What happens to the Nile river each year?
The River Nile flooded every year between June and September, in a season the Egyptians called akhet – the inundation. Melting snow and heavy summer rain in the Ethiopian Mountains sent a torrent of water causing the banks of the River Nile in Egypt to overflow on the flat desert land.
Did the Nile river ever dry up?
In harsh and arid seasons and droughts the Blue Nile dries out completely. The flow of the Blue Nile varies considerably over its yearly cycle and is the main contribution to the large natural variation of the Nile flow.
What did people do when the Nile River flooded?
They harvested crops before the predictable floods, and rejoiced in the rich deposits of black soil the flood would leave behind and prepared for the years when too much or too little water would bring harm (Hoyt, 2008). If the Nile River used to consistently flood, one might ask what happened? No, the floods did not stop coming.
Why does the Nile River swell in the summer?
Today, however, no other river of comparable size has a regime that is so well known. The discharge of the main stream, as well as the tributaries, is regularly measured. The Nile swells in the summer, the floods rising as a result of the heavy tropical rains in Ethiopia.
Where does the Nile River start and end?
The Nile ends in a large delta that empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The word “Nile” (Arab. ‘nīl) comes from the Greek word Neilos (Νειλος), meaning river valley. The ancient Egyptians called the Nile iteru, meaning “big river”, represented by the hieroglyphs shown on the right (literally itrw ).
How does the Blue Nile affect the Nile River?
The maximum is reached in August, after which the level falls again. The rise at Khartoum averages more than 20 feet. When the Blue Nile is in flood, it holds back the White Nile water, turning it into an extensive lake and delaying its flow. The Jabal al-Awliyāʾ Dam south of Khartoum increases this ponding effect.