The Jonglei channel is a channel in the Sudan at the Nile, which is since 1974 in building.

Its length with completion is to amount to 280 kilometers and to connect the cities Bur and Malakal.

Reasons for the building

Navigability

The navigability by the Sudd was not given long time. Only the creation of a channel by the Sudd from 1899 to 1903 made possible a regulated navigation. This channel must be however constantly waited. For this reason one began with the building of the Jonglei channel, which was to lead the Nile around the Sudd. From the bypass the north of the Sudans would profit, since more waters would then carry to the north. The Sudd became thereby however out drying, but but enormous agrarian surfaces in the north of the Sudans and/or in the Sudd area could be managed.

Water use

The water of the white Nile evaporates to 53 per cent in the upper Sudan, because it flows by a large Sumpfgebiet, which is called Sudd. Therefore one wants to direct the Nile with the channel at the Sudd. Thus the evaporation was enormously reduced and more waters for the irrigation of the agriculture fastened by the to be available. Affected by it profitably would above all be the north of the Sudans. Also one would improve thereby the navigability, which is strongly obstructed also since end of the 1950er years by the increasing spreading of the Nile hyacinth.

Statistics over the evaporation

The Nile occurs this quantity with an approximate jahrlichen discharge of 43 km the Sudd, up to the northern edge of the Sumpfgebietes is reduced to approximately 23 km Of it alone the river Sobat, which rises in the high country of Abessinien, contributes 18 km i.e. a large part of the water from the Central African sea-area evaporates.

Process of the construction work

• 1974 were begun with the building.
• Due to the 1983 of Sudanese civil war begun the building is guessed/advised and straight times 70% of the channel so far was finished placed however in coming to a hold.

Effects on the environment

With such a large project must be considered concerning questions the effects on the environment carefully. Are humans to play "God "and to undertake a further salient grasp into

Opponents of the project like the United nation Environment of programs mean that the building of the channel and the dewatering of the Sumpfgebietes will bring the whole water regime of North Africa from the equilibrium. The Sudd would transform on a long-term basis to the desert. Since fewer waters evaporates, less rain will fall.

Proponents mean however that the rain originates anyway from the water evaporated from the south Atlantic. Besides more waters of the channel of the agriculture would be available.

General information

With the building was used also a mobile excavator of the world at that time largest in Luebeck more manufactured. It had a capacity of 40 ' 000 cubic meters per day.

See also

• List of waters in the Sudan

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