429
13.8.2 El-Burullus Lagoon
Burullus is protected by Prime Ministerial Decree 1444/1998 and is a Ramsar Site.
The area of the lake is decreased as a result of ongoing drainage and reclamation of
the lake’s margins, and also due to the proliferation of emergent and submerged
vegetation. It is anticipated that Burullus, along with other coastal delta wetlands,
will be further reduced in area because of landward migration of coastal sandbars.
Despite being the least polluted of the northern delta lakes, increasing quantities of
agricultural drainage-water with heavy fertilizer and pesticide loads are being
released into Burullus, contributing significantly to the eutrophication and pollution
of the lake (Baha El-Din 2002).
13.8.3 Edku Lagoon
Edku Lake suffers from the same ailments that affect other delta wetlands: drainage
and land-claim, pollution, disturbance, water bird catching, etc. Habitat loss through
land-claim is certainly the most serious of these threats. Edku Lake has been reduced
to less than half its original size (Baha El-Din 2002).
13.8.4 Mariout Lagoon
Lake Mariout has been reduced by more than 75% from its original area, and is still
decrease in size. The main causes for the diminishing area today are urban encroachment and solid-waste dumping from the rapidly growing city of Alexandria. The lake is
eutrophic and is the most polluted wetland in Egypt. The level of disturbance is particularly high because of the very close proximity of Alexandria’s urban and industrial
sprawl. The outlook for the future of this wetland is rather grim (Baha El-Din 2002).
13.9 Improvement of Coastal Lagoons Resilience
The Egyptian Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs has set a priority to protect the northern lakes from pollution and to maintain their sustainable development. This carried out within its priorities and strategy for water resources protection.
So that periodical monitoring of pollution sources, quantities and type of discharges
from these sources; also monitoring water quality and sediments in these lakes
became a perquisite to determine impacts of various pollutants, and to set priorities
for rehabilitation and development to ensure their sustainability to maximize their
benefits (EEAA 2010).
13 Egyptian Nile Delta Coastal Lagoons: Alteration and Subsequent Restoration
13.8.2 El-Burullus Lagoon
Burullus is protected by Prime Ministerial Decree 1444/1998 and is a Ramsar Site.
The area of the lake is decreased as a result of ongoing drainage and reclamation of
the lake’s margins, and also due to the proliferation of emergent and submerged
vegetation. It is anticipated that Burullus, along with other coastal delta wetlands,
will be further reduced in area because of landward migration of coastal sandbars.
Despite being the least polluted of the northern delta lakes, increasing quantities of
agricultural drainage-water with heavy fertilizer and pesticide loads are being
released into Burullus, contributing significantly to the eutrophication and pollution
of the lake (Baha El-Din 2002).
13.8.3 Edku Lagoon
Edku Lake suffers from the same ailments that affect other delta wetlands: drainage
and land-claim, pollution, disturbance, water bird catching, etc. Habitat loss through
land-claim is certainly the most serious of these threats. Edku Lake has been reduced
to less than half its original size (Baha El-Din 2002).
13.8.4 Mariout Lagoon
Lake Mariout has been reduced by more than 75% from its original area, and is still
decrease in size. The main causes for the diminishing area today are urban encroachment and solid-waste dumping from the rapidly growing city of Alexandria. The lake is
eutrophic and is the most polluted wetland in Egypt. The level of disturbance is particularly high because of the very close proximity of Alexandria’s urban and industrial
sprawl. The outlook for the future of this wetland is rather grim (Baha El-Din 2002).
13.9 Improvement of Coastal Lagoons Resilience
The Egyptian Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs has set a priority to protect the northern lakes from pollution and to maintain their sustainable development. This carried out within its priorities and strategy for water resources protection.
So that periodical monitoring of pollution sources, quantities and type of discharges
from these sources; also monitoring water quality and sediments in these lakes
became a perquisite to determine impacts of various pollutants, and to set priorities
for rehabilitation and development to ensure their sustainability to maximize their
benefits (EEAA 2010).
13 Egyptian Nile Delta Coastal Lagoons: Alteration and Subsequent Restoration