The Journal of Technology Studies 86 Figure 1.Egypt. Wafeek S.Wahby Technologies AppliedintheToshka Project ofEgypt age capacityof1,665billionft of Lak with ana afuturepopulationof5million. to serve Spillway a shootoff Lake Nassertowards Toshka. Depression City Aswan, about600milessouthofCairo. identifythefollowing (seeFigurefirst 2): cussing the Toshka to Project,itisimportant existing prehistoricriver course.Beforedis- ofEgyptinadditiontothecurrently desert new valley totheRiver Nileinthewestern west of Aswan. This willeventually createa Lake Nassertothe Toshka Depression,south- about 380billionft Figure 1),involves excavating acanaltocarry Background The • • Toshka Bay ( • • Toshka Depression(in Arabic: • Toshka City • Toshka Region The Toshka Project,locatedinEgypt(see is anew metropolitancitythatisplanned T T e Nasserwhen itexceeds itshigheststor- Mon-kha-fadd Toshka oshka Spill oshka Canal( T v is afreespillway discharging thewater oshka Re erage diameterof14milesandastor is anaturaldepressioninthatarea w gion 3 Khore Toshka ay ( ay of water every year from Sheikh Za-yedCanal is locatedsouthw Ma-f ) eed 3 . T T ) oshka Bay oshka ) Toshka Toshka Toshka est of ) is - (Younan, 2001). Figure 2.TheToshka Project and Irrigation, 2000). and Irrigation, New Valley of Oases(Ministry Water Resources ing the Toshka, EastEl-O-Wee-Nat, andthe cultivated landinUpperEgyptthroughdevelop- (SVDP), thataimsatdoub ect, theSouthern Valley Development Project ofamuchlarger, part is anintegral mega proj- Egypt (El-Hag-Gar, 2001). The Toshka Project 534,000 new of acresinthewestern desert flows throughthecanaltoreclaimandirrigate vates thewater about175ft. The water then into itthroughagiantpumpingstationthatele- the excess water ofLake Nasserthatispumped Toshka Project.Itisanew canalconveying for Lake Nasser, upstreamoftheHighDam. Toshka Depressionandworks asasafetyvalve made canalconnecting Toshka Bay withthe age le V tion projectsinthesouther involves horizontalexpansion andlandreclama- multiphase, development projectthatmainly cultural project. The SVDPisamultifaceted, Pr The Souther alle oject Toshka Canal The SVDPis y inEgypt.Itisanational,inte vel of620ft.Itisa14-milelong,man- n V not is the heart andsoulofthe is theheart alley Development a mere irrigation oragri- a mereirrigation ling theamountof n part oftheNile n part g rated, The Journal of Technology Studies 87 - - wan High wan The MPS is e optimal set ving the com As v ed to the electric g goliaths lift /sec, are being 3 e cranes ha ere mounted on top of the v i o 30t odd le uilding that is link le 220 kV line from ge capacity of 600 ft g” goliaths w , and the tw y Loughborough-based Morris Material The station will be fed with 11 kV electri The construction station the pumping of is one of the world’s The multistage MPS er doub w witchgear b Handling supplied f also an integral part of a concurrent project Project Development Valley called the New an agro-industri-(NVDP), aimed at establishing in an adjacent area of about al development 988,000 acres. required bined qualities of size and flexibility the MPS project: three cranes with a capacity by smaller 30t of 130t for lifting pumps and two with a lift height of approxi- cranes, each gate 30t 180 ft. One 130t goliath and the two mately “odd-le 130t overhead The two station. within the gates pump room cranes started operation traveling on site in mid-2001 with the other three cranes being installed on top of the pumping station at housed inside the pumping station. The maxi- The housed inside the pumping station. necessarymum energy to operate MPS during maximum lifting is 375 M.W. a through a transmission line from cal power substation constructed close to the 11 kV s po Dam with a length of 160 miles. The 130t goliath completed pumping station. lifts the pumps from the pump room to the load- ing ba has been undertaken by the European Egyptian the European undertakenhas been by London-based Japanese Consortium led by and International.Skanska Cementation Engineering contract to supply the awarded ABB was group Japanese Hitachi equipment by all the electrical (part Japanese Con- the European Egyptian of the The contract included sortium) in 1998. for the pump converters high-capacity frequency 2003). Technology, motors (Water head a maximum static designed to have largest, guarantees its operation of about 175 ft, which Nasser reaches its Lake in level the water when Abdel-Rahman, of storage (445 ft; level lowest Toshka the has provided 2001). SonTek/YSI to continuously Argonaut-SLs Project with four data for day- and level flow record and display operation of the canals. Data will also to-day for a and used as a historical record be logged mathematical model that will gi (Sontek, 2002). level points for the canal water pumps (12 each side), each with Twenty-four a dischar . y alle V /sec into the 3 Mubarak ucture includes ves and plans. and ves vities in such Valley region. Valley ricultural and n Mubarak pumping Mubarak ging, and wind and sand —located on the left w ag e Nasser, and north of Toshka and north of e Nasser, ically, the pumping station is ically, elopment objecti population in the old Nile icial char v lishing ne er tif v oshka Project infrastr gions rich in ancient monuments. T ying in the Souther est) of Lak industrial communities based on the of the agriculturalexploitation raw land. in the new material available dealing with the problem thus gradually of o Promoting tourist acti re Estab main and side roads in accordance with the de l ), the Toshka Canal, water production water Canal, Toshka ), the The Toshka Project begins with the main begins Project Toshka The The 3. Attracting and retaining a workforce, 3. 5. 2. 4. Constructing of an efficient network Agriculture in the SVDP is only a base for a Agriculture in the SVDP is only of the SVDP include: Objectives areas of agricultural land Adding new 1. . More specif y ells and ar main feeding canal. w 2001). storm (Wahby, breakers pumping station (MPS) bank (w Ba spillway Bay Toshka located 5 miles north of canal, 28 miles south of intersection with the this From main highway. Abu-Simbel/Aswan northward Aswan intersection it is 133 miles to When Abu Simbel southward. and 37 miles to 12,000 ft it will deliver completed, Mubarak Pumping Station (MPS) Mubarak as pumping station—also known The Toshka Project Infrastructure Project The Toshka the main pumping station ( station the integrated development planned. Industry, the integrated development production—and energy mining, alternative production and storage— oil and gas possibly partsand tourism are other with of the vision, plans for desert safaris, car rallies, conferences, and medical tourism. massive development project, aiming mainly at mainly aiming project, development massive map Egyptian re-organized a balanced, creating economic, habitation, from the demographic, investments Total points of view. and security 2017 are esti- by this project for implementing 20% of which US$ 100 billion, mated at some government the Egyptian pledged by to 25% is to constructfour off- the main canal and its station, major roads, and shoots, the pumping 75% The remaining main electricity network. sector. the private by to 80% is to be supplied The Journal of Technology Studies 88 12, 2003duringthecelebrations ofthe5 cost ofUS$400million.However, onJanuary tion was scheduledtobecompletedin2002ata onJune1,1998. the MPSsitestarted The sta- 1998,andexcavationplace onJanuary work at andmaintenanceofthefollowing:construction, of 48months,theMPSincludesdesign, duringaguaranteeperiod operation supervision Technology, 2003). sioning themachineson-siteinEgypt(Water staff commis- intheUK,withMorris factured cranes forthisprojectwere designedandmanu- requirements.Builton-site,the ing customers’ chosen becauseoftheirversatility tomeetvary- the endof2002. These 5-500seriescraneswere to amodestdepth. f ation withsymbolicpower enough toletwater onl anniversary oftheproject’s groundbreaking, ill limitedpar y two pumpswere puttowork inatestoper- • An intake channel,3mileslong, Under aturnkey lumpsumcontract,with Groundbreaking ofthe • A reinforcedconcretepumpingstation • Three workshops: electricalworkshop • Two annex housingthe11kV buildings • Twenty-four discharge concreteducts million ft vation (volume ofexcavation is187 exca- ofthechannel(1mile)isdry Part the suctionbasinofpumpingstation. conveying water fromLake Nasserto str Project designersfortheconcrete be permanently submerged underwater. basin. The lower 165ftofitsheightwill an islandinthecenterofsuction sions of462x132231ftlocatedas ha tion underwater. lar using threegigantic dredgers(theworld’s million ft excavation (volume ofexcavation is196 and automoti with laborator switchgear and thedieselgenerators. basin. to the Toshka Canalviathedischarge 8 ft,deli ha Associates. andCairo-basedHamza International ving lengthxwidthheightdimen ving widthxheightdimensionsof9 ucture areGer gest at200ftar ts ofthene v 3 3 ering thew ). The wet excavation isdone ), andtherest(2miles)iswet v y, mechanicalworkshop, e workshop. man m length)fore w Toshka Canal,only ater fromthepumps T y's Lahme oshka Projecttook y er xca th v - a - an is beinglinedwithdenseconcretetoprevent canal isestimatedtobe0.7%,itscross-section its top200ft. While theevaporation fromthe slopes ofthecanalare2:1,makingwidthat longitudinal slopeof6.67inches/mile. The side canal is20ftandthebedwidth100ft,witha 1999). Resources andIrrigation, Aswan, Kena, of andSo-Haag(Ministry Water bined areasofthreeneighboringgovernorates: 534,000 acres,anareaequivalent tothecom- and 98,800acres,respectively—totaling 118,600 acres,198,000 ft adischarge of900million designed tocarry 160 miles. The canalanditsfoursubcanalsare es intofoursubcanals,withatotallengthof project, having alengthof44milesthatbranch- The ToshkaCanal guarantees a45 batching planthasitso ab cessing systemshave andare beenconstructed to beusedinthatprocess(Ramsis,2001). required section,an8-inchthickla concrete, e 20 millionft ft concrete productionratecouldreach86,000 other concretebatchingplantsystems,the for concretemixing. million ft pletel top ofthesub-basestabilizedsoillayer tocom- inches thickpolyethylene sheetsareplacedon padding concretelayer ontothatsub-base,0.04 is placed.Beforepouringthetop8inchesof lized soil(acompactedsand/cementmixture) the w been alsopadded. The strictcommitmentto excavated, ofwhich 25miles have already (Taha, 2001). day. the When finished, Toshka Canalis instances itexceeded 430longitudinalfeetper 370 longitudinalfeetperda The usualoperatingratesamount tomorethan under e schedule setforconcrete-padding works, even 3 3 /day fourareas: toreclaimandirrigate y w le tosuppl per hour, which cansatisfythecapabilityof The maximumdesignedwater depthinthe The Toshka Canalisthemaincanalof Two excavating hugeaggregate andpro- To date,70mileshave beencompletely orkplan helpedincomplying withthe y co ater leakage. After excavation tothe xtremel 2 v v of polyethylene sheetsareexpected er and“seal”it. en ine 3 y coarseandf per monthconcreteplacing.Each y unfavorable weather conditions. o F temperatureforcooling xtremel W wn coolingsystemthat ith theadditionoftw y hotw ine sizeaggregates A totalofo y . Ho w eather ever, insome y er ofstabi v er 200 o - The Journal of Technology Studies 89 - er v y, isher le conditions for eloping f xtent of calling it v orab yrocketing population yrocketing v a . ater to economists who ques- ater to economists who an High Dam in the 1960s and w itability As fering venues for navigation and for navigation fering venues y individuals and groups in Egypt as y individuals acilitating power generation projects. acilitating power orldwide and created much contro arising from sk jobs, in Egypt that include growth housing, health, education, food, and transportation. in Upper Egypt. Nasser. stored in Lake Of transportation. waterway Promoting and de tourism, and recreational activities. and creating f transfer. water the south-to-northwest coveries. Nasser from silt accu- Lake Relieving mulating on its bed since the building of 1. Dealing with the complex problems 1. Dealing with the complex land the amount of cultivated 2. Doubling amounts of water 3. Utilizing the massive 4. F 5. 6. areas with fresh water 7. Reaching new dis- archeological yield new 8. May 9. Currently, five companies are working on five are working companies Currently, serve projects, ongoing reclamation To Project has attracted the atten- Toshka The Advantages of the Toshka Project include: Toshka of the Advantages ell as w The Toshka Project Controversy Project The Toshka the site using seven padding machines to pad to machines padding using seven the site sides and the shortthe sloping horizontal parts 2001). (Kadry, at the berm and the bed levels is of the canal padding segment The bottom concrete lined using mechanical manually for concrete pumps, and vibrators mixers, placement. with an electric power the area is equipped of roads. Over grid network and an excellent and asphalt roads, passageways 90 miles of new miles of rehabilitated roads, besides another 375 form which an efficient and completed, were and transportationvital communication network (Hass-ssan, 2001). tion of man w sy on whether it is a mirage or marvel it is a mirage (El- sy on whether Khodari, 2000). Some are very enthusiastic and optimistic about it, to the e “The New Delta Project” or “The Inverted “The New the other hand, On the Pyramid Project.” Project also has fierce critics, ranging Toshka about its worried from environmentalists demands on Nile w tion its prof of 3 ). To 3 has vation vation 3 xpected initial y followed in y followed xca illing work, illing work, —seven times —seven 3 of e 3 eep its temperature m breakers comprising m breakers . Almost 65 miles of trees . As for sand f orks. ried out with an e ear ications, proper work practices, work ications, proper out of 540 million ft 3 per day. Special chemical additives per day. 3 porated into the water used for mixing porated into the water ind and sand stor F. o w being car Basalt and gravel for concrete work are for concrete work Basalt and gravel Total excavation work in the Toshka Project Toshka in the work excavation Total W Currently, water required for various appli- required for various water Currently, Water Ground the Egyptian Meanwhile, e been planted to date (Abol-Hag-Gag, v ork is complete. and curing concrete to k at 45 are incor w 290 million ft been accomplished. area, whereas Toshka from the locally provided Kom-Ombo sand is transported from the nearby (220 Ass-Yoot (65 miles) and the cement from plants are located at 3-mile miles). Patching mixing units produce over and eight intervals, 37,000 ft is estimated at 3,100 million ft Data and Statistics needed in the construction of was that which 445 million ft High Dam (only Aswan two rows of kaya and ponsiana trees are being and of kaya rows two as well planted on each side of the main canal the as its four branches to protect them from this region wind and the sand storms that ravage throughout the y ha 2001). Wind and Sand Storm Breakers date, about 2,700 million ft cations is supplied through the available ground- the available cations is supplied through Along the main local aquifer. stored in the water constructed were wells canal, five productive to fully to irrigate acres. However, about 740 another 200 ground water, utilize the available dug to serve are being of about an area wells 29,600 acres. Research Institute (GWRI) carried out studies to discharged in floodwater, to use the excess Depression since 1996-97, to charge Toshka the Artificial charging the Nubian ground aquifer. is no cost of about US$ 3 million. Water Production Wells and Artificial and Wells Production Water Charging expected to have utilized over 40 million ft 40 million over utilized to have expected concrete. Quality assurance and quality control control and quality assurance Quality concrete. requirements, guarantee that code procedures specif technical measures are rigorousl and safety w all engineering The Journal of Technology Studies 90 f excess amount ofsaved water would beused to of EgyptandtheNilebasincountries. This the upperNilesub-basin,through thecooperation by implementingwater conservation projectsin otherwise w The Future ill the Disadvantages ofthe Toshka Projectinclude: A minimumof720billionft 6. 5. 4. Historically, Egyptiansresistmoving analysis3. Poor oftheproject. cost-benefit 2. This project,inadditiontoothercon- 1. Egypt ispouringmoney intodesert 7. The negative effects thisprojectmay 13. Includingsolarandwindenergy 12. Developing anenvironment inthe 11. Yielding botanicalandanimal ofthenew10. Construction Toshka City T the flo damsanddivertshould build someof if otherNilebasincountriestothesouth Egypt couldevenofwater short run Nile Valley. traditionall by diverting water badly neededinthe Unrealistic water resourcesmanagement is noe andthe in thedesert, Toshka Project from theirhomestone sucking thelifeb ing liquidityandcashflow crisesby mega-projects in Egypt,iscaus- current housing, andeducation. in otherurgent needssuchashealthcare, could ha reclamation—w irrigation, urbanization,andpollution. irrigation, larly onwildlife,groundwater table level, have ontheRiver Nileecology, particu- oshka Depression completel expected demand. clean electricalpower tomeet development usedingenerating wild birdsandanimals. area ofthenew projecttoattract processing industries. several andfish- pharmaceutical resources thatcanbeutilizedin old valley. million torelieve theovercrowded that would apopulationof5 serve Dam’s stability. lake’s capacityaswell astheHigh alleviating itsnegative effects onthe asted water at Aswan canbesaved w xception. . v e beenusedmoreproducti y most fertile landofthe y mostfertile asted f lood outoftheeconom inances that w settlements 3 /year of y—through v el y y . of onl wholly cultivated inanareapreviously thought andflowersfruits, extend foralmost60acres— colorofvegetables,and densityofthegreen 21, atthe45milelandmark,where thevolume locations suchasthataroundProductive Well No. Pi Tau. Illinois. Heisamember–at–large of Epsilon Eastern IllinoisUniver struction technology attheSchool of Technology, of the on schedule. around culti The Egyptiangovernment wants toreclaimand 2004 withanestimatedcostover US$2.5billion. Toshka Projectwas hopedtobecompletedby Sea. Mediterranean the Nileandparalleltoit,towards the directed northward, asasecondbranchof Egypt’s area. Water would eventually be 5%toabout25%of land fromthecurrent aiming atexpanding theEgyptianhabitation 2001). This would createnew communities valley paralleltotheexisting valley (Younan, anew ofEgypt,forming western green desert towards theCut-taaraDepressionthrough to convey water fromthedepressionnorthward for irrigation. that couldbeusedasastable water supply storagereservoir itintoapermanent turning the Toshka Canalandthe Toshka Spillway— ing thenor Production ratesne under e technology becausework issometimesdone in Egyptpresentsachallengetoengineering output. farm explosion, crowded per-capita cities,andfalling v Dr The f ofthe in1998,theconstruction Started A new canalwould thenbeconstructed The construction ofthe The construction Toshka Project ate some534,000acres(890sqmiles) y asbar T . xtremel T oshka Projectcanbewitnessedinman Wafeek S. Wahby isaprofessor ofcon- oshka todealwithEgypt’ irst fruits ofthepromisingsuccess irst fruits m inordertok ren, uncultivable desert. y unfavorable weather conditions. v er beforeattainedarebecom sity (EIU),Char eep thesizab s population le project leston, y - The Journal of Technology Studies 91 ersity v oshka T Abdel-Rahman, n Illinois Uni Charleston: ypt. f at Easter al-lah, director of . Abu Simbel, Egypt: . . Toshka, Egypt: . Toshka, se in Eg Reuters News Service. News Reuters Alexandria, Egypt: Consultative Egypt: Consultative Alexandria, oad cour oshka, Egypt: Mubarak Pumping Station. Pumping Egypt: Mubarak oshka, . Toshka, Egypt: Toshka Quality Control. Toshka Egypt: Toshka, . br T . Cairo, Egypt: Author. . Cairo, Egypt: . Toshka, Egypt: Toshka Department Toshka Egypt: Toshka, . . Alexandria, Egypt: Toshka Office, Toshka Egypt: Alexandria, . t of Egypt 2001 since its inception. For valuable t of Egypt 2001 since its inception. For , manager of Toshka Department