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Cairo University

Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies

Department of Natural Resources

 Second Term 2024/2025

Master Earth/Water Resources

 

Geology of the Nile Basin

(Res E 506)

           

Introduction:

The Nile is the source of the Egyptian life. It is the greatest river in northern Africa. It begins in well-watered regions near the equator and flows northward across the terrible Sahara Desert before it empties into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It is 6700 km or 4100 miles long and is the longest river on earth.

In spite of its great length and large drainage basin (3,000,000 km2, or about 10% of Africa, and affecting 11 nations), it carriers relatively little water (84 km3).

The Nile consists of two principal branches - the White Nile and the Blue Nile - which join at Khartoum to form the main Nile.

This course will overview of the Nile system—the White Nile, the Blue Nile and the main Nile, together with the lakes they connect, Victoria, Albert and Tana for example. It will also discuss the history of the Nile river, the water balance, sources of the Nile, water projects on the main Nile and its tributaries, and finaly the agreements or treaties between Egypt and the Nile basin countries.

 

Objectives: 

The main objective of this course is to understand the basic terms of geology and hydrology, Nile River balance, geologic factors controlling water, origin and characteristics of some Nile tributaries and lakes, Nile water projects and agreements.

 

Requirments and textbooks:

Several textbooks and variety of journal papers will be used in addition to lecture notes.  They will be available in the library of Institute of African Research and Studies to use.  We will use mostly a textbook:

 

  • Plummer C.C., Carlson D.H., Hammersley L., 2016, Physical Geology, 15th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 673p.

  • The Nile Basin Atlas NBI 2016 (Download)

  • Sutcliffe, J. V. and Parks Y.P., 1999, The Hydrology of the River Nile, IAHS Special Publication no. 5, Gibb Water, Reading, UK.

  • Dumont, H. J., ed., 2009, The Nile: Origin, Environments, Limnology and Human Use, Series: Monographiae Biologicae, Vol. 89.

  • Frenken, K., ed., 2005, Irrigation in Africa in figures AQUASTAT Survey. FAO    ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/aglw/docs/wr29_eng.pdf

  • Shahin, M. 2002, Hydrology and Water Resources of Africa (Water Science and Technology Library), Kluwer Academic Publishers, New York, 659 p.


Grading

Mid Term Exam  ......................................................  10%
Research Paper ...….................................................  10% (how to write term paper)   

Oral Exam ...............................................................   10%
Final Exam ..............................................................   70%

 

Course Content (Lecture Notes in pdf)

Last updated May 11, 2025

 

 

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