British political ambitions 119 Were it not for the Aswan Dam, the actual water deficits would be more than 2,000 million cubic meters between July and December, and less by this amount between January and June.

In addition to providing the water necessary to cover the deficits indicated by the Makhzen and balancing operations, it is also necessary to meet the demands that will inevitably arise from the expansion of existing areas in terms of water quantity and the times it will be allowed.

Due to the lack of control, the Irrigation Department has not been able to authorize the expansion of agriculture as the public desired. Nevertheless, since approximately 1882, the cