. This has helped Egypt grow more food and support its people.

Making Electricity

The Aswan High Dam also produces a lot of hydroelectricity. This is electricity made from the power of moving water. Water flows through large turbines inside the dam, which spin generators to create electricity.

This electricity powers homes, factories, and businesses across Egypt. It has helped Egypt become more modern and industrial. The dam's power plant has 12 large turbines.

Building the Dam

A Big Project

Building the Aswan High Dam was a massive project. It took ten years to complete, from 1960 to 1970. Many workers and engineers from Egypt and the Soviet Union worked together. The Soviet Union provided money and technical help for the project.

Leaders like Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev were involved. They saw the dam as a symbol of progress for Egypt.

Moving Ancient Temples

One big challenge was that the new Lake Nasser would flood many ancient sites. These included important temples and monuments from Ancient Egypt. To save these treasures, a huge international effort began.

Famous temples like Abu Simbel were carefully cut into pieces. Then, they were moved to higher ground and put back together. This amazing feat of engineering saved these historical sites for future generations. More than 100,000 people also had to move from their homes in the area that would become Lake Nasser.

Impact of the Dam

Benefits for Egypt

The Aswan High Dam has brought many benefits to Egypt. It has stopped the damaging floods of the Nile. It provides a steady supply of water for farming, allowing more land to be used for crops. The dam also generates a lot of clean electricity.

This has helped Egypt's economy grow. It has improved the lives of many people by providing food and power.

Challenges and Changes

While the dam brought many good things, it also caused some changes. The yearly floods used to bring fresh, fertile soil to the farmlands. Now, this soil gets trapped behind the dam in Lake Nasser. Farmers sometimes need to use more fertilizers.

Also, the dam changed the natural flow of the Nile. This affected some fish populations in the Mediterranean Sea near Egypt. Scientists are still studying all the long-term effects of the dam on the environment.

Images for kids

Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at a ceremony during the dam's construction in 1964. Khrushchev called it "the eighth wonder of the world."
Gamal Abdel Nasser watching the dam being built in 1963.
A view from the High Dam towards the Arab-Soviet Friendship monument, shaped like a lotus flower.
A part of the monument to Arab-Soviet Friendship, showing the coat of arms of the Soviet Union and the coat of arms of Egypt.
Green irrigated land along the Nile River, surrounded by desert.
Diagram showing water balances in the Nile.
A map showing the main irrigation systems from the Nile.
The Egyptian countryside benefited from the dam with better irrigation and electricity.
Power pylons at the Aswan High Dam's power plant.
The power plant of the Aswan High Dam, with the dam in the background.
A picture of the old town of Wadi Halfa before it was flooded by Lake Nasser.
A view of New Wadi Halfa, a town built for people who had to move because of Lake Nasser.
The statue of Ramses the Great at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel, being put back together after being moved in 1967 to save it from flooding.
Lake Nasser behind the Aswan Dam. It caused over 100,000 people to move and traps a lot of river sediment.
The amount of sardines caught off the Egyptian coast in the Mediterranean Sea went down after the dam was built. The exact reasons are still being discussed.