Why was Lake Nasser created?

Lake Nasser was created by the impounding of the Nile River waters behind the Aswan High Dam, which was constructed in the 1960s to provide human control over the river's annual flooding.12

The reservoir serves several critical economic and developmental purposes:

• Irrigation: By storing floodwaters, the dam allows for the release of water as needed, bringing hundreds of thousands of acres of additional land under irrigation and converting other areas to perennial irrigation.12
• Power Generation: The dam utilizes the stored water to generate significant amounts of hydroelectric power.2
• Resource Management: The reservoir supports a fishing industry and improves navigation along the river.12

While the project provided these benefits, it also necessitated the relocation of thousands of people and the UNESCO-led rescue of significant archaeological sites, such as Abu Simbel, which were threatened by the rising waters.12