Prospective Speculation for Safe Reuse of Agricultural Drainage Water in Irrigation

Elsokkary, Ibrahim; Abukila, A. F.

doi:10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2012.3150

Prospective Speculation for Safe Reuse of Agricultural Drainage Water in Irrigation

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Ibrahim Elsokkary ¹
A. F. Abukila ²

¹ Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural, El-Shatby- Post Code:21545, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

² National Water Research Center, Drainage Research institute, Egypt El-Qanater El-Khairiya post code:13621

10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2012.3150

Abstract

The main and almost exclusive source of surface fresh water in Egypt is the River Nile. It is obvious that the Nile water agreement with Sudan in 1959 had defined Egypt’s budget by 55.5 billion cubic meter per year, of which 84% is used by the agricultural sector. Of the greatest interest is the quality of Nile water in Egypt has been changed after the construction of Aswan High Dam (AHD) in 1968 and the water became silt free even at the annual flood season. At present, the major challenge that facing Egypt is how to meet the water demand for food production and also to protect Nile water from pollution. According to water quality impact assessment study carried out since 1990, the water quality of Nasser Lake was deemed good and the water quality of Nile River downstream AHD has reflected the quality of the water of Nasser Lake. However, significant changes were recorded in the water along the main stem of the river between Aswan and Delta Barrage because of discharge of agricultural drainage water in Nile stream. The water quality of most of these drains were not complying with the standards set by law 48/1982 (Art. 65) regulating the quality of drainage water which can be mixed with fresh water. However, significant amounts of organic load were biodegraded and the level DO increased from 4 mg/l at Aswan to 9-10 mg/l at 200 Km downstream Aswan. Currently, the concentration levels of TDS increased from 150 mg// at Aswan 250mg/l near Cairo. As a result, the water quality between Aswan and Delta Barrage is considered of good quality.
The waters of Damietta and Rosetta Branches of Nile Delta receive high loads of biological, inorganic and organic compounds and consequently are characterized by low quality water. In general, the water of Rosetta Branch is highly polluted than that of Damietta Branch. Of great concern is the water of the agriculture drains which discharge in River Nile; the main stem and delta branches. These drains receive, in addition to agriculture seeping, domestic and industrial effluents from point sources and diffuse sources. As a result, the water quality of these drains did not comply with law 48/1982 (Art. 65). The sources of water of the collected main drain are the small drains, which receive un-treated domestic and industrial effluents from villages and small communities. In order to improve the water quality of the main drain to cope with standards of law 48/1982, the water of the small drain should be treated before discharging into the main collector drain. This treatment should be designed at the point sources just before entering the main drain. It is well known that villages in Egypt are still without sanitation facilities and construction of conventional wastewater treatment plants is not applicable and expensive. This makes the non-conventional treatment system are most acceptable. Of these is the in-stream wetlands treatment system which has several advantages such as the treatment efficiency is high, requires low capitals investment, and easy operation and maintenance.

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