Arizona republican., 1905-08-26
LARGE RESERVOIRS IN EGYPT

Diodorus, Sarabo and HerOdotus
have independently borne witness to a
vast artificial lake or reservoir, which
was constructed to receive the super
ffuous water form the Nile at flood
time, and TO distribute it when and
where required by means of canals.
The latter writer is enthusiastic in his
admiration Of the work. which he
classes far above the mighty pyramid
of Cheops as an example of the tri-
umph of human skill and labor over
natural obstacles. This Iake-Moeris
was dug by the orders of King
Amenemhat III who lived about 1000
B. c. 1t had a superficial area Of about
$50 square miles-about the size of an
average English county-with a depth
in places of 300 feet. and its contour
measured $50 miles. 1t was connected
to the Nile by a canal ten miles long
and 800 feet wide. controlled by means
of sluices, which served 10 draw off the
surplus water from the river. and re-
turn it al periods of low water.
AS all who have followed the recent
history of Egypt will know, the site OF
the ancient lake has been identified be
yond doubt with the present province
known as the Fayoum. by Cope White
! house, whose researches have not only
abundantly justified the classical his
/ torians. but have had a most direct
bearing upon the problem of the irri-
cation Of Egypt at the present day. The
canal to the Nile had become siIted up
during centuries of neglect, and the
lake had vanished. but the depressions
remained as a fertile valley in the deS-
ert.
In seeking for 4 reservoir for the sup
ply OF Egypt during the dry season. il
is not to be wondered al that the re
construction of of the ancient lake of
Moeris should have been carefully con-
sidered. As, however. in the bed of
the lake is a fertile province, with a
cuItiyable area of 400. 900 acres and a
value of 10000, 600 pounds. its con
struction on its original site is out of
i the question, but there exists a small
er depression in the Libyan hills, i'm
mediately to the south, to which no
such objections apply. This depres-
sion is known as the Wady Rayan,
and Cope Whitehouse, the discoverer
of Lake Moeris. has for years insisted
that in turning Wady Rayan into an
artificial lake or reservoir, lies the
true solution of the problem of Egypts
water supply. Its area at a level of %
meters above that of the sea would be
labout 700 square kilOmeters, or 27O
square miles. When full, its greatest
IdeIth would be 20 meters. though only
the upper four or five meters would be
used annually, giving a possible supply
of some three millards of cubic meters
out of a total contents of twenty mil
lards. Such a lake. however, would
have one great drawback. Although
during the month of April it would
give a plentiful discharge, by the end
of May it's level would have so dimin-
ished. that it would not give all tina:
Lower Egypt requires. BY the middle
of June It could not meet half the de-
mand upon it for water and a for
night later it would have sunk approx
imately to that of the Nile. For this
reason, by itself, it would be made
qUGte, but. fortunately, we have al
hand a means Of contributing to the
summer supply from another source
The Assouan reservoir. Owin~ to its
height, can be drawn from at am sea
son of the year and it is proposed by
Sir w. WilcOcks to raise the dam by
six meters, making it the height orig
inally intended. and use the water 50
stored to supplement the Wady Rayan
discharge. thus maintaining a constant
total discharge throughout the sum
med. The Assouan reservoir would
when raised. yield a supply of tw,
millards of cubic meters, and this
r would not be drawn upon until some
time during May. AS the summer
came on the proportion of water from
Assouan would increase, until in Jul!
it would be giving, practically. tn,
whole supply. Working together in
this manner. the lake and the reservoir
would provide the whole of the watel
needed for the irrigation of Egypt
Engineering.