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Ibrahimiyya Canal
In Egypt, 350 km long canal diverting water from the Nile river, running between Assyut in the middle of the country, and Giza.
Its stretch is first 60 km north to Dairut, where it again splits, forming the new canal of Bahr Yousef. Bahr Yousef ends at Fayoum Oasis and its Lake Qaroun. It is navigable between Assyut and Deirut only. At no point does the distance between the Ibrahimiyya and the Nile exceed 5 km.
The Ibrahimiyya Canal runs through most west bank towns and cities between Assyut and Giza.
The canal has several regulators and reservoirs, controlling the water discharge.
The canal was built to irrigate sugar fields to the west of the Nile river. In its first decades, the flow varied by season, with about 20 times more water in winter than summer. Today, the flow is regulated by both the Assyut Barrage and the Aswan High Dam. Before its construction, there were many smaller canals along the stretch, some dating back to ancient times.
History
1873: The construction of the canal begins, by the order of Ismail Pasha.
1902: The Assyut Barrage opens, providing steady supplies of water to the canal.
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By: Tore Kjeilen
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