58 



There is no doubt })ut that hind \-ahies liave increased greatl}^ since 

 the construction of the reservoir ]>egan, and ahnost any irrigation 

 project in Upper or Lower Egypt has no trou))le in securing tinanciai 

 backing. This demand I'or farming huid and the increasing number 

 of capitalists interested in Egyptian agriculture led to a number of 

 inquiries regarding the actual capacity of the reservoir. Engineers 

 were detailed from foreign countries to visit the site of the reservoir 

 and obtain tiofures to satisfv cai)italists that the reservoir would accom- 

 plish what it was advertised to do. In this way, and through the 

 annual reports of the goveriuuent engineers, the Assuan dam has 

 probal)ly become })etter known throughout the world than any other 

 work of equal importance. However, outside of the surveys in the 

 immediate vicinity of the site of the .dam, little has been done to deter- 

 mine the actual capacity of the reservoir. A survey was begun 

 during the winter of r.M)l-2 to establish the boundary line of the 

 reservoir when full. 



THE ASSIUT DAM. 



The dam at Assiut was constructed for the purpose of raising the 

 level of the water so that it would tiow into large canals supplying 

 water to land on the west side of the river. But one canal leaves the 

 river at the dam. At Dirut, a few miles below Assiut, a wasteway 

 has been l)uilt and a number of masonr}^ regulators have been provided. 

 At this ])lace another channel comes in from the river. This latter 

 channel is used only during high Nile. A number of divisions of the 

 Ibraimia Canal at Dirut furnish water for the only perennial irriga- 

 tion in Tpper Egypt until the Assuan reservoir shall have become 

 avaiial)le. The most important canals below the regulators are the 

 Ibraimia, running parallel with the Nile, and the Yusef, which parallels 

 the l))raimia for a distance, and ends in the Fayum province. 



The Assiut dam resembles the })arrage below Cairo .somewhat, and, 

 like the barrage, is founded upon soft material, Avhich necessitated a 

 very broad foundation. The general character of the dam is shown in 

 PI. XXIII. Its 'total length is 2,640 feet or about half a mile. The 

 heiu-ht of the roadwav above the bed of the river is 4-1. 5 feet. The piers 

 supporting the roadway are 6.56 feet thick. Every ninth pier is 13.1 

 feet thick. The sluiceways are 16.5 feet wide. The depth to which 

 water will flow through the archways during high Nile is 33.5 feet. 

 Two gates, each T. 8 feet high, were provided for each sluiceway. When 

 these are in position they are capable of increasing the depth of water 

 about 10 feet. The gates are raised by a traveling Avinch which can be 

 moved to any point along the dam. It is the supposition that the 

 gates will not need to be lowered until the latter part of April each 

 year, and they will 1)e raised })efore the appearance of high water in 

 July. During high Nile all sediment which may have collected above 



