Aswan Low Dam

This structure reaches more than two kilometers in width and features 180 sluice gates controlling water passage. The openings manage both flow and sediment movement along this section of the river.

British engineers finished this project in 1902, creating what was then the largest masonry structure of its kind. Two expansions in 1912 and 1933 raised its capacity to meet growing regional needs.

Regulation of the water level changed how communities along the river organized their farming calendar. Families who once waited for the annual flood began to grow multiple harvests each year.

Visitors reach the site from Aswan and can observe the facility from outside viewing points. Early morning or late afternoon hours offer more comfortable temperatures for outdoor observation.

A navigation lock built into the structure allowed ships to pass through this section of the river for the first time. Before this addition, vessels required overland transport to bypass the rapids.

Location: Aswan Governorate

Inception: 1902

Elevation above the sea: 116 m

GPS coordinates: 24.03390,32.86580

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:28