TITLE:
Assessment of the Impact of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Performance of the High Aswan Dam
AUTHORS:
Asegdew G. Mulat, Semu A. Moges
KEYWORDS:
Impounding Impact, Renaissance Dam, Abbay River Basin, Eastern Nile
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.6 No.6,
April
29,
2014
ABSTRACT: A Large
scale hydropower dam known as Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is under
construction on the Blue Nile River just upstream of the Ethiopian-Sudan border
in Ethiopia. The GERD has an active storage capacity of more than 60,000 Mm3 and is anticipated to produce 6000 MW of hydropower energy. The aim of this
study was to assess the potential impact of the dam on the performance of the
High Aswan Dam (HAD) during filling and operation phases using a simulation
model using Mike Basin river basin simulation model. The results indicate the
planned 6 years filling period is sufficient to fill the reservoir with little
impact on the current irrigation water demands from HAD in Egypt without
additional management investment. There will be about 12% and 7% of reduction
of annual energy output from High Aswan Dam during the filling and after
filling stage of GERD respectively. Cumulative Energy production from the two
dams will increase significantly Water loss at HAD due to evaporation will
decreases by 22%. Overall performance of HAD during and after filling of the
GERD remains at a reliability level of 96%. The study advises to utilize the
results cautiously as it is based on only one historical realization of the
many possible scenarios that may evolve in the future.