Despite the importance of the River Nile since antiquity, very little research has been conducted into the cultural and religious aspects of the Blue Nile in general or into its sources in particular. The Nile River has two major branches, the Blue Nile and the White Nile. The Al-Ruṣayriṣ and Sannār dams in Sudan irrigate 1,000,000 acres (400,000 hectares) in the plain of Al-Jazīrah (Gezira) between the Blue Nile and White Nile rivers; the Sannār Dam also produces hydroelectric power. In 1968, at the request of Haile Selassie, a team of 60 British and Ethiopian servicemen and scientists made the first full descent of the river from Lake Tana to a point near the Sudanese border led by explorer John Blashford-Snell. The Little Abbay flows into Lake Tana, which discharges into the Blue Nile and runs 900 km down through the highlands into Sudan (Roskar, 2000). [6] However, the Portuguese João Bermudes, the self-described "Patriarch of Ethiopia," provided the first description of the Tis Abay River Falls in his memoirs published in 1565, and a number of Europeans who lived in Ethiopia in the late 15th century such as Pêro da Covilhã could have seen the river long before Páez, but not reached its source. [citation needed] The Blue Nile Falls (Amharic: Tis Abay, literally "great smoke"), one of Ethiopia's biggest tourist attractions, is located at the start of the canyon. But Egypt and Sudan fear it will reduce their access to water. In Genesis, it is written: A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. Nile River: Longest river in Africa 'Blue Nile River Dam' dey cause Egypt-Ethiopia kasala - Read wetin you need to know By far the greater part of the Blue Nile’s waters come from such tributaries as the Dinder and Rahad rivers, which rise in the Ethiopian highlands. However, Jenssen's boats were blocked by the rapids at Famaka short of the Sudan-Ethiopia border, and Macmillan's boats were wrecked shortly after they had been launched. The river is also an important resource for Sudan, where the Roseires Dam and Sennar Dams produce 80% of the country's power. The Blue Nile, regionally known as Abbay, is the main feeder of the magnificent Nile River – the largest river in the world. The Blue Nile river starts from Ethiopia's lake Tana and merges with the smaller tributory White Nile at Khartoum Sudan to form the Nile River. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In November 2012, Ethiopia began construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a 6000-megawatt hydroelectric dam on the river. Its length is about 907 miles (1,460 km). Omissions? It has two major tributaries the Blue Nile “The Source of Most Water and Silt“, and the White Nile “The Headwaters”.Here is all info you need to know about Nile river: During the summer monsoon season, the Blue Nile floods erode a vast amount of fertile soil from the Ethiopian Highlands and carry it downstream as silt, turning the water dark brown or almost black.[3]. Blue Nile River, Arabic Al-Nīl Al-Azraq or Al-Baḥr Al-Azraq, Amharic Abāy, headstream of the Nile River and source of almost 70 percent of its floodwater at Khartoum. The average annual rainfall varies between 1200 and The distance of the river from its source to its confluence has been variously reported as being between 1,460 kilometres (910 mi) and 1,600 kilometres (990 mi). Sudan is not immune to growing pains. Rings. It is into this state that the Blue Nile river enters Sudan from the Ethiopian highlands. ethiopia: blue nile river - blue nile river stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images February 13: A view of the Blue Nile as it cuts between Khartoum and Khartoum North also known as Bahri on February 13, 2017 in Khartoum, Sudan. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. All of our men's and women's rings are crafted with the highest … The source of the Blue Nile is the Little Abbay River in the Ethiopian Highlands. The canyon was first referred to as the "Grand Canyon" in 1968 by a British team that accomplished the first descent of the river from Lake Tana to the end of the canyon; subsequent river rafting parties called it the "Grand Canyon of the Nile". Packages are available with Luxor and Aswan Travel including excursions. The Blue Niles River originates from Ethiopia’s Lake Tana and blends with the shorter feeder White Nile at Khartoum Sudan to create the Nile River and it flows in Egypt. The standard English names "White Nile" and "Blue Nile", to refer to the river's source, derive from Arabic names formerly applied only to the Sudanese stretches which meet at Khartoum. Free Shipping and Free Returns. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Its main tributaries, the White and Blue Nile, converge in Khartoum before flowing north through Egypt to drain into the Mediterranean Sea. All three rivers flow west to the White Nile in South Sudan and Sudan. Updates? Though shorter than the White Nile, 56 percent of the water that reaches Egypt originates from the Blue Nile branch of the great river; when combined with the Atbara River, which also has its source in the Ethiopian highlands, the figure rises to 90 percent of the water and 96 percent of transported sediment. He did this not by following the river along its banks and through its impassable canyon, but following it from the highlands above, travelling some 8,000 km (5,000 mi) by mule in the adjacent country.[8]. Blue Nile River - Google Earth Tour - YouTube. The Nile River is hugely important to Sudan and Egypt, Ethiopia’s downstream neighbors. In its capital Khartoum, built at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile, overpopulation puts pressure on the surrounding environment. Watch later. The distance of the river from its source to its confluence, has been variously reported as being between 1,460 kilometres (910 mi) and 1,600 kilometres (990 mi). 14 Simulating current and future water resources development in the Blue Nile river basin 269 Matthew P.McCartney,Tadesse Alemayehu,Zachary M.Easton and Seleshi B.Awulachew 15 Water management intervention analysis in the Nile Basin 292 Seleshi B.Awulachew,Solomon S.Demissie,Fitsum Hagos,Teklu Erkossa and Don Peden Index 312 Contents vi [12] In both 2001 and 2009, Bridges to Prosperity volunteers travelled from the United States to repair the broken bridge across the Blue Nile and later built a new suspension bridge not susceptible to flood. It reputedly rises as the Abāy from a spring 6,000 feet (1,800 metres) above sea level, near Lake Tana in northwestern Ethiopia. The Blue Nile then heads northwest into Sudan. The Blue Nile is vital to the livelihood of Egypt. Along with the White Nile, it is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile, and supplies about 80% of the water in the Nile during the rainy season. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It flows through a deep canyon southeast and west around the Choke Mountains and then turns northwest through Sudan to join the White Nile at Khartoum. Those on the right side, also in downstream order, include the Handassa, Tul, Abbaya, Sade, Tammi, Cha, Shita, Suha, Muga, Gulla, Temcha, Bachat, Katlan, Jiba, Chamoga, Weter and the Beles.[2]. The first serious attempt by a non-local to explore this reach of the river was undertaken by the American W.W. Macmillan in 1902, assisted by the Norwegian explorer B.H. The river loops across northwest Ethiopia, before being fed by numerous tributaries between Lake Tana and the Sudanese border. Series of rapids, and then drops into a gorge the confluence of the,! 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