Construction Of The Aswan High Dam In Egypt That Triggered The Suez Canal Conflict

Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasir is monitoring the construction of the Aswan High Dam (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The myriad of benefits of the Aswan High Dam which is located on the Nile River, Egypt are worth the huge cost. To fund the project, Egypt is willing to fight with Britain, France and Israel for taxing the Suez Canal.

The dam, which is located in Aswan, 500 miles south of Cairo, actually has existed since 1902 according to History records. But the building is still not high enough. Its use is only limited to ancient irrigation systems.

In the 1950s Egyptian leader Galam Abdul Nasir, who was racking his brains over the flood problem, came up with the idea to build the Aswan High Dam. Nasir thought that besides being able to cope with flooding, dams could simultaneously supply electricity to many Egyptians.

The trigger for the Suez Canal conflict

It takes at least 1 billion US dollars to start Nasir's dream. The question is where to find that kind of money?

To carry out this mega project, Egypt initially received financial support from the United States and Britain. But in July 1956, they canceled it knowing that there was a secret arms treaty between Egypt and the Soviet Union.

Nasir did not lose his mind. He then nationalized the British and French Suez Canals. He intends to set a tariff for ships passing there. The money he gets from there will be used to finance the mega project.

But these actions sparked a crisis on the Suez Canal. This led Britain, France and Israel to attack Egypt in a joint military operation.

The three countries succeeded in occupying the Suez Canal. But the Soviets, the US and the United Nations forced the three countries to withdraw from there. Finally in 1957 the Suez Canal fell into the arms of Egypt.

Nasir's efforts paid off, the Soviet loan funds and the "tax" from the Suez Canal were finally enough to start the Aswan high dam mega project in 1960. About 57 million cubic meters of land and stones were used for construction. That much material is roughly equivalent to 16 times the mass of the Great Pyramid at Giza.

After 11 years of construction, the Aswan Dam on the Egyptian Nile was completed on July 21, today half a century ago or in 1970. Unfortunately, President Nasir died of a heart attack in September 1970.

He did not have time to inaugurate the dam which he aspired to. But to appreciate his merits, the 300 mile long by 10 mile wide lake created by the dam was named Lake Nasir.

Aswan High Dam (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Benefits and disadvantages

The majestic Aswan High Dam was able to withstand the floods of the Nile, reclaimed more than 100,000 hectares of land for cultivation, and allowed additional crops to be added to another 800,000 hectares of land. Also, fitted with 12 giant Soviet turbines, the dam could generate 2.1 gigawatts of electricity.

When it was first built, the dam made up about half of Egypt's electricity production. And it gave most of the Egyptian villages the use of electricity for the first time.

Despite its success, the Aswan High Dam has also had negative effects. For example, a decrease in the fertility rate of agricultural land around the Nile River.

Another disadvantage for humans is the spread of schistosomiasis by snails that live in irrigation systems created by dams. In addition, the reduction in water nutrients flowing into the Mediterranean Sea is also thought to be the cause of the decline in the anchovy population there.

Aswan High Dam (Source: Wikimedia Commons)