Water Management In Ancient Egypt

The first successful efforts to control the flow of water were made in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Levant. These lands were home to the earliest civilizations that thrived because of the water management practices they used. The Nile River played an important role in the lives of Egyptians, they practiced a form of water management called basin irrigation, a productive use of the natural rise and fall of the river. Egyptian farmers did not experience the problems that plagued other irrigation societies.

In Mesopotamia irrigation and flood control were necessary. There water management included irrigation, canal-building, water storage and drainage.
Unlike Egypt they were unable to keep the land fertile. With the amount of growth that occurred
in the region the agriculture of Mesopotamia began to decay because of the salt in the alluvial soil.

The Levant had perfect conditions for terracing. They had natural water reservoirs and managed there water at a community level until the Romans came. Large populations and use of the water and land caused many problems in the region.

Our water Management may differ from our ancient times, but in many ways we have not learned from our mistakes. We have over populated and destroyed ecosystem after ecosystem. Humans do not use water like the finite resource it is. We pollute our oceans with oil and plastics. We take multiple showers, wash our cars, fill our pools and water our lawns in the dessert. Now when so many places in the world suffer from extreme droughts we are realizing how much damage has occurred.

Hammurabi's code helped to manage water by making citizens Responsible for their consumption and maintenance. Like today many home owners pay for water and have to upkeep their water systems, whether that be pipes, or connections to the water main. Fines are also given to people who use too much water in times of drought. An example would be in California right now.