The silt from the Nile River has been used as a crop fertilizer for thousands of years. After the construction of the Aswan High Dam, which of the following occurred?

Question

A.
More silt was carried down river, jamming electrical turbines and preventing the dam from generating electricity.
B.
More silt was carried down river, and agricultural production increased as a result.
C.
Less silt was carried down river, so farmers began to use more chemical fertilizers.
D.
Less silt was carried down river, protecting the Nile River Delta from further damage.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

C. Less silt was carried down river, so farmers began to use more chemical fertilizers.

The construction of the Aswan High Dam significantly reduced the amount of silt that reached the Nile Delta due to the dam trapping sediment. As a result, farmers had to rely more on chemical fertilizers to maintain agricultural production.