ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT
Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR)
Agricultural Research Center (ARC)
Soils & Water and Environment Research InstITUTE (SWERI)
EGYPT FARM- LEVEL IRRIGATION MODERNIZATION PROJECT (EFIMP)
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA)
VIII
Table of Contents
Executive Summary X
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background 2
1.2 Environmental Assessment Study 4
1.2.1 EIA Concept and Rationale 4
1.2.2 EIA Objectives 5
1.2.3 Approach and Methodology 5
2. POLICY, LEGAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAME WORK 8
2.1 Policy Framework 8
2.2 Legal Framework and Guidelines 10
2.3 World Bank Safeguard Policies 14
3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 16
3.1 Project Rationale 16
3.2 Proposed Objectives 17
3.3 Project Description 17
3.4 Project Areas 19
4. BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE 20
4.1 Description of Project Command areas 20
4.1.1 Middle Nile Delta - Wasat and Manaifa Command areas 20
4.1.2 Western Nile Delta - Mahmoudia Command Area 21
4.2 Water Quality Status 25
4.2.1 Water Quality Assessment Parameters and Guidelines 25
4.2.2 Meet Yazeed Irrigation Network 25
4.2.3 Meet Yazeed Drainage Network 31
4.2.4 Mahmoudia Irrigation Network 35
4.2.5 Water Quality Status in Mahmoudia Drainage Network 38
4.2.5.1 Edko Drain System 38
4.2.5.2 Oumum Drain System 39
4.3 Environmental Profile Mahmoudia Canal Command Area 43
4.3.1 Water Resources 43
4.3.2 Soil Quality 45
4.3.3 Air Quality and Meteorology 46
4.3.4 Biological Environment 47
4.3.4.1 Lake Maryut 47
4.3.4.2 Lake Edku 47
4.3.4.3 Flora and Fauna 48
4.3.5 Socio-Economic and Cultural Environment 49
4.3.5.1 Population and Human Settlements 49
4.3.5.2 Agricultural Cropping Patterns 51
4.3.5.3 Archeological Sites 52
4.3.5.4 Industrial Areas and Activities 52
4.4 Environmental Profile Meet Yazid Command Area 53
4.4.1 Water Resources 53
4.4.2 Soil Quality 54
4.4.3 Air Quality and Meteorology 55
4.4.4 Biological Environment 55
4.4.4.1 Lake Burullus 55
4.4.4.2 Fishing Areas 57
4.4.5 Socio-Economic and Cultural Environment 57
4.4.5.1 Population and Human Settlements 57
4.4.5.2 Agricultural Cropping Patterns 59
4.4.5.3 Archeological Sites 60
4.4.5.4 Industrial Areas and Activities 60
5. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) 61
5.1 Soil Properties 61
5.2 Soil Salinity 61
5.3 Water Quality 62
5.4 Saline Drainage 62
5.5 Saline Groundwater 62
5.6 Sedimentation 63
5.7 Fast-tracked sampling & analysis of the baseline water quality data in the FIMP command areas: 63
5.7.1 Framework 63
5.7.2 Laboratory Analysis 64
5.7.3 Results 65
5.8 Significant Impact of FIMP 77
5.9 Public Consultation Feedback 77
5.10 Mitigation Measures 78
5.10.1 Agriculture Practice 78
5.10.2 Monuments and historical property 79
5.10.3 Measures for Civil Works 79
5.10.3.1 Protection of Environment 79
5.10.3.2Transportation 80
5.10.3.3 Employment 80
5.10.3.4 Quarries and Areas of the Supply of Construction Materials 80
5.10.3.5 Earth Works 81
5.10.3.6 Disposal of Construction Waste 81
5.10.4 Socio-Economic 82
6. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 83
6.1 Project Site Alternatives 83
6.2 Technology and Design Alternatives 83
6.3 Operation Alternatives 83
7. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) 84
7.1 Impacts and Measurements Associated with Irrigation and Drainage Schemes 84
7.2 Environmental Management Plan Elements for FIMP 86
7.3 Management Plan Details for FIMP 86
7.4 Environmental Management Plan Budget 88
7.5 EIA/EMP Reporting During FIMP Implementation 95
