War brewing over Nile dam

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:33 am

I think his comment was just a talking point to emphasize to the Ethiopians how serious the issue is to the Egyptians. After all the Egyptians do not have any dam buster squadron or water skipping bombs as the UK developed in WW2.
If they take their time filling it with rainy season peak flows while maintaining a normal dry season pass through I think they can all come to terms with some aid or compensation to Ethiopia for the economic losses generated by the slower filling schedule.

Post by **adam2** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 10:50 am

It also depends upon what the Ethiopians intend to do with water impounded.
If used only to generate electric power, then the water is not consumed, it passes through the turbine and then runs downstream as before.
The only loses are evaporation, and a once only loss from the initial filling of the reservoir.

If however water is diverted for irrigation or household and industrial use, then it is lost* and the flow to downstream countries thereby reduced.
Only generation has been mentioned, but needs and priorities can change in time.

*the water is not actually destroyed of course, it ultimately evaporates and then falls as percipitation. It is virtually certain to fall somewhere else though, and as regards Egypt it is "lost"

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 11:16 am

Of course with the population of Egypt now passing 100 million the full flow of the Nile would no longer be enough to meet their needs.With that population continuing to grow any deal or solution will only postpone the crisis of insufficient water for Egypt.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Wed Oct 28, 2020 5:23 pm

They could cover it in Floating-PV ?
https://www.baywa-re.com/en/rethink-ene ... oating-pv/

Reduced evaporation & more electricity - Win-Win ?

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:35 pm

Mark wrote:They could cover it in Floating-PV ?
https://www.baywa-re.com/en/rethink-ene ... oating-pv/

Reduced evaporation & more electricity - Win-Win ?

Interesting idea. Would need some very good electrical connections to avoid moisture shorts and have to be rugged enough to withstand winds generated by thunder storms etc.
I would wonder if the ecology of the water below would be helped or hindered by the shade? Probably some percent of coverage that would be ideal.
I hate to use the PHD.s favorite phrase but "More research is needed."