Water Resources in Egypt: Strategies for the Next Century

Knowledge of anticipated demands for water is a crucial element in water planning. The logical sequence in water resources planning is to examine the present demands of water for all purposes, to determine how the demand in various sectors will be affected by growth, and then to project what the water demands will be in the short- and long-term future. The first part of this paper deals with Egypt's water demands, with each aspect being calculated for the present and future. In the second part, an effort is made to quantify the water from each possible source to estimate the potential for future water supply. Balances are then examined with possible combinations of policies and scenarios leading to numerous planning alternatives. The conclusion is that Egypt is water secure until 2000, remedial measures will extend this until 2020, and beyond that additional surface supply is essential. Finally, the water shortages or excesses are quantified and recommendations are made based on the most probable future directions.