7.6 Institutional Setup for EMP Implementation 95
8. PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN 97
8.1 Regulatory, Institutional and Policy Framework for Pest Control in Egypt 97
8.1.1 Institutional Framework 97
8.1.2 IPM Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture 98
8.2 Pesticides Handling in the Project Areas 100
8.3 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 101
ANNEX (1): Scope of Work for the EIA and EMP of Egypt FIMP 103
ANNEX (2): IRRIGATION WATER DEMAND AND REQUIREMENTS 104
ANNEX (3): FIELD IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE STATUS 105
List of Tables
Table (1.1): List of Interviewed Farmers from various locations 7
Table (2.1): Principal Environmental Laws, Decrees and Regulations 11
Table (2.2): Safe Guard Policy Applicability Table 14
Table (4.1): Water Quality Monitoring Locations In Meet Yazeed Command Area 21
Table (4.2): Water Quality Monitoring Locations In Mahmoudyia Command Area 22
Table (4.3): Drainage Fresh water quality standards/guidelines,, 25
Table (4.4): water quality standards/guideline 25
Table (4.5): Guidelines for interpretation of water quality………………………………………27
Table (4.6): Water Resources and Demand in MCA 43
Table (4.7): Soil Characteristics in the MCA 46
Table (4.8):Prevalent Meteorological Conditions in Nile Delta 46
Table (4.9): Administrative Divisions, Population and Level of Income in MCA 50
Table (4.10): Marakez, Rural Units and Sub Villages in MCA 51
Table (4.11): Summer and Winter Cropping Patterns in MCA 51
Table (4.12): Pesticides Estimated Consumption in Mahmoudia Area 52
Table (4.13):Power plants in the vicinity of the command area 52
Table (4.14): Water Resources and Sectoral Demand in MYC 53
Table (4.15): Zones of the lake Burullus 56
Table (4.16):Administrative Divisions, Population and Level of Income in MYC 57
Table (4.17): Marakez, Rural Units and Sub Villages in MYC 59
Table (4.18): Pesticides Estimated Consumption in Meet Yazeed 60
Table (5.1): Chemical Analysis of Collected Water Samples of EIA/FIMP Areas 67
Table (5.2): Macro, Micro-Nutrients and Heavy Metals Concentration in the Collected Water Samples of EIA/FIMP Areas 69
Table (5.3) : Microbial, Pesticides and Parasites Status of the Collected Water Samples of EIA/FIMP Areas 71
Table (5.4) : Chemical Analysis of Collected Soil Samples of EIA/FIMP Areas 72
Table (5.5): Macro; Micro-Nutrients and Heavy Metals Concentration in the Collected Soil Samples of EIA/FIMP Areas 73
Table (5.6) : Bacteria Status of the Collected Soil Samples of EAI/FIMP Areas 74
Table (5.7): Macro, Micro Nutrients and Heavy-Metal Concentrations in Plant Tissues Samples of EIA/FIMP Areas 75
Table (5.8): Bacteria Analysis of the Collected Plant Tissues Samples of EIA/FIMP Areas 76
Table (5.9): Rough Estimate of Significant Impact of FIMP 77
Table (5.10): Percentage of consulted farmers agreeing on impacts of FIMP. 78
Table (7.1): Long list of General Impacts Associated with non-sustainable Irrigation and Drainage Schemes and the Related Mitigation at Farm Level 84
Table (7.2): FIMP likely Negative Impacts, Preventative Actions and Mitigations 85
Table (7.3): Summary Environmental Monitoring 87
Table (7.4): Summary EMP Activities and Budget 89
Table (8.1): The pesticide consumption from 1985 to 1994 (Thousand tons) 99
Table (8.2): Main Pesticides Used in Egypt 101
List of Figures
Figure (3.1): Marwa Improvment Process 18
Figure (4.1): National monitoring locations of the irrigation system in the Nile Delta Regions 23
Figure (4.2): National monitoring locations of the drainage system in the Nile Delta Regions 24
