InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Water Science and Society > Student Materials > Sharing the Waters > The Nile River "Conflict" > Formative Assessment 1: Water and the Nile
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Initial Publication Date: March 31, 2017

Formative Assessment 1: Water and the Nile

Instructions

Write a two-page (double-spaced) paper incorporating your answers to the questions below. Include at least two new references from published literature (not web-based articles).

First, take a few minutes to check out the Water Conflict Chronology Timeline. This timeline details the water conflicts around the world since 3001 BC.

  • Click on the Region dropdown menu and select Africa.
  • Examine the years 1958 and 1978. To examine specific years, you will need to scroll to the left. Ignore the timeline all the way at the bottom.
  • Once you get ot the year you want to examine, click the title of the conflict to see the details. Take notes. You may want to refer to them later.

Next, read the materials below before moving on to answer the questions that you will use to construct your brief.

Files

Who Owns the Nile? Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia's History-Changing Dam by Andrew Carlson

The politics of African energy development: strategy and clashing paradigms of water security Ethiopia's hydro-agricultural state-building, 20120411, published 30 September 2013 Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A371. (available through the e-Rserve system).

Questions

  1. What are the existing issues today in the Nile River conflict?
  2. What importance should be placed on the older treaties?
  3. What is Ethiopia's position on dam building on the Blue Nile and is it well justified?
  4. Are there fair solutions to the conflicts in water allocation between the Nile watershed nations? What are they and how can they be implemented?

Submitting your responses

Bring your typed and printed paper to class.

Scoring and Rubric

Your answer will earn a maximum of 50 points, as described in the rubric below.

Rubric
Work ShownPossible Points
Provides a well-reasoned response to the 4 questions posed25
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and sentence structure10
Includes two or more references to published articles10
Appropriate length (2 pages)5

These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »