Effect of the permanent presence of major agricultural drains on the Nile River water quality

Abstract

This work was designed to study the effect of major drains, such as El Rahawy, on the Nile's water quality over time. The data in this study includes six years of physical and chemical variables data, starting from 2015 to 2020, covering three different water streams. The present results showed that the Rosetta branch and Khandaq sharky canal were directly affected by the agricultural drainage of the Rahway drain, with the change over time for the worse. Rayah El Nasery canal enjoyed complete independence from the negative impact of the drain while maintaining the quality at an appropriate level over time. The study predicts a decline in the water quality of the Rosetta branch in the future and recommends exerting more efforts to treat all pollutants that are discharged on the Nile and raise the efficiency of the Rahawy drain.