IRRIGATION OF THE SUDAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18247, 14 November 1922, Page 7

IRRIGATION OF THE SUDAN.

CONTRACT FOR £4,000,000.

A contract for a large irrigation scheme | in. the Sudan, involving an expenditure of nearly £4,000,000, has been given to Messrs. Pearson and Son, of London, the firm of which Viscdunt Cowdray is the head. The work, which is being carried out for the Sudan Government, is to be commenced almost at once, and will take three years to complete. A representative of Messrs. Pearson and Son stated that the scheme includes the building of a dam across the Blue Nile extending nearly two miles in length, 'and also some 650 miles of canal and drainage. When complete the works will irrigate between 3000 and 4000 acres of land, which will be laid out as cotton gardens. " Unskilled labour will be employed at the outset, and in this respect we shall utilise local and native labour, but all skilled labour will be obtained, from Britain," he said. " When in full swing we shall have as many as 7000 hands on the scheme."

The contract relates to the construction of the Sennar Dam, the purpose of which is to render possible the development of a large tract of country known as the Gezireh, lying between the Blue and White Niles. These two rivers effect a junction at Khartoum, but the rise from that point of the Blue Nile is on a much steeper grade than is the case 5 with the White Nile, and the former river is thus the more suitable for the irrigation of the Gezireh. The general fall of the land of ihe larger area which it may ultimately be possible to take in hand is, in fact, from the Blue to the White Nile; the tract which is now to be prepared for development is, however, only a portion 0 f the ultimately possible amount, and is a strip lying parallel with the Blue Nile and extending to about 300,030 acres. The major projects under consideration for the further development of Egypt' and the Sudan comprise the Sennar Dam, the Gebel Auha Dam on the White Nile, the Nag Hamadi barrage in Egypt, and further works, which are in the embryo stage, on the head Waters of both Niles. The Gebel Aulia project consists of a dam on the White Nile which will serve to store water for Egypt, to supplement that impounded at Assouan. The scheme involves the storage of 5000 million cubic metres of water, which compares witn 2000 millions impounded at Assouan. The Sennar Dam is intended to act more as an irrigation regulator than, as a storage reservoir, and the »"£»**% water would at *be most amount to about 636 million cubic »efa£ Thereon Kr ?hT $ woTAhich has ieady been in hand for some tune,