Impact of Nile levels decline on irrigation pump stations in Delta region; technical and economical

Abstract

This paper divided into two items; the first is to assess the technical state of pump stations on the two branches of the Nile Delta for irrigation by solar energy to compensate the shortage of Nile water especially in such intensively cultivated region such as Delta. The second is studying the economics of these pumps when use the solar energy instead of Diesel. Reduction in Nile water resources in Egypt is inevitable due to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam (GERD). Where the major of the expected impact is a reduction in irrigation canals levels, the surface water could be pumped to irrigate these agriculture lands. HEC-RAS model is used to estimate the decline in the Nile level (in the two branches; Damietta and Rosetta). Two cases are of proposed of power system sources for the operation of pump station on Damietta and Rosetta Branches. The time period of the tested system was 25 years. The results showed that; around 28 pump stations will be hurt in the new conditions of the Nile level decline while 6 only can be operate in safe. the capital cost of the solar system was high when compared with the diesel cost, but the net present cost was highly economic in the solar system. The net present cost of the solar system to irrigates 23100 km2 (5.5 Million feddan) which are the cultivated areas in delta, in first and second cases as; about 33.1 (million LE during 25 years), and about 6.76 (milliard LE during 25 years) respectively. The total greenhouse gas emission by diesel system was about 32,469 (kg/year/4200 m2) with considering the daily working hours of pumps is 8 hours. Finally, either solar energy or diesel usages will increase the economic burden of Egypt but using the solar pump is less impact.

Keywords

• Irrigation pump stations in Egypt
• Solar energy
• Delta region
• HEC-RAS model
• Nile water decline