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The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation decided Saturday to open the Toshka Spillway (a natural spillway for discharging excess water behind the High Dam in Aswan Governorate) to release part of the excess water resulting from Ethiopia’s “unilateral and unregulated” actions regarding the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
The ministry said in a statement that the decision was based on real-time monitoring and satellite imagery to ensure hydraulic balance and stability in the operation of Egypt’s water system.
As per the statement, Egypt has long warned of the risks of unilateral and unregulated management of the Ethiopian dam, which it described as “in violation of international law.”
It added that, under standard dam management rules, water levels were expected to be lowered gradually from 640 meters to 625 meters by July 31 to avoid prolonged operation at maximum levels and maintain flexibility in handling potential hydrological changes.
The ministry said Ethiopia failed to follow expected procedures and instead closed the emergency spillway on Oct. 8, cutting discharges to about 139 million cubic meters per day, later stabilizing at 160 million, meaning only about half of the available turbines were operating.
It added that the reservoir level again neared 640 meters, and on Oct. 21, discharges suddenly jumped to about 300 million cubic meters per day after the emergency spillway, meant for exceptional use, was opened.
Average flows then hovered around 320 million cubic meters for 10 consecutive days, reflecting continued randomness in dam management.
The ministry said the emergency spillway was closed again on Oct. 31 and that average discharge from Nov. 1 to Nov. 20 rose to about 180 million cubic meters per day, nearly 80% above the historical average of 100 million, confirming continued sharp fluctuations in Blue Nile flows.
It added that the absence of technical and scientific standards in operating the Ethiopian dam exposes the Nile to unsafe variations, threatening the rights and interests of downstream countries, Sudan and Egypt.
The ministry said these actions also affect dams immediately downstream of the GERD, which must take precautionary measures to absorb sudden shifts and ensure safe operation.
The ministry said the River Flow Committee decided to open the Toshka Spillway to release part of the excess water and maintain hydraulic balance within Egypt’s water system.
As a result, work to increase the discharge capacity of the Toshka Canal and Spillway was postponed because efforts were redirected to manage the sudden, unregulated increases in inflows from the Upper Nile.
The irrigation ministry reassured citizens that Egypt’s water system is operating efficiently, with the High Dam remaining the country’s main line of defense against any fluctuations or unregulated actions.
It added that state institutions are committed to professionally managing the water situation to meet all water needs and protect the interests of the Egyptian people.
In early October, Egypt blamed Ethiopia for the results of unilateral dam operations. Addis Ababa denied any link between the dam and rising Nile levels, saying it was a natural result of increased White Nile flows due to seasonal rains.
Egyptian villages in parts of the central and western Delta, as well as river islands and lands along the Nile, were flooded after authorities opened the High Dam’s gates at full capacity, raising water levels along the river and opening reservoir gates to reduce sudden pressure on old irrigation infrastructure after the floodwaters surged from the GERD toward Sudan and Egypt.
The GERD, with a total storage capacity of about 74 billion cubic meters, is the cornerstone of Ethiopia’s plans to become a regional hub for exporting electricity, especially to Sudan, Djibouti, and Kenya.
Egypt’s water resources are estimated at about 56.6 billion cubic meters annually, while its needs are about 114 billion cubic meters, leaving a deficit of 57.4 billion cubic meters per year. Cairo relies on the Nile for about 97% of its freshwater needs.
Tension continues between Egypt and Ethiopia after Addis Ababa announced the official inauguration of the GERD last September.
Egypt filed a complaint with the U.N. Security Council over Ethiopia’s unilateral actions and the dam’s inauguration.
Ethiopia responded with a similar complaint, accusing Cairo of attempting to destabilize the country and obstructing GERD negotiations, including rejecting settlement proposals since the 2015 Declaration of Principles.
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