As the inauguration of the Renaissance Dam approaches, the Blue Nile waters in Sudan have receded unprecedentedly this year, leading to the appearance of islands in its course. This is unusual as Sudan has not witnessed the typical Blue Nile flooding during the autumn season from July to October.

The filling operations of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which has been completed and is set to open in mid-September, have delayed and retained large amounts of floodwaters.

Sudan usually experiences heavy rains and severe floods annually between July and October.

Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Habtamu Arega, announced the completion of all construction and filling stages of the Renaissance Dam, confirming that the country is preparing for a national celebration.

In an interview with Ethiopian state television, the minister explained that the dam represents an integrated project between upstream and downstream countries, emphasizing that it is a tool for cooperation, mutual benefits, and resolving disputes rather than causing conflict as portrayed in some stages.

Engineer Abubakr Mohamed Al-Mustafa Fadlallah, an expert and consultant in infrastructure, water resources, dams, and environment, said the discussion about the Renaissance Dam is mainly related to the Blue Nile floods, which constitute about 50% of the Nile River water flowing north to its outlet in the Mediterranean Sea within Egyptian territory.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, he explained that the Renaissance Dam has a significant impact on Sudan as it retains water coming from the Ethiopian Highlands during the flood period from July to October, with a storage capacity of 74 billion cubic meters.

He indicated that this volume is utilized through 13 turbines generating electricity, each consuming about 20 million cubic meters daily, which organizes the river flows throughout the year instead of the large seasonal surge. The water stored during the season reaches 50 to 54 billion cubic meters annually.

Al-Mustafa added that the filling process began five years ago, and the dam currently stands at an elevation of 637 meters above sea level with a storage capacity close to 69 billion cubic meters. The maximum capacity is expected to reach 640 meters, equivalent to 74 billion cubic meters, which is anticipated by mid-September, the planned official inauguration date.

The expert stressed that coordination between Sudan and Ethiopia is sustainable due to their geographical proximity, noting that the distance between the Renaissance Dam and the Roseires Dam does not exceed 150 kilometers, and the climatic and human conditions in both areas are similar.

He confirmed Ethiopia’s keenness to provide Sudan with information related to the dam, pointing out the existence of joint technical committees between the Blue Nile region and Benishangul “the dam area” for more than 20 years, where Ethiopia provides information that directly affects the Roseires Dam and water conditions in Sudan, positively or negatively.

Al-Mustafa’s statements align with those of the Ethiopian Minister of Water, who said his country was keen not to harm any party during the dam’s construction stages, highlighting direct information exchange with Sudan and ensuring continued water flow without any shortage.

Al-Mustafa added that the historical relations between the two countries are based on communication and neighborhood, while the biggest dispute remains between Egypt and Ethiopia, as Cairo sees the dam’s operation as unilateral without a binding agreement guaranteeing its water share, posing a threat to its water security.

He called to separate Sudan’s position from Egypt’s and prioritize Sudanese national interests, which are limited to technical and operational aspects to ensure the safety of the Roseires Dam and regulate flows away from political tensions.

In the Radio Dabanga interview, Al-Mustafa explained that one of the most important benefits of the Renaissance Dam for Sudan is regulating water flow so that flows are distributed throughout the year at an average ranging between 170 and 200 million cubic meters daily instead of surging during flood months.

He pointed out that before the dam’s construction, peak flow between August 15 and September 15 exceeded 500 million cubic meters. The spillway is at an elevation of 626 meters above sea level, while the maximum water retention level is 640 meters. It currently stands at 637 meters and is expected to reach the maximum level during September with the official dam opening.

The water and dams expert confirmed that the Renaissance Dam provides great benefits to Sudan, notably retaining water that Sudan cannot store. The storage capacity of the Roseires Dam is 7 billion cubic meters, while the Merowe Dam holds 12 billion, primarily for electricity generation and not agriculture.

He added that having high water levels throughout the year in the Roseires Dam due to regular flows from the Renaissance Dam enables Sudan to lift and withdraw water at a lower electricity cost and in larger quantities, in addition to benefiting the Sennar Dam through the Managil and Gezira canals, which enhances agricultural expansion and intensifies cropping cycles, especially in the Gezira and Managil projects, as well as improving the operation of Sudanese dams and benefiting from cheap Ethiopian electricity.