Aswan Old (Low) Dam North Spur — First Cataract Gravity Buttress
خزان أسوان · Aswan Low Dam North · Old Aswan North
British colonial (Anglo-Egyptian)·Anglo-Egyptian, French engineers·🇪🇬 Aswan Governorate, Aswan, First Cataract, Nile Kilometer 975, Egypt
About
About Aswan Old (Low) Dam North Spur — First Cataract Gravity Buttress
North spur of the Aswan Low (Old) Dam (1899–1902, Baker-Willcocks), world's largest masonry dam on completion — 610 m long, 30 m high gravity buttress with 180 sluices — 6 km north of the High Dam (1960–71, 23.97N) at First Cataract, Nile km 975, founding modern Nile control. Low Dam failed 1946 flood prompting High Dam; now acts as re-regulating dam for High Dam releases with upstream reservoir between two dams (Aswan reservoir). Bypassed by High Dam but retained, demonstrating 1902 British-Egyptian colonial hydraulics with granite ashlar buttresses. Structurae 24°02'05.6N 32°52'14.26E and UNESCO 1039 Nile. Tourist visit by felucca between dams.
Why it mattersFirst modern Nile masonry dam and cascade experiment leading to High Dam, colonial to Nasser hydraulics laboratory.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Masonry vs embankment choice 1899
- 02Low Dam survival after High Dam
Theories
- 01British cotton irrigation imperative vs Egyptian nationalism
- 02Cascade as adaptive vs replacement paradigm
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 1899–1902 Baker/Willcocks; raised 1907–12, 1929–33
- Period
- British colonial (Anglo-Egyptian)
- Culture
- Anglo-Egyptian, French engineers
- Builders
- Sir Benjamin Baker and Sir William Willcocks
- Purpose
- First Cataract Nile flood control storing 1 km³ and hydro before High Dam
- Abandoned
- 1970 replaced by High Dam but retained as re-regulating
- Rediscovered
- 1899 survey; 1902 opening by Khedive Abbas II
- Excavation
- Excavated
1899
Construction start
1902
Opening largest masonry dam
1970
High Dam completion, Low dam retained
On the ground
Structures & features
24.0350° N · 32.8660° E · 110 m · 2 mapped features
North Spur — Masonry Buttress Dam 1902 (610-m)
dam buttress610-m × 30-m gravity masonry buttress dam with 180 arched sluices, world's largest masonry 1902
24.0360° N · 32.8670° ENorth Spur — Aswan High Dam Upstream Reservoir Interface
reservoir interfaceInterface channel between Low Dam reservoir and High Dam 6 km south, Nile flood control cascade
24.0340° N · 32.8650° E