Prof. Dr. of Plantation; Toshka , manager of ailing suppor e Bureau for Civil Constructions. e Bureau for Civil . Retrieved September 19, 2003, from September 19, 2003, from . Retrieved ak pumping station. ak pumping v oshka Project Quality Control; Eng. Mohammed T The Toshka Project construction works Project Toshka The uctions. Mubar Experimental plantation projects in Toshka in plantation projects Experimental ypt 2001—Report on a study a New crops bloom in Toshka in bloom crops New . Cairo, Egypt: Author. . Cairo, Egypt: Horizontal expansion projects in the southern part of the Nile Valley. in the southern part of the Nile Horizontal expansion projects Eg le.asp?ProjectID=2583 Construction details of Toshka Project. Toshka Construction details of arm hospitality, a word of gratitude is due Egyptian officials, a word and our colleagues and arm hospitality, vil Constr Toshka Project soil investigations Project Toshka . (2003). Retrieved September 19, 2003, from http://www.water-technology.net/ 2003, from http://www.water-technology.net/ September 19, . (2003). Retrieved The Toshka Project construction works Project Toshka The , Mubarak Pumping Station; Eng. Mohammed Khala-F The Toshka Project The Toshka aha, manager of gy T ved April 7, 2002, from http://www.planetark.org/ April 7, 2002, from http://www.planetark.org/ ved . S. (2001). wledgement: xandria, Egypt: Consultati where for their help, advice, and support course. where of “Egypt 2001”—the EIU study abroad W , y mation and w rams, for their continual and unf Consultative Bureau for Civil Constructions. for Civil Bureau Consultative http://www.sontek.com/apps/channel/sltoshka/sltoshka.htm Eastern Illinois University. Eastern Illinois University. The author is indebted to a long list of colleagues, friends, and staf The author is indebted to a long list of colleagues, Ale The Southern Valley Development Project (SVDP) Project Development Valley The Southern The Toshka Project The Toshka dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=9340&newsdate=17-Dec-2000 Retrie of Plantation. Toshka Research and Engineering Studies. Research Toshka Bureau for Ci Abu Simbel Station for Agricultural Engineering. Abufor Simbel Station project_printab g ahb ater technolo and else friends”—Egypt 2001 participants—for their enthusiasm and interaction Special thanks are due “my Izadi, chair, Mahyar success. My deep appreciation goes to Dr. that made the course a memorable acting dean, Lumpkin College Martha Brown, former dean; Dr. Ivarie, Ted Dr. Technology; School of Augustine, dean, Graduate Studies and International Bob Applied Sciences; and Dr. for Business and Pro general manager Agricultural Abu Simbel Station for Abol-Hag-Gag, manager of Eng. Saay-yed Projects Follow-up; Engineering; Eng. Mohammed El-Hag-Gar and Project; and Eng. Hatem Ramsis Toshka engineering consultant of civil Younan, Eng. Nazieh Constructions. Bureau for Civil Eng. Ekram Kadry of the Consultative infor Eng. Ibrahim The Honorable Agriculture; Minister of Waaly, Yousif Dr. The Honorable friends in Egypt: director of Mamdooh Riyadd, Agriculture; Dr. Khalil, Deputy Minister and Senior Under Secretary of Abu Simbel; of Eng. Mohammed Saddeek, mayor His Excellency the Central Office for Environment; Project Research and Engineering Studies; Toshka Hass-ssan, general manager of Abdel Fat-Tah Eng. Eng. Hussain Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Arab Republic of Egypt. (2000, October). Arab Republic Resources and Irrigation, Water Ministry of Ramsis, H. (2001). Ackno References M. (2001). Abdel-Rahman, Sontek. (2002). Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Arab Republic of Egypt. (1999, February). of Arab Republic and Irrigation, Resources Water Ministry of Taha, H. (2001). Taha, W W Hass-ssan, A. F. (2001, June). A. F. Hass-ssan, El-Khodari, N. (2000, December). Toshka: Mirage or marvel. Mirage Toshka: (2000, December). El-Khodari, N. Kadry, E. (2001). Kadry, Abol-Hag-Gag, S. (2001). Abol-Hag-Gag, El-Hag-Gar, M. (2001). M. (2001). El-Hag-Gar, Younan, N. A. (2001). N. Younan,