Water Quality Assessment of the River Nile System:An Overview

Objectives The main objective of the present article is to assess and evaluate the characteristics of the Nile water system , and identify the major sources of pollution and its environmental and health consequences. The article is also aimed to highlight the importance of water management via re-use and recycle of treated effluents for industrial purpose and for cultivation of desert land. Method An intensive effort was made by the authors to collect, assess and compile the available data about the River Nile. Physico-chemical analyses were conducted to check the validity of the collected data. For the determination of micro-pollutants, Gas Chromatography (GC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were used. Heavy metals were also determined to investigate the level of industrial pollution in the river system. Results The available data revealed that the river receives a large quantity of industrial, agriculture and domestic wastewater. It is worth mentioning that the river is still able to recover in virtually all the locations, with very little exception. This is due to the high dilution ratio. The collected data confirmed the presence of high concentrations of chromium and manganese in all sediment samples. The residues of organo-chlorine insecticides were detected in virtually all locations. However, the levels of such residues are usually below the limit set by the WHO for use as drinking water. The most polluted lakes are Lake Maryut and Lake Manzala. Groundwater pollution is closely related to adjacent (polluted) surface waters. High concentrations of nutrients, E.coli, sulfur, heavy metals, etc. have been observed in the shallow groundwater, largely surpassing WHO standards for drinking water use. Conclusion A regular and continuous monitoring scheme shall be developed for the River Nile system. The environmental law shall be enforced to prohibit the discharge of wastewater (agricultural, domestic or industrial) to River Nile system.

Comparison of Stochastic Models in Forecasting Monthly Streamflow in Rivers: A Case Study of River Nile and Its Tributaries

The dynamic and accurate forecasting of monthly streamflow processes of a river are important in the management of extreme events such as floods and drought, optimal design of water storage structures and drainage network. Many Rivers are selected in this study: White Nile, Blue Nile, Atbara River and main Nile. This paper aims to recommend the best linear stochastic model in forecasting monthly streamflow in rivers. Two commonly hydrologic models: the deseasonalized autoregressive moving average (DARMA) models and seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models are selected for modeling monthly streamflow in all Rivers in the study area. Two different types of monthly streamflow data (deseasonalized data and differenced data) were used to develop time series model using previous flow conditions as predictors. The one month ahead forecasting performances of all models for predicted period were compared. The comparison of model forecasting performance was conducted based upon graphical and numerical criteria. The result indicates that deasonalized autoregressive moving average (DARMA) models perform better than seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models for monthly streamflow in Rivers.

Genesis and Classification of Some Soils of the River Nile Terraces: A Case Study of Khartoum North, Sudan

Soils developed in the alluvium terraces of the River Nile at Khartoum North, Sudan was analyzed in an attempt to classify it as well as to refer them to their origin. Three river terraces comprising nine profiles were selected to cover the physiographic positions. Lack of B horizon and carbonate accumulation were main pedogenic processes in subsurface horizons, whereas orhric epipedon was developed on top soil surface. The microscopic inspection of heavy sand mineralogy indicated that the origin of the sand was the Ethiopian plateau. The most abundant clay mineral was smectite, followed by illite, kaolinite and chlorite. The presences of micas (illite) and chlorite in all studied soil samples might emphasize that these soils were young from the pedological viewpoint and less weathered. The soils of the River Nile terraces at Khartoum North were classified into: Typic Torrifluvents (1st terrace), Entic Haplocambids (2nd terrace) and Typic Haplocambids (3rd terrace). Mineralogy analysis indicated that the Entisols and Aridisols of the River Nile terraces in the study area had the same origin that of the igneous and metamorphic rocks from Ethiopian plateau.

Water Quality and Heavy Metal Monitoring in Water, Sediments, and Tissues of the African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) from the River Nile, Egypt

Water quality of the river Nile and trace elements of the water, sediments and fish tissues were investigated in the current work. Eighteen different sampling points were selected along the whole course of the River Nile from its spring at Aswan to its estuaries at Rosetta and Damietta. Higher mean value of conductivity, alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), ammonia (NH3), nitrate (NO3), total solid (TS), sulphate (SO4), chloride (Cl), orthophosphate were recorded in the water of Damietta and Rosetta branches comparing to other sites. Also trace metals in the water, sediments and tissues of Clarias gariepinus increased significantly (P Fe > Cu > Pb > Mn > Cr> Cd > Hg. In the gill tissues theses metals were accumulated in the following order Fe > Zn > Mn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Cd> Hg. The low accumulation of metals in muscle may be due to lack of binding affinity of these metals with the proteins of muscle. This is particularly important because muscles contribute the greatest mass of the flesh that is consumed as food.

Surface Water Quality Monitoring for River Nile, Egypt Using GIS-Techniques

Egypt faces a severe water scarcity in the last years. Increasing population cause rising in water demands and fast economic growth leads to ecosystem degradation. In addition, ineffective irrigation methods with water misuse result in water quality degradation. River Nile is the main fresh water source in Egypt. This study evaluates, one of River Nile branches;Rosetta water quality through Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques. Fifteen water samples were analyzed for their chemical and biological properties. A mathematical model of Water Quality Index (WQI) has been built to integrate biochemical data as input parameters. This model describes the spatial distribution. On the other hand, the temporal of water quality status has been defined. A spatial variation of water quality index was generalized for the study area. The average water quality index values range between 58.8 and 67.2. Generally, the water quality index values within the study area were about the critical pollution level. The concentrations of most elements in the studied water samples were above the permissible levels for drinking water standards. This study concludes that Rosetta water is not suitable for drinking. Furthermore, it can be used for irrigation and domestic uses with specified treatments.

Detecting Oil Spill Contamination Using Airborne Hyperspectral Data in the River Nile, Egypt

Egypt is a highly populated country of about 85 million inhabitants that are concentrated on the Nile Delta and on the flood plain of the Nile River. More than 90% of this population relies on the Nile River in their water demand for domestic use. Currently, Egypt is facing a problem with the trans-boundary water budget coming from the Nile basin. This urges for managing the water quantity and quality to secure the water needs. This paper discusses the potential use of airborne hyperspectral data for water quality management in the form of detecting the oil contamination in the Nile River in integration with in-situ measurements including ASD spectroradiometer and eco-sounder multi-probe devices. The eco-sounder multi-probe device measured most of the water quality parameters and detected the existence of oil contamination at 1200 bb downstream of the study area. The airborne hyperspectral images were analyzed and calibrated with the spectral library determined from the in-situ spectroradiometer to map the patches of the oil contamination. The details of the findings and learning lessons are fully discussed in the paper.

Biomarkers in Nile Tilapia <i>Oreochromis niloticus niloticus</i>(Linnaeus, 1758) to Assess the Impacts of River Nile Pollution: Bioaccumulation, Biochemical and Tissues Biomarkers

The use of biomarkers has become an important tool for modern environmental assessment as they can help to predict pollutants involved in the monitoring program. Here I present data on bioaccumulation, biochemical and tissues biomarkers in Nile tilapia as early warning indicators of river Nile pollution. Nile tilapia sampled from downstream sites accumulated higher levels of all the detected heavy metals than those collected from upstream sites. Heavy metal residues in the tissues of Nile tilapia exhibited different patterns of accumulation and distribution among the selected tissues. Remarkable alterations in the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the tissues of Nile tilapia were detected. These alterations were followed, in the present study, by the occurrence of histological lesions in liver and gill tissues of fish collected from the same sites. Alterations in bioaccumulation patterns, in enzyme activities and in histology go in parallel with the elevation in the levels of water chemical parameters detected in the downstream sites as a result of pollution stress in these areas. These results provide evidence that bioaccumulation, biochemical and tissues biomarkers can be sensitive indicators of exposure to mixed pollutants in surface waters.

Controlled drainage in the Nile River delta of Egypt:a promising approach for decreasing drainage off-site effects and enhancing yield and water use efficiency of wheat

