Multi-scale modelling of the water and sediment fluxes from the Nile Delta to the Suez Canal

In recent decades, the construction of several (mega)dams along the Nile River has significantly reduced the amount of fluvial sediment reaching the Nile Delta coast. This sediment deficit has resulted in accelerated coastal erosion. The present study evaluates the potential risk of sediment accumulation in the nearby Suez Canal (SC). As exemplified by the grounding of the Ever Given in 2021 (fig. 1), a blockage of the SC would represent a major disruption to global trade. The first objective of this project is to investigate whether coastal currents—at both regional and local scales—can transport sediment from the eroding Nile Delta eastward toward the SC, potentially entering it through its northern mouth. To address this question, we employ the hydrodynamic model SLIM3D and validate its outputs using observational data, comparisons with existing literature, and larger-scale oceanographic datasets such as those provided by CMEMS.

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Versaen, A., Hanert, E., Lambrechts, J., & et al. (2025). Multi-scale modelling of the water and sediment fluxes from the Nile Delta to the Suez Canal. European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2025 General Assembly, Austria Center Vienna (ACV), Vienna, Austria. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/269607