New Valley Project Facts for Kids

The Sheikh Zayed Canal, part of the New Valley Project in Egypt's Libyan Desert.

Building the syphon that carries water under the Toshka spillway for the New Valley Project (2010).

The New Valley Project is a big plan in Egypt to bring water to parts of the desert. The main goal is to use this water for farming and growing crops. This huge project started in 1997.

The project involves building several long canals. The main canal is planned to be about 310 kilometers (193 miles) long. By 2012, it still had about 60 kilometers (37 miles) to go before reaching the oasis it was meant to connect with.

Challenges of the Project
Toshka Lakes
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Challenges of the Project

Building canals in the desert comes with some difficulties.

Salty Soil and Water

One challenge is that the soil in the desert can be very salty. Also, there are underground water sources called aquifers. If the salty soil mixes with these aquifers when the land is watered, it could make the drinking water less safe to use.

Machines Getting Stuck

Another problem comes from the type of clay found in the soil. Large machines with wheels are used to water the land automatically. However, these machines sometimes get stuck. This happens because the wet clay can form small bowls that dry and trap the wheels, stopping the irrigation work.

Water Diversion

As of April 2012, the project had successfully moved water from Lake Nasser into the part of the Sheikh Zayed Canal that had been built. This was an important step for the project.

Toshka Lakes

The Toshka Lakes are a group of lakes that formed because the water level in Lake Nasser rose. These lakes are located in the same general area as much of the New Valley Project. They are a natural result of the changes in water levels in the region.