North Africa is one of the most regions impacted by water shortage.The implementation of controlled drainage(CD)in the northern Nile River delta of Egypt is one strategy to decrease irrigation,thus alleviating the negative impact of water shortage.This study investigated the impacts of CD at different levels on drainage outflow,water table level,nitrate loss,grain yield,and water use efficiency(WUE)of various wheat cultivars.Two levels of CD,i.e.,0.4 m below the soil surface(CD-0.4)and 0.8 m below the soil surface(CD-0.8),were compared with subsurface free drainage(SFD)at 1.2 m below the soil surface(SFD-1.2).Under each drainage treatment,four wheat cultivars were grown for two growing seasons(November 2018–April 2019 and November 2019–April 2020).Compared with SFD-1.2,CD-0.4 and CD-0.8 decreased irrigation water by 42.0%and 19.9%,drainage outflow by 40.3%and 27.3%,and nitrate loss by 35.3%and 20.8%,respectively.Under CD treatments,plants absorbed a significant portion of their evapotranspiration from shallow groundwater(22.0%and 8.0%for CD-0.4 and CD-0.8,respectively).All wheat cultivars positively responded to CD treatments,and the highest grain yield and straw yield were obtained under CD-0.4 treatment.Using the initial soil salinity as a reference,the soil salinity under CD-0.4 treatment increased two-fold by the end of the second growing season without negative impacts on wheat yield.Modifying the drainage system by raising the outlet elevation and considering shallow groundwater contribution to crop evapotranspiration promoted water-saving and WUE.Different responses could be obtained based on the different plant tolerance to salinity and water stress,crop characteristics,and growth stage.Site-specific soil salinity management practices will be required to avoid soil salinization due to the adoption of long-term shallow groundwater in Egypt and other similar agroecosystems.

Origin and Distribution of Heavy Minerals in the Surficial and Subsurficial Sediments of the Alluvial Nile River Terraces

Origin and distribution of the heavy minerals of surficial and subsurficial sediments has been investigated in the alluvial Nile River terraces, Khartoum North, Sudan. Heavy mineral assemblages in the very fine sand fraction (0.063 - 0.125 mm) of 10 sediment samples were identified using petrography microscope. Results of descriptive statistical parameters revealed that most sediments samples belonged within very poorly sorted to extremely poorly sorted, strongly negative skewed to strongly positive skewed and mesokurtic to very leptokurtic. The quartz was the dominant in the opaque minerals in all sediments. The non-opaque heavy minerals were dominant by zircon, tourmaline, rutile, garnet, sillimanite, and andalusite. Results revealed that the ultrastable minerals (zircon, tourmaline and rutile) were found in all sediments with range from (2% - 47.36%, 2.08% - 29% and 3% - 24.99%), respectively. Garnet, sillimanite and andalusite were also found with range from (5% - 67%, 1% - 9.09% and 1% - 50%), respectively. Heavy mineral assemblage indentifies sources that are not bounded to the local origin. The proportion and presence of heavy minerals from outside source rocks indicated relatively strong reworking of zircon sand from the outer-shelf to inner-shelf as well relatively long distance of transport. Fluvial and Aeolian sediments were the dominant environments in the investigated area. We conclude that most heavy minerals in the study area are originally derived from gneisses and schist metamorphic rocks and some igneous rocks of the Ethiopian plateau.

Hydrological mass variations in the Nile River Basin from GRACE and hydrological models

Terrestrial water storage(TWS)change is a key component of the global water cycle and hydrologic cycle.Therefore,it is of significance to quantify TWS variations at large scale and understand how the climate changes affect in the water systems,particularly in the Nile River Basin.In this study,TWS variations in the Nile River Basin are estimated and investigated from January 2003 to August 2016 by using the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment(GRACE).Also,the Global Land Data Assimilation System(GLDAS)and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission(TRMM)are used to understand the causes of the TWS variations in the Nile River Basin(NRB).The peak of precipitation has happened in July and August.After one month the appearance of the influence of precipitation on soil moisture is clear.On the other hand,after two months the same effect of precipitation in TWS is clear.While the peak of soil moisture has occurred in August and September,the maximum of TWS has observed in September and October.The maximum annual TWS from GRACE measurements is 42.66 mm in NRB during September-November(autumn),and its minimum is-33.77 mm during March-May(spring).Also,the maximum annual soil moisture is 25.22 mm in NRB during September-November(autumn),and its minimum is-23.34 mm during March-May(spring)while the peak precipitation is 100.11 mm during June-August(summer)and its minimum is 14.62 mm during December-February(winter).The trend of TWS variations in NRB is 0.04 mm/yr from GRACE.Furthermore,the TWS variations are mainly dominated by the soil moisture in the Nile River Basin with the correlation coefficient of 0.88.In addition,the correlation factor between the non-seasonal TWS and ScPDSI is 0.60,indicating that GRACE-derived TWS well capture the most severe droughts occurred in 2006 and 2011.

