US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Exploratory Study of Sediment Deposition and Sand Dune Encroachment in the Lake Nasser Reservoir Using Remote Sensing Techniques

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

0117616 Smith Description: This award is to support a collaborative project between a US team headed by Dr. Scot E. Smith, Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida and a team headed by Dr. Hesham E. Monsef, Department of Geology, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. They plan to address the question of sediment deposition and filling by sand dune encroachment in the Lake Nasser Reservoir (LNR) which was formed by the Aswan High Dam in southern Egypt. Specifically, they will examine available satellite images and actual data taken on the ground and in the lake, conduct preliminary field work on the phenomena of sediment transport and sediment deposition within the LNR, examine the usefulness of satellite remote sensing data in monitoring sediment deposition patterns in the LNR, and plan a study of sand dune migration in the vicinity of the LNR and sand dune encroachment into the reservoir. They expect to describe a plan of research for developing models to utilize satellite data for predicting sand migration and deposition in the reservoir. Scope: The project supports collaboration between two experienced teams, with the appropriate instruments, and with access to the necessary data and facilities. The project addresses an important topic for Egypt and for other countries with similar reservoir conditions. The large surface area of the lake and the hostile weather conditions most of the year, in that area of Egypt, impede the taking of ground measurements, and makes the use of remote sensing a very desirable approach. In addition to the University of Florida and the Suez Canal University, the project will involve investigators from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and from the Ministry of Agriculture in Egypt. One US graduate student will participate in the research. This project meets the INT objective of supporting collaborative research in areas of mutual interest.