(29b) Modeling Of Pollutant Transport in the Nile Delta, Egypt

Egypt is an arid country with high temperatures and low rainfall, and depends mainly on the Nile River as its source of fresh water, where it supplies Egypt with more than 95% of its diverse water needs. The Nile River divides into two branches (Damietta and Rosetta) forming the Nile delta. Both branches flow into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile delta extends nearly 200 km (124.27 mi) from north to south and over 300 km (186.4mi) from west to east. This research is being performed on the Nile delta. The primary objective of this paper is to develop a dynamic model of Nile delta pollution by using MATLAB software. The model is calibrated based on field and historical data. Problem concerning the water quality on the Nile delta involve toxic dumping, and water quality degradation. The lengths of Damietta and Rosetta branches are approximately 245 km (152.2 miles), and 239 km (148.5 miles), respectively.

The Nile delta receives pollution loadings from industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities which are located along its path. This model can be useful in assessing the downstream distance affected by pollutant releases and will aid as a decision tool on restrictions to be imposed on industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities. The analytical model is also a reliable tool for water quality assessment and management in affected areas, and can be used to predict water quality and will aid in the estimation of potential environmental damage. The investigation started with sample collection on December 2012 and will last until August 2013. Water samples are collected every 15 days along the Nile Delta, and from drains discharging into the Nile delta. Water samples are analyzed for different parameters during the winter, spring, and summer seasons. The environmental water quality parameters include pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total organic carbon (TOC), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (D.O), and temperature. The main sources of pollution are studied to identify the most appropriate ways to reduce pollution and improve water quality in the Nile delta.