The second Aswan Dam, which was completed in 1970, was built to prevent the Nile River from flooding, generate electricity, and store water for agricultural uses. While the damming of the Nile has generated electricity and stored water as originally intended, the project has also created new cultural and environmental problems.
Erosion of the coastline, pollution in the Nile from the use of chemical fertilizers, and an increase in the salt present in the Mediterranean are a few of the environmental problems caused by the dam. In addition, 60,000 people were displaced from their homes when Nubia, located in southern Egypt, was flooded, and important cultural sites have been destroyed by the cam’s presence. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether the Aswan Dam has solved as many problems as it has caused.
5. Based on the information in this passage, what has caused an increase in pollution in the Nile River?