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Egypt is planning to create a new delta on the left of the old one by building an artificial river that redirects agricultural waste water into the desert. The water should gradually turn the desert into land that's suitable for agriculture. Here's a video that explains the plan further.

This ambitious plan will cost around 9 billion euro's to complete. What I don't understand about it though is how simply redirecting water to a desert can turn it into arable land. The Egyptian desert consists of sandy soil and this soil type usually lacks the nutrients necessary for crops to grow. So how will this work?

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    $\begingroup$ The Nile in particular is very sediment laden, as that sediment settles in the delta it turns sand into soil. deltas form by deposition of stream sediment. soil is not that hard, it is just sand and organics plus air and water. the ancient Egyptians used to renew their soil just by letting it flood their fields each year, dumping new sediment each time. $\endgroup$
    – John
    Commented Aug 16, 2023 at 3:53

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Such projects take time to fully achieve their aims. In addition to providing water, the sand will need to undergo a process of soil conditioning. This will include the progressive addition of biomass, humus and compost. This will include a means of water retention, which may include the application of clay or slit either mechanically or via the outflow of the Nile River.

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