SAND DUNES IN NORTH SINAl, THEIR i CHARACTERISTICS AND EFFECT ON i AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

In North Sinai, a sand sea extends from the Mediterranean Coast to the northern slopes of EI-Maghara and Halal Mountains in the south, and from the eastern borders of Egypt to Suez Canal. The area of sand dunes is about 12200 km2• It is characterized by the presence of various types of

sand dunes such as; barchan, linear, star, parabolic and transverse dunes. Sand dunes have been identified and investigated in the field and further by remote sensing technique. Sand dunes represent a serious problem for the development of any agricultural project. The main objectives of this work are: 1- Identifying the characteristics of sand dunes in the studied area (form, size, movement, direction, some chemical and physical properties of sand dunes); 2- Produce landform map of two pilot areas using satellite and aerial photographs; 3- Establishing sand dune distribution map of North Sinai and 4- Produce erosion hazard map of North Sinai. Three sites have been selected as pilot areas namely south El-Bardawil Lake, El-Rawafaa and south Gabal EI-Maghara areas. Sand dunes have been studied in the field in the three areas and land resources have been studied in the first two sites. The obtained results show that; the area south El-Bardawil Lake could be classified into 5 land units namely; salt marshes, wet sabkha, dry sabkha, flat sand and sand dune areas. The interpretation of aerial photos (1956 & 1994) ofthe area south El-Bardawil Lake and El-Rawafaa area (1985) reveal that the density of dunes had increased in the main wind direction during this period. Sand dunes characteristics have been studied. The result refers that sand dunes had been redistributed and reformed with time in the same area.