Introduction to “Sustainable Water Solutions in the Western ...
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floor; springs and wells. The chapter also provides some important conclusions and
recommendations on Dakhla’s environmental sustainability.
Chapter 5 with the title “Archaeological and Eco-tourism areas in Dakhla Oasis
Western Desert, Egypt” explains and discusses the archaeological sites in Dakhla
Oasis region. Such sites include evidence of the alternating periods of wet and dry
climate in the formation of Oasis landscapes, ancient civilizations, and changes in
climate. It emphasizes the nature of the relationship between water and life in a
spring-fed oasis with groundwater as in the region of Deir El-Hagar and surface
water as in the Gilf El-Kebir area’s active wadis and lakes. Tourism is still small
in Dakhla Oasis compared to the rest of Egypt, which has helped to preserve its
heritage. Dakhla Oasis is rich with many archaeological sites from prehistoric to
recent times, landscape and natural resources. A special attention should be addressed
for the development of these resources for ecotourism and desert safari. It contains a
vast remote area which is not accessible and needs a good management plan for the
conservation and protection of these resources for future generations and researchers.
Following to the archaeological chapter, come the chapter on “Climate features
of Dakhla Oasis” to explain the recent climatic and meteorological conditions in
Dakhla Oasis which are related to the human activities and environmental conditions.
It explains the climatic characteristics in Dakhla Oasis and the climatic variations
between Dakhla and Kharga Oases using synoptic meteorological data from 2007 to
2016 in order to understand the variability of annual precipitation and the level of
oasis aridity. Also, other meteorological parameters and its relationships with water
demand of the crops in the oasis are analyzed and the results are presented.
3.2 Land Use, Soil and Cultivation
The chapters from 7 to 10 explain the issues related to sand dunes in the oasis,
soil conditions, land use, groundwater, and cultivation. Chapter 7 is titled “Aeolian
Sand Transport Potential and Its Environmental Impact in Dakhla Oasis, Egypt”. It
describes the movement rate of sand dunes in the Dakhla Oasis and their impact
on the cultivated lands and the relationship between wind speed and direction with
sand dune distribution and movement as well as the connectivity between the oasis
and the African continent. The African continent comprises of a massive, shallow
depressed plateau. This has around one third of the arid lands of the world, mainly
characterized by the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts. Dunes are the arid land of
the most unique aeolian characteristic of Africa. In African deserts, they comprise
about one-fifth of the shallow depressions being broad. The most common forms of
dunes in Africa are linear and crescent dunes however the most popular are linear
dunes. In Egypt, sand dunes occupy more than 17% of the surface area of the country.
The Great Sand Sea is about 80% of Egypt’s dunes. There are two major categories
of dunes characterizing the Dakhla Oasis sand dunes: crescent and linear. The most
common types are the crescentic compound dunes (barchanoid ridges). Linear dunes
mainly take place in the southern portion of the eastern dune belt. Dakhla dunes
7
floor; springs and wells. The chapter also provides some important conclusions and
recommendations on Dakhla’s environmental sustainability.
Chapter 5 with the title “Archaeological and Eco-tourism areas in Dakhla Oasis
Western Desert, Egypt” explains and discusses the archaeological sites in Dakhla
Oasis region. Such sites include evidence of the alternating periods of wet and dry
climate in the formation of Oasis landscapes, ancient civilizations, and changes in
climate. It emphasizes the nature of the relationship between water and life in a
spring-fed oasis with groundwater as in the region of Deir El-Hagar and surface
water as in the Gilf El-Kebir area’s active wadis and lakes. Tourism is still small
in Dakhla Oasis compared to the rest of Egypt, which has helped to preserve its
heritage. Dakhla Oasis is rich with many archaeological sites from prehistoric to
recent times, landscape and natural resources. A special attention should be addressed
for the development of these resources for ecotourism and desert safari. It contains a
vast remote area which is not accessible and needs a good management plan for the
conservation and protection of these resources for future generations and researchers.
Following to the archaeological chapter, come the chapter on “Climate features
of Dakhla Oasis” to explain the recent climatic and meteorological conditions in
Dakhla Oasis which are related to the human activities and environmental conditions.
It explains the climatic characteristics in Dakhla Oasis and the climatic variations
between Dakhla and Kharga Oases using synoptic meteorological data from 2007 to
2016 in order to understand the variability of annual precipitation and the level of
oasis aridity. Also, other meteorological parameters and its relationships with water
demand of the crops in the oasis are analyzed and the results are presented.
3.2 Land Use, Soil and Cultivation
The chapters from 7 to 10 explain the issues related to sand dunes in the oasis,
soil conditions, land use, groundwater, and cultivation. Chapter 7 is titled “Aeolian
Sand Transport Potential and Its Environmental Impact in Dakhla Oasis, Egypt”. It
describes the movement rate of sand dunes in the Dakhla Oasis and their impact
on the cultivated lands and the relationship between wind speed and direction with
sand dune distribution and movement as well as the connectivity between the oasis
and the African continent. The African continent comprises of a massive, shallow
depressed plateau. This has around one third of the arid lands of the world, mainly
characterized by the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts. Dunes are the arid land of
the most unique aeolian characteristic of Africa. In African deserts, they comprise
about one-fifth of the shallow depressions being broad. The most common forms of
dunes in Africa are linear and crescent dunes however the most popular are linear
dunes. In Egypt, sand dunes occupy more than 17% of the surface area of the country.
The Great Sand Sea is about 80% of Egypt’s dunes. There are two major categories
of dunes characterizing the Dakhla Oasis sand dunes: crescent and linear. The most
common types are the crescentic compound dunes (barchanoid ridges). Linear dunes
mainly take place in the southern portion of the eastern dune belt. Dakhla dunes