Author : Maged H. Hussein, Hussein G Karaman and Ahmed Rashed

Closed drainage basins present a unique environmental or water quality challenge. Evaporation ponds may be an appropriate means for disposing of drainage water. However, these ponds may lead to other environmental problems. The closed basin of Koum Oshim is a new reclaimed area in the Northern East of Fayoum governorate. It suffers from high water table, salinity and the presence of three surface ponds (Berkas) in spread sites. The Berkas have no outlet and the drain water impounded is subject to evapo-concentration. As a result of severe shortage of irrigation water in the area especially in summer, some arable lands are left fallow and other areas are irrigated with mixing drainage water. These conditions affect the crop productivity and public health. These practices have led to reduce the efficiency of water management due to lack of an integrated agricultural drainage network. The objective of this paper is to improve the water management conditions of the closed basin. Water Board is recalled and activated to help the farmers facing the water shortage and unequal distribution of irrigation water. The sustainability of agriculture in the closed basin depends on the reuse of drainage water for irrigation with the cooperation of farmers.

Keywords: Closed drainage basins, Water quality challenge, Crop productivity

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.3,No.5(Dec- 2013)