Soil–Water Properties for Reduce Land Degradation Along the High Dam Lake, Egypt

Abstract

SDG target 15.3 on land degradation objectivity includes combating desertification, rehabilitating damaged land and soil, particularly land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and striving for a land degradation-free world. Soils play a vital role in this goal and targets because they are at the crossroads of the atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, with six important functions for humans and the environment—particularly the nexus of soils, plants, animals, and human health, which is an important asset in achieving global sustainable development. Concern for the land’s well-being is frequently linked to one’s physical, economic, or cultural proximity to the land. The high Dam Lake shores in Egypt that are subject to flooding in most years are forming an area of about 5000 km². This area is exposed after flood water subsidence. Because of some terms in Egypt- Sudan Nile agreement, no water is permitted to be drawn from the lake for irrigation or any other use except if water level in the lake exceeds 180 m height. For this reason and because of the area of subsidence, farmers, amateurs and procurers tried to use the residual moisture left in the soil in cultivating some crops and fodder plants. This study aims at evaluating the possibility of practicing cultivation and probably other related activities. The importance of this study became visible when the government initiated the Tushka project in the region. Also, the need of sustainable development of the area is urgent for a Community depending only on fishing. Forty four surface and subsurface soil samples were collected from 11 sites along the western and eastern sides of the lake. Some chemical and physical studies together with some moisture characteristics were studied in these samples. The findings reveal that the soils are deficient in organic matter and phosphate and nitrogen. As a result, fertilizer use is unavoidable. The soils investigated are all sandy, non-saline, and deep to fairly deep. With the exception of some soils in the Kalabsha and Tushka depressions, which have loamy sand to sandy loam texture. Sand and loamy sandy soils have specific moisture characteristics. The capacity of the fields varies between 7.7 and 16.1%. The amount of available moisture is also low, ranging from 5 to 9% in most soils, but reaching 11–12% in the Kalabsha and Tushka depressions. Inundation increased the amount of water available due to an increase in silt and clay. However, land use should take into account the limited capacity of accessible water. In the first stage, the gradual sinking of the water level would allow for the cultivation of 50,000 fed. With the continual drop in water level, new region of varying dimensions might be cultivated. The area farmed would be controlled if the soil reached wilting threshold. Because there are just two months available for cultivation, it will be limited to fodder plants.