The sampling program of water and sediment samples commenced
during 2011 (four successive seasons). Sixteen stations
were selected to represent the most distal downstream, water
ecology and habitats. Eight stations were selected along the
area extended from the mouth of the canal at Mazalat region
to Ismailia City, four stations in the Suez Branch and four stations
in Port-Said Branch (Fig. 1). Stations 13 and 15 were not
sampled due to the stony structure of the canal bed at these
points. Surface sediment was collected using Ekman grab.
Sampling was repeated several times till undisturbed sample
was obtained. From the surface layer (about 2 cm), about
ten square centimeters of surface sediment were collected into
a 100 ml glass bottle and preserved by few drops of
formaldehyde.