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Sultan Hussein Kamel of Egypt

Hussein Kamel was born on November 21, 1853 in Cairo. He studied in Al-Manial School then traveled to France in 1868 and stayed at Napoleon III royal court. He returned to Egypt upon the Suez Canal inauguration and was the interpreter of the Empress Eugenie.
History of Ibrahim Pasha 1848

Ibrahim Pasha became the commander of the Egyptian troops in the Greek and Levant Wars. He conquered Damascus and defeated the Ottomans in the Battle of Konya. On September 2, 1848, he became the ruler of Egypt as per the Sultan's decree because of his father's sickness.
History of Ahmed Fouad Pasha

He spent his childhood with his exiled father in Naples. He got his education from the military academy in Turin, Italy. His mother was Ferial Qadin. Prior to becoming sultan, Fuad had played a major role in the establishment of Egyptian University (now called Cairo University).
Regin of Abbas I of Egypt | Abbas Pasha I

Abbas has been often described as a mere voluptuary, but Nubar Pasha spoke of him as a true gentleman of the "old school". He was seen as reactionary, morose and taciturn, and spent nearly all his time in his palace. He undid, as far as lay in his power, the works of his grandfather, both good and bad.
Biography of Tewfik Pasha/ Tawfiq of Egypt

Muḥammad Tawfīq Pasha (born April 30, 1852, Cairo, Egypt—died Jan. 7, 1892, Ḥulwān) was the khedive of Egypt (1879–92) during the first phase of the British occupation. The eldest son of Khedive Ismāʿīl, Tawfīq, was distinguished from other members of his family by having engaged in study in Egypt rather than in Europe
Story of Gabal Shayeb Al Banat - Red Sea Mountain

Jabal shayb al-banat is one of the Red Sea Mountains in the eastern desert in Egypt, located to the west of the city of Hurghada at a latitude of 27 degrees north and a longitude of 33.5 degrees east of the Greenwich line approximately, this mountain is the highest mountain peak in the eastern desert with a height of up to 2185 meters, it is a prominent mass of igneous rocks

The Crocodile Lake in Egypt

05 16, 2023
Temsah Lake , Crocodile Lake Egypt

Alligator Lake is one of four salt water lakes through which the Suez Canal passes in the north-east of Egypt (the lakes in order from North to South are: Manzala Lake, Alligator Lake, Great Bitter Lake and little bitter lake), most of the lake is shallow, no more than one meter deep, and its area is about 14 km2.

Geography

Many beaches overlook the lake, including the Muslim Youth Beach, Turquoise Beach, Navigation Beach, Sea Beach, Cooperation Beach, and a few beaches of the Suez Canal Authority.

History

The first canal that passed through the lake was the one dug during the reign of King Senusret III in the Middle Kingdom, approximately 4000 years ago, known as the Sesostris Canal. It was re-dug and expanded multiple times, including in 600 BC. During the reign of King Nacho II, its last excavation was conducted on the days of the Abbasid caliph Al-Mansur.

In November 1854, the French politician Ferdinand de Lespes received a firman from the Khedive allowing him to dig the Suez Canal to also pass through the lake, and in 1862, the lake was filled with the waters of the Red Sea and became part of the Suez Canal.

Ecological characteristics of the lake

Crocodile Lake is considered a brackish lake; however, it suffers from significant differences in salinity ratios. Human engineering projects have affected the salinity of the lake, which has led to changes in the biological life of the lake, as with other construction projects.

The Gemayel outlet is the main source of saltwater in the Crocodile Lake. The main source of fresh water in the lake was the annual flooding of the Nile until the construction of the High Dam in Aswan and the interruption of the flood in 1966, and although groundwater also accounts for much of the lake's fresh water supply, Crocodile Lake suffers from stratified variations in salinity degrees, seasonal surface changes in salinity, and recent decades, the varieties of organisms living in fresh water in the lake have exceeded those varieties living in brackish water.

Pollution

Crocodile Lake suffers from remarkably high rates of water pollution, which makes its waters very dangerous to human health, even becoming unfit for swimming due to the severe pollution resulting from the disposal of sewage, agricultural and industrial without treatment, including pesticides, chemicals, hormones in the navigation of the Suez Canal, and in the bitter, Manzala and crocodile lakes, which are the main sources of fishing, which led to a decrease in fish wealth in addition to the waste of 3 million cubic meters of water per day.

The Egyptian General Authority for drainage projects in Ismailia monitored a statement of the banks that receive their waste in the waters of the lakes and the Suez Canal, which amounted to about 20 banks, including: 10 banks flowing into the navigable course of the Suez Canal, 3 banks flowing into the Crocodile Lake, and 7 banks flowing into the bitter and Manzala lakes.

A recent report by the joint laboratory in Ismailia also revealed the existence of non-final dual-treatment wastewater treatment plants in the governorate, which prohibit the use of water resulting from them for irrigation of fruit trees, including: the serapium treatment plant, which pours into the AL-mahsama Bank, which ends at the fishermen's Lake and from there to the Crocodile Lake.

In 2002, a study was conducted to check the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fish and shellfish species consumed by residents from the lake. The samples included cichlids, crabs, bivalves, oysters, and gastropods. The results showed that crabs contained " significantly higher concentrations of total and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons compared to other species, while oysters contained significantly lower levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

In 2003, a number of community bodies tried to mitigate the pollution of the lake, and it was an important event for the local community, as the lake is of economic importance for the city and for its fishermen.

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Egypt Tours FAQ

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Lake Timsah, or Crocodile Lake, in Egypt gets its name due to its historical association with crocodiles. In ancient times, the lake, which is located near the city of Ismailia along the Suez Canal, was believed to be home to crocodiles. The word "Timsah" means "crocodile" in Arabic. Although crocodiles no longer inhabit the lake today, its name reflects this past connection to the reptiles that once roamed its waters. The lake has significant historical importance, particularly as a key location along the Suez Canal route.

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The Crocodile Lake in Egypt

Latest Articles

Sultan Hussein Kamel of Egypt

History of Ibrahim Pasha 1848

History of Ahmed Fouad Pasha

Regin of Abbas I of Egypt | Abbas Pasha I

Biography of Tewfik Pasha/ Tawfiq of Egypt

Story of Gabal Shayeb Al Banat - Red Sea Mountain

The Crocodile Lake in Egypt

Geography

History

Ecological characteristics of the lake

Pollution

Egypt Tours FAQ

Lake Temsah or Crocodile Lake in Egypt; why is it called this?

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