Figure (4.3): DO Box Plot at Meet Yazeed Irrigation network 29
Figure (4.4): TDS Box Plot at Meet Yazeed Irrigation network 29
Figure (4.5): EC Box Plot at Meet Yazeed Irrigation network 30
Figure (4.6): PH Box Plot at Meet Yazeed Irrigation network 30
Figure (4.7): DO Box Plot at Meet Yazeed drainage network 33
Figure (4.8): TDS Box Plot at Meet Yazeed drainage network 33
Figure (4.9): EC Box Plot at Meet Yazeed drainage network 34
Figure (4.10): PH Box Plot at Meet Yazeed drainage network 34
Figure (4.11): DO Box Plot at Mahmoudia Irrigation network 36
Figure (4.12): TDS Box Plot at Mahmoudia Irrigation network 36
Figure (4.13): EC Box Plot at Mahmoudia Irrigation network 37
Figure (4.14): PH Box Plot at Mahmoudia Irrigation network 37
Figure (4.15): DO Box Plot at Edko and Omum Drainage network 41
Figure (4.16): TDS Box Plot at Edko and Omum Drainage network 41
Figure (4.17): EC Box Plot at Edko and Omum Drainage network 42
Figure (4.18): PH Box Plot at Edko and Omum Drainage network 42
Figure (4.19): Administrative Boundary of the Various Marakez and main human settlements 50
Figure (4.20): Administrative Boundary of the MYC Marakez and Main
Settlements 58
Figure (7.1): Institutional Setup for Emp Implementation 96
Figure (8.1): Classification of IPM Alternatives 102
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ARC / Agriculture Research Center
SBS / Sugar beet Shoot
B / Boron
WG / Wheat Grain
BOD / Biochemical Oxygen Demand
WS / Wheat Straw
Ber / Berseem
CA / Canal Command Area
Ca / Calcium
CAAE / Central Administration for Agriculture Extension
CASWE / Central Administration for Soil, Water and Environment
CCREM / Canadian Council of Resource and Environment Ministers
Cd / Cadmium
CDA / The Environment Controlled Droplet Application
Cfu / Colony Forming Unit
Cl / Chloride
CLEQM / Central Laboratory for Environmental Quality Monitoring
Co / Cobalt
COD / Chemical Oxygen Demand
Cr / Chromium
Cu / Copper
DW / Drain Water
DO / Dissolved Oxygen
DRI / Drainage Research Institute
EA / Environmental Assessment
EALIP / The Executive Authority for Land Improvement Projects
EC / Electrical Conductivity
ECw / Mean Electrical Conductivity
EEAA / Egyptian Environment and Affairs Agency
EFIMP / Egypt Farm-Level Irrigation Modernization Project
EIA / Environmental Impact Assessment
EMP / Environmental Management Plan
EMU / Environmental Management Unit
EPA / Environmental Protection Agency
ETo / Evapotranspiration
EUR / Europe
FAO / Food and Agriculture organization
FC / Fecal Coliform
Fe / Iron
FIMP / EG-Farm-Level Irrigation Modernization Project
GDP / The Gross Domestic Product
GOE / The Government of Egypt
GW / Ground Water
HCO3 / Bicarbonate
IBRD / International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
IDOS / Institutional Development and Organizational Strengthening
IIIMP / Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Management Project
IIP / The Completed Irrigation Improvement Project
ILO / International Labour Organization
IPCS / The International Programme on Chemical Safety
IPM / Integrated Pest Management
Irw / Irrigation Water
K / Potassium
MALR / Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation
MCA / The Mahmoudia Canal Command Area
Mg / Magnesium
MG03 / Mahlet Ruh P.S. for mixing drainage water with Miet Yazeed canal
MG04 / Outfall of Samtay drain into Gharbia drain
MG07 / Outfall of drain no.6 into of Gharbia drain
MG14 / Outfall of into of Gharbia drain
MHUUC / Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Comminuting
MI07 / Miet Yazeed Canal downstream Mahlet Ruh drain reuse P.S.
