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[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qattara_Depression" said:
Wikipedia[/URL]]The Qattara Depression (Arabic: منخفض القطارة‎ 'Munkhafad al-Qattarah') is a desert
basin within the Libyan Desert of north-western Egypt. The Depression, at 133 m below sea level, contains the second lowest point in Africa (The lowest being
Lake Assal in Djibouti). The Depression covers about 18,000 km² (7,000 square miles), a size comparable to Lake Ladoga, and at its maximum is 80 km in length
and 120 km in width. The bottom of the depression consists of a salt pan.

What if either the British or later the Egyptian created a channel (either above or below ground) to the sea and filled it up. Beside the enormous amount of
hydroenergy it could produce, it would also create a fertile area in Northwest Egypt

[URL="http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80858e/80858e0a.htm" said:
Unupress[/URL]]The utilization of the Qattara depression to develop
hydroelectric power was first suggested by the Berlin geographer Professor Penk in 1912, and later by Dr. Ball in 1927. Dr. Ball studied in particular the possibility
of utilizing it for hydroelectric purposes by the formation of lakes at final levels of 50 m, 60 m, and 70 m below sea level, to which the corresponding surface
areas were 13,500,12,100, and 8,600 km,. Moreover, he indicated the most convenient water inflow routes (lines D, E, and F in fig. 2.53) with reference to the
formation of the lakes. After examining the effect of climatic changes, evaporation, seepage, minor transmission losses, and the lowest cost per kW installed, he
showed that the most convenient solutions were those relating to lakes at 50 and 60 m below sea level. From geological and topographical considerations, he
finally recommended-50 m below sea level with the supply system along route D.



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