SWOT Analysis and Challenges of Nile Basin Initiative:An Integrated Water Resource Management Perspective

River Nile is one of the longest transboundery rivers and it is shared and used by Burundi,Democratic Republic of Congo,Egypt,Ethiopia,Eritrea,Kenya,Rwanda,Sudan,Tanzania and Uganda.As of today,the Nile is a crucial resource for the economic development of the Nile Basin countries and a vital source of livelihood for 160 million inhabitants as well as 300 million people living in the 10 riparian countries.The Nile Basin Initiative(NBI) is one of the international cooperative river basin management program and regional partnership where all the Nile Basin countries except Eritrea unite to pursue long-term sustainable development,improved land use practices and management.This review therefore focused on the challenges not faced on NBI in terms of integrated use of the river and conducted analysis of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities and threats(SWOT) based on secondary data.The result of the review revealed that for decades,the Nile Basin people have been facing many complex environmental,social,economic and political challenges that have made it difficult for the proper management and sustainability of Nile water.The initiative provides training to develop skills in government ministries,non-governmental organizations and local communities in each country.It is also working to raise awareness of critical environmental issues by strengthening networks of environmental education practitioners;developing curriculum in the education sector.The challenges of NBI include the involvement and funding of World Bank,lack of sufficient staff,procedural and policies conflicts,lack of coordination and linkage with other regional institutions and lack of recognition as river basin organization.Considering the complex nature of the project,it is recommended that the NBI should come up with a strong multi-disciplinary monitoring and evaluation team to follow up all implemented projects.The NBI should carry out participatory land use planning in communities along the river basin.Moreover,livelihood analysis should be carried out especially in communities along the Nile to come up with poverty eradication projects which are socially acceptable,applicable,economically viable and affordable.

2000—2020年白尼罗河上游地区植被动态及其驱动因子

[目的]明确21世纪白尼罗河上游的植被动态及变化的驱动因子,为该区域生产活动、环境政策的制定与调整提供科学指导。[方法]以白尼罗河上游地区为研究区,基于降水、温度和人口数据,利用趋势分析、偏相关分析及残差趋势法确定了该地区2000—2020年植被(NDVI)变化特征及其主导因子的空间差异。[结果]白尼罗河上游地区NDVI平均以0.105/10 a的速率上升,且温度变化对于NDVI的影响强于降雨;人类活动总体对植被造成负面影响,但是这一负面影响的趋势正在逐渐减弱;在5种土地类型中,灌木地的植被为气候变化及人类活动变化背景下最为脆弱的(所受正面影响小,负面影响大);流域内15.01%陆地范围植被变化主要受人类活动主导,另外84.99%受气候变化主导。[结论]虽然流域内整体植被呈现增长趋势,但是个别地区植被发生了严重退化,尤其是城镇的扩张以及农田开垦的扰动对植被造成了破坏,当地在寻求增加粮食产量及旅游业收入的前提下应当做好植被的监测与管理工作。

Spatial distribution of δ2H and δ18O values in the hydrologic cycle of the Nile Basin

Existing δ2H and δ18O values for precipitation and surface water in the Nile Basin were used to analyze precipitation inputs and the influence of evaporation on the isotopic signal of the Nile River and its tributaries. The goal of the data analysis was to better understand basin processes that influence seasonal streamflow for the source waters of the Nile River, because climate and hydrologic models have continued to produce high uncertainty in the prediction of precipitation and streamflow in the Nile Basin. An evaluation of differences in precipitation δ2H and δ18O values through linear regression and distribution analysis indicate variation by region and season in the isotopic signal of precipitation across the Nile Basin. The White Nile Basin receives precipitation with a more depleted isotopic signal compared to the Blue Nile Basin. The hot temperatures of the Sahelian spring produce a greater evaporation signal in the precipitation isotope distribution compared to precipitation in the Sahara/Mediterranean region, which can be influenced by storms moving in from the Mediterranean Sea. The larger evaporative effect is reversed for the two regions in summer because of the cooling of the Sahel from inflow of Indian Ocean monsoon moisture that predominantly influences the climate of the Blue Nile Basin. The regional precipitation isotopic signals convey to each region＇s streamflow, which is further modified by additional evaporation according to the local climate. Isotope ratios for White Nile streamflow are significantly altered by evaporation in the Sudd, but this isotopic signal is minimized for streamflow in the Nile River during the winter, spring and summer seasons because of the flow dominance of the Blue Nile. During fall, the contribution from the White Nile may exceed that of the Blue Nile, and the heavier isotopic signal of the White Nile becomes apparent. The variation in climatic conditions of the Nile River Basin provides a means of identifying mechanistic processes through changes in isotope ratios of hydrogen and oxygen, which have utility for separating precipitation origin and the effect of evaporation during seasonal periods. The existing isotope record for precipitation and streamflow in the Nile Basin can be used to evaluate predicted streamflow in the Nile River from a changing climate that is expected to induce further changes in precipitation patterns across the Nile Basin.