MI11 / Miet Yazeed Canal downstream Kafr el-Sheikh city
Mn / Manganese
MOEA / Ministry of Environmental Affairs
MOHP / Ministry of Health and Population
MSEA / Ministry of state for Environmental Affairs
MSL / Mean Sea Level
MWRI / Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation
MYC / Meet Yazid Command Area
M701 / Outfall of drain no.7 into Lake Brullus
M801 / Outfall of lower drain no.8 into Lake Brullus
Na / Sodium
NaHCO3 / Bicarbonate Soduim
Nd / Not detected
NEAP / National Environmental Action Plan
NH4-N / Ammonium- Nitrogen
Ni / Nickel
NO3-N / Nitrate-Nitrogen
NWRP / National Water Resource Plan
OP / The World Bank's Operational Policy
P / Phosphorus
Pb / Lead
PBDAC / Principal Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit
pH / Hydrogen ion Activity
PHIs / The Pre-harvest Intervals
PIM / Participatory Irrigation Management
PMP / Pest Management Plan
PT / The Preparation Study Team
Q / Discharge
RIGW / Research Institute for Groundwater
RSC / Residual Sodium Carbonate
SAR / Sodium Adsorption Ratio
SO4 / Sulphate
SWERI / Soils & Water and Environment Research Institute
TDS / Total Dissolved Solids
TOR / Term of Reference
UNDP / The United Nations Development Programme
UNEP / United Nations Environment Programme
ULV / The Ultra Volume Sprayers
USA / United States of America
USAID / United States Agency for International Development
WE03 / Zarkon P.S for Lifting Drainage water to Edko downstream Shubrakhit P.S.
WE07 / Khairy P.S.for Lifting drainage water from Khairy drain to Edko drain
WE08 / Halq El-Gammal P.S for Lifting drainage water from Halq
El-Gammal drain to Edko drain
WHO / World Health Organization
WI08 / Mahmoudyia canal upstream the Kafr El-Dawar drinking water intake
WI09 / Mahmoudyia canal upstream Alex-andria drinking water intake
WI11 / Mahmoudyia canal upstream of Edko reuse pump Station
WM / Water Quantity Management
WQMPC / Water Quality Management and Pollution Control
WT / Water Table
WTO / World Trade Organization
WU01 / Abo Hommes P.S for lifting drainage water from Abo Hommes drain to Omum drain
WU05 / Dishidi P.S.for lifting drainage water from Dishudi drain to Omum drain
WU07 / Abies P.S for lifting drainage water for lifting drainage water from Abies drain to Omum drain
Zn / Zinc
Executive Summary
Egypt Farm-level Irrigation Modernization Project (EFIMP)
Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Plan
Introduction
Given the current water shortages in Egypt, the most important output of On-Farm Water Management interventions is improving water productivity by saving water while improving crop yield and quality, together with mitigating the negative impacts on the environment. The benefits to farmers stem from reduction of production costs due to reducing the water applied and hence reducing energy costs and labor for irrigation. The saved water can be used to eliminate water shortage in the old-lands tail ends or to serve the new lands. As the potential for mobilizing additional water resources is very limited in Egypt, water saving constitutes the most promising option for meeting increasing water demands for agricultural expansion and for the agriculture sector to release water to other users. Another untraditional water resource that can be used is reusing agricultural drainage. However, it results in lower yield and adverse impacts on the environment due to its low quality.
Project objectives
The project development objective is to increase the irrigation efficiency and productivity of around 200,000 feddans. Improvements water productivity and reduction in energy and labor costs have been demonstrated in the “W10 pilot area” of IIIMP, the ongoing WB-supported MWRI project. The EFIMP project would also help to strengthen the delivery of farmer support services. The project’s success would be measured by the following indicators:
§ reduced water consumption and increased irrigation efficiency as measured by water use per unit area (m3/feddan) and net return per unit of water used;
§ increased farmer income as measured by real annual net return from crop production per unit land area (LE/feddan); and
§ improved extension service delivery and performance monitoring.
Project Description and components
The GOE/MALR is mobilizing donors to support GOE strategy, and requested Bank’s assistance to address farm-level irrigation modernization on about 200,000 feddans as a first phase of the longer-term GOE program. The Bank’s objectives in the agriculture sector, as consistently expressed over the last three CASs, have included improving the management and efficiency of the use of water and land resources. The FIMP is explicitly in line with these objectives. The proposed project would be implemented through two components over five-year period: