Investigating the Water Quality of the Water Resources Bank of Egypt: Lake Nasser

Abstract

This chapter aims to analyze the water quality of Lake Nasser in Egypt for irrigation and drinking purposes according to Egyptian and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Water samples were collected from eight sampling locations. Water quality variables were measured in the lake in a field trip occurred in March 2014. The samples were analyzed for electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), magnesium content (MC), sodium percent (SP), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and permeability index (PI). The minimum value of total dissolved solids was found in sample no 6 with a concentration of 192.90 mg/l, and the maximum value was found in sample no 8 with a value of 354.47 mg/l, which was taken from a sub-branch canal. The minimum EC was recorded in the sample no 6 with a value 190 μmho/cm, and the maximum EC was recorded in sample no 8 with a value of 705 μmho/cm, and the sodium percent values of Lake Nasser were 58.48–81.98. These values are high, so gypsum can be added to the soil to reduce the effect of high percentage of sodium in irrigation water. Study of all these characteristics indicated that the lake water quality is suitable for both drinking and irrigation purposes because of adequate values of total dissolved solids, EC and SP.