Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): UPSC Current Affairs

Description

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Picture Courtesy: DOWNTOEARTH

Context

A recent study by Chapman University (California) identified the saddle dam of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as an active geohazard hotspot, posing threat to downstream nations like Sudan and Egypt.

What is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) Project?

The GERD is a massive hydroelectric dam project, initiated in 2011, to generate approximately 6,000 megawatts of electricity.

Location: Dam built on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia, which is the primary tributary of the Nile, in Benishangul-Gumuz Region, near the Sudanese border.

Key Features: The project includes a main dam and a large auxiliary dam, known as the saddle dam.

Controversy: Egypt considers it an existential threat to its water supply, while Sudan expects both benefits (regulated flow) and risks (dependent management).

Why is the GERD a Source of Regional Conflict?

The GERD is a major source of regional tension due to conflicting national interests over the Nile's water resources.

Country	Position and Rationale
Egypt	Views the dam as an existential threat to its water supply, as it depends on the Nile for over 95% of its freshwater (Source: UN Water). Cites "historic rights" based on colonial-era treaties like the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement to claim a majority share of the river's flow.
Sudan	Holds an ambivalent position. Benefits: The dam could regulate river flow, prevent devastating annual floods, and provide cheap electricity. Risks: Fears a catastrophic dam failure, which would destroy its own downstream dams (like the Roseires Dam) and cause immense damage.
Ethiopia	Views the GERD as a cornerstone of its national development and a symbol of national sovereignty. Argues it has the right to use its natural resources for economic growth and poverty alleviation. Rejects colonial-era agreements it was not a party to, asserting they deny its legitimate water rights.

Source: DOWNTOEARTH

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Nile River:

1. The Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria, provides the majority of the water volume to the main Nile.

2. The White Nile and the Blue Nile meet at Khartoum, Sudan, before flowing north toward the Mediterranean Sea.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(A) 1 only

(B) 2 only

(D) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: While the Blue Nile does provide the majority of the water volume to the main Nile (contributing about 80-85% of its flow), it originates at Lake Tana in the Ethiopian highlands, not Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria is the primary source of the White Nile.

Statement 2 is correct: The White Nile (flowing north from Lake Victoria) and the Blue Nile (flowing from Ethiopia) meet at a confluence in Khartoum, Sudan. From this point, the combined river flows northward through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The GERD is a massive hydroelectric dam built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile River, close to the Sudan border. It is Africa's largest hydropower project, designed to generate about 6,000 MW of electricity and fuel Ethiopia's economic development.

The conflict over the Nile's water and the dam involves Egypt's fear of reduced water supply, Sudan's safety concerns and potential flood control benefits, and Ethiopia's assertion of its sovereign right for national development.

The Nile River is the longest river in the world, stretching approximately 6,650 kilometers through northeastern Africa. It serves as a vital, life-sustaining water source for 11 countries, flowing northward from its sources in Burundi and Rwanda to the Mediterranean Sea.