Environmental Hazards in the El-Temsah Lake, Suez Canal District, Egypt

Chemical and biological analyses were integrated using remote sensing GIS techniques to evaluate the environmental pollution of El-Temsah Lake, in the Suez Canal, in order to provide critical data to enhance development planning and economic projects within the study area. Fifty-six samples were collected from seven sites in the lake from July 2005 to May 2006. Samples were collected in each of four seasons, and included 28 surface sediment samples and 28 water samples. Sediment samples were analyzed for Fe, Pb, Ni, Co, Cu, Mg, K and Na. The results showed an increase in beach sediment pollution from summer to winter. Taxonomic analysis of phytoplankton samples revealed 102 taxa, including 56 Bacillariophyceae, 8 Chlorophyceae, 18 Dinophyceae and 20 Cyanophyceae. Chlorophyll a concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 26 µg l-1, with the highest values during the winter and lowest values during the summer. These results suggest that beach sediment pollution is highest in the winter and, at the same time, the water quality conditions in El-Temsah lake favor oxidation conditions which maximize phytoplankton productivity. In contrast, sediment pollution and phytoplankton productivity are lowest during summer, which also corresponds to more alkaline water conditions. The images were rectified and analyzed by ERDAS IMAGINE 8.9. A 1968 topographic map and enhanced 2005 Landsat Thematic Mapper images (30 m resolution) were utilized to determine the coastline positions using ERDAS Imagine 8.9. Image processing techniques were applied using ENVI 4.2 to analyze the ETM+ image data. Image enhancement was applied. Image data was enhanced spectrally to verify surface water pollution detected from chemical and biological analyses and to detect the sources of untreated domestic, industrial and agricultural waste water. In general, the lake has been subjected to successive shrinking due to human activities, primarily through extensive building along the shoreline. The uncontrolled growth of cities is associated with seismic hazards, affecting on buildings and infrastructures, mostly due to insufficient knowledge of earthquakes activity. Seismic epicentres were recorded along the Suez Canal from 1904 to 2006. Widespread moderate to micro earthquakes were identified around the western side of the lake, with scattered events along the eastern side. In general, water pollution in El-Temsah Lake has been mitigated over the last decade due to successive dredging and improved water treatment. Most of untreated water was discharged along the western side of the lake. The eastern part of the lake is less polluted and is, therefore, more suited for fishing, tourism, urban planning and navigation activities, although higher use of eastern portion of the lake could accelerate water and sediment quality deterioration in that region