210
E. Iwasaki
Nasser era. Therefore, not only new villages but also old villages were covered by
the project.
The wells drilled for these projects are called governmental wells and are under the
strict control of the government. In fact, the General Authority of Desert Development
managed the land reclamation projects, including the drilling of government wells.
This authority later became the Ministry of Agrarian Reform and Land Reclamation
in the 1960s, which separated into two ministries: i.e., the Ministry of Agriculture
and the Ministry of Land Reclamation.
5
In Rashda, the desert land dispersed between the irrigated lands were reclaimed,
and the wells were drilled by the General Authority of Desert Development. The wells
are currently owned and managed by the Irrigation Authority under the Ministry of
Water Resources and Irrigation.
Since the government wells are drilled as part of the New Valley land reclamation
project scheme, the reclaimed land is given to beneficiaries, who are usually chosen
according to the criteria of being impoverished or landless villagers. Each beneficiary
receives 4 or 5 feddans (1 feddan = 1.03784 acre, 1 feddan =4200 sq.m, and 1 acre
= 4046.86 sq.m) of land leased from the government and an equal right to water.
Although the water right is given to the beneficiaries, the Ministry of Water
Resources and Irrigation affects the decisions and management. Farmers oversee
the management and distribution, but they are under the supervision of the Ministry.
There are four such districts irrigated by government wells in Rashda: Well No.1
with 454 feddans (1 feddan = 1.03784 acre, 1 feddan =4200 sq.m, and 1 acre =
4046.86 sq.m) and 100 beneficiaries, Well No.2 with 371 feddans and 32 beneficiaries, Well No.3 with 167 feddans and 34 beneficiaries, and Well No.4 with 63
feddans and 150 beneficiaries.
Government wells generally have a depth ranging from 800 to 1,200 m and are
supposed to last for 50 years. Many of them were drilled at the time of the construction
campaign in the New Valley. At the time of drilling, they were artesian wells, but the
‘deep pump’ was installed later. Also, the number of wells increased, especially after
2000, to replace or supplement the older wells that had decreased water discharge.
Most of those drilled after 2000 have a depth greater than 700 m. Compared to the
initial wells that had a depth of approximately 500 m, the well depth has increased.
For instance, Well No.3 Irrigation District was started by drilling a well in 1959,
called Well No.3. This Well No.3 was an artesian well with a depth of 500 m and
ceased to discharge water completely in 1995.
6 From the late 1980s, four wells were
drilled to maintain the water discharge level. They were dug deeper compared to the
initial Well No.3: Well No.3-5 drilled in 1988 has a depth of 833 m, Well No.3-7
drilled in 1999 had a depth of 530 m, Well No.3-12 drilled in 2004 had a depth of
1046 m, and Well No.3-17 drilled in 2008 had a depth of 739 m (Table 1). Moreover,
5 In 1996, they were reintegrated into one ministry, i.e., the Ministry of Agriculture and Land
Reclamation.
6 It was an artesian well and could have continued to discharge water if a pump had been installed.
However, instead of installing a pump, the Department of Irrigation subsequently drilled a new well
beside the original Well No.3-17.
E. Iwasaki
Nasser era. Therefore, not only new villages but also old villages were covered by
the project.
The wells drilled for these projects are called governmental wells and are under the
strict control of the government. In fact, the General Authority of Desert Development
managed the land reclamation projects, including the drilling of government wells.
This authority later became the Ministry of Agrarian Reform and Land Reclamation
in the 1960s, which separated into two ministries: i.e., the Ministry of Agriculture
and the Ministry of Land Reclamation.
5
In Rashda, the desert land dispersed between the irrigated lands were reclaimed,
and the wells were drilled by the General Authority of Desert Development. The wells
are currently owned and managed by the Irrigation Authority under the Ministry of
Water Resources and Irrigation.
Since the government wells are drilled as part of the New Valley land reclamation
project scheme, the reclaimed land is given to beneficiaries, who are usually chosen
according to the criteria of being impoverished or landless villagers. Each beneficiary
receives 4 or 5 feddans (1 feddan = 1.03784 acre, 1 feddan =4200 sq.m, and 1 acre
= 4046.86 sq.m) of land leased from the government and an equal right to water.
Although the water right is given to the beneficiaries, the Ministry of Water
Resources and Irrigation affects the decisions and management. Farmers oversee
the management and distribution, but they are under the supervision of the Ministry.
There are four such districts irrigated by government wells in Rashda: Well No.1
with 454 feddans (1 feddan = 1.03784 acre, 1 feddan =4200 sq.m, and 1 acre =
4046.86 sq.m) and 100 beneficiaries, Well No.2 with 371 feddans and 32 beneficiaries, Well No.3 with 167 feddans and 34 beneficiaries, and Well No.4 with 63
feddans and 150 beneficiaries.
Government wells generally have a depth ranging from 800 to 1,200 m and are
supposed to last for 50 years. Many of them were drilled at the time of the construction
campaign in the New Valley. At the time of drilling, they were artesian wells, but the
‘deep pump’ was installed later. Also, the number of wells increased, especially after
2000, to replace or supplement the older wells that had decreased water discharge.
Most of those drilled after 2000 have a depth greater than 700 m. Compared to the
initial wells that had a depth of approximately 500 m, the well depth has increased.
For instance, Well No.3 Irrigation District was started by drilling a well in 1959,
called Well No.3. This Well No.3 was an artesian well with a depth of 500 m and
ceased to discharge water completely in 1995.
6 From the late 1980s, four wells were
drilled to maintain the water discharge level. They were dug deeper compared to the
initial Well No.3: Well No.3-5 drilled in 1988 has a depth of 833 m, Well No.3-7
drilled in 1999 had a depth of 530 m, Well No.3-12 drilled in 2004 had a depth of
1046 m, and Well No.3-17 drilled in 2008 had a depth of 739 m (Table 1). Moreover,
5 In 1996, they were reintegrated into one ministry, i.e., the Ministry of Agriculture and Land
Reclamation.
6 It was an artesian well and could have continued to discharge water if a pump had been installed.
However, instead of installing a pump, the Department of Irrigation subsequently drilled a new well
beside the original Well No.3-17.