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Toshka Lakes (Arabic: بحيرات توشكى, Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [boħeˈɾæːt ˈtoʃkæ]) is the name given to recently formed endorheic lakes in the Sahara Desert of Egypt.[1]

This article has an unclear citation style. (August 2009)

Toshka Lakes
Toshka Lakes
Location	New Valley Governorate
Coordinates	23.1°N 30.9°E / 23.1; 30.9
Type	Endorheic lake
Primary inflows	Nile-Lake Nasser via Sadat Canal
Basin countries	Egypt

Etymology

The lakes are named after a Nubian village Toshka (Old Nubian: ⲧⲱϣⲕⲉⲁ[2]) which was drowned after the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

History

The Aswan High Dam, constructed in Egypt in 1964–1968, created Lake Nasser, with a maximum water level of 183 metres (600 ft) above sea level. In the '90s excess water started being released from Lake Nasser by overflow into a hollow at the south end of the Eocene limestone plateau.

Formation

Astronauts began noticing the first, easternmost lake growing in November 1998. By late 1999, three additional lakes formed successively westward, and the westernmost lake started forming sometime between September 2000 and March 2001. These lakes are not yet named individually. In total, the Toshka Lakes cover approximately 1300 square kilometers (502 mi²). The levels of the lakes as of 2006^[update] are lower than in 2001, and areas of wetlands and sand dunes have formed between the former and present shorelines. A minor lake downstream of the three larger lakes has completely dried out. The levels of the lakes vary between 175 metres (574 ft) for the one closest Lake Nasser to 144 metres (472 ft) for the one furthest downstream.

Geography

• The new lake system is endorheic, that is, the waters can never flow on to the sea. The Nile-sourced water creates the lakes and helps to recharge the underlying aquifer; but desert temperatures cause very high levels of evaporation. Although the new lakes already contain an impressive amount of fish, these high evaporation levels will make the waters become increasingly saline over time, reducing fish stocks and harming the newly established flora and fauna.
• The Toshka Hollow lies within the seismically active Nubian Swell. The Egyptian government is developing the surrounding region, also known as the "New Valley Project". The plan is to extend the waterway to the Kharga oasis.
• Use of Nile resources is governed by the Nile Basin Initiative; but the Toshka project does not breach the agreement as water is diverted from Lake Nasser only after heavy water flows upstream have raised lake levels above 178 metres (584 ft) (see above).

See also

• New Valley Project
• New Valley Governorate
• Lakes of Egypt

References

Further reading

• Chipman, J. W; T. M. Lillesand (2007). "Satellite‐based assessment of the dynamics of new lakes in southern Egypt". International Journal of Remote Sensing. 28 (19): 4365–4379. Bibcode:2007IJRS...28.4365C. doi:10.1080/01431160701241787. S2CID 129442621.

External links

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• Jan. 2003 MODIS false color image of the Toshka Lakes.*
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На других языках

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- [en] Toshka Lakes

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[fr] Lacs de Toshka

Les lacs de Toshka sont un ensemble de lacs récents en train de se former en Égypte dans la dépression de Toshka, dans le désert du Sahara.

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[ru] Тошка (озёра)

То́шка — общее название группы из четырёх бессточных недавно созданных озёр в пустыне Сахара, Египет.

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