Water Resources Conflict Management of Nyabarongo River and Kagera River Watershed in Africa

In the process of exploiting and using water resources of river basin, the benefit conflict problems among upper and lower river districts and among different departments restrict to sustainable exploiting and using water resources of river basin. In this paper, the water resources conflict management of Nyabarongo River and Kagera River watershed is studied. The Nyabarongo is a major river in Rwanda, begins in Nyungwe Forest, and flows up to the north-western part of the country, then down through the center to the south-east, eventually forming the main tributary of the Kagera River watershed, the main affluent of Lake Victoria, which drains into the Nile River. The basin is shared among 11 riparian states. This trans-boundary character of the Nile presents a great challenge of water conflicts;national interests have historically been promoted at the expense of regional interests. The framework of this paper is as follows: the water resources bulletin is firstly described, and then the cooperation and regional conflicts are discussed;finally a sustainable framework for governing the water resources is proposed to meet water management in riparian states.

Accumulation of Some Heavy Metals in <i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>from the Nile in Egypt: Potential Hazards to Fish and Consumers

Exposure to heavy metals is an important environmental problem resulting from anthropogenic activities. The aim of this study was the evaluation of some heavy metals as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and aluminum (Al), in muscle of fresh water fish Oreochromis niloticus from ten provinces all over Egypt to assess its possible hazards on fish and consumers. The analyzed metals could be detected in all examined samples and their order was Pb > Cr > Cd > Al. A positive correlation between Al concentration and the fish length was observed. The concentrations of Pb, Cd and Cr in fish samples were several times higher than their concentration in water and the bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) ranged from 8.22 - 122.6. The estimated weekly intake of Cd, Pb and Cr for a 70 kg person consuming fish in Egypt (7.94, 15.84 and 9.8 μg) is well below the Provisional Permissible Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) recommended by FAO/WHO. Although heavy metal levels in Egypt exceed the maximum permissible limits recommended by Egypt and WHO in some fish samples, the consumption of Nile O. niloticus from Egypt is safe on human health.

长江与尼罗河三角洲晚第四纪沉积对比研究

对比研究显示了长江径流潮流型和尼罗河波浪型三角洲的沉积特征 :1)两地三角洲都始于距今 75 0 0～70 0 0 a;2 )距今 70 0 0 a以来的海平面上升速率趋于缓慢 ;3)晚更新世末期都发育了硬土泥 ,为冲湖积沉积。但长江多为暗绿色 ,含菱、钙质结核 ,反映了阴冷的古气候特点 ;尼罗河呈黄褐色 ,含大量钙、石膏结核和咸水生物 ,指示干燥性气候背景 ;4)两地三角洲全新世沉积相似 ,在早期海侵层以上都发育了中后的前三角洲、三角洲前缘和三角洲平原沉积环境 ;5 )尼罗河三角洲沉积物普遍粗于长江。前者以沙质为主 ,后者以泥质粉砂占优 ,显示了波浪型三角洲强烈的沿岸搬运沉积动力。此外 ,径流潮流型三角洲的特点以潮坪沉积为主 ,泥质含量高 ,常见水平、波状和包卷层理组合类型和芦苇等植物根系。淡水湖沼沉积发育 ;波浪型则显示了沙坝 -泻湖沉积体系 ;沙质含量高。泻湖沉积以泥和泥质砂为主 ,含许多咸水生物和黄铁矿 ;见较多的石膏等蒸发性矿物 ;上覆大型槽状交错层理的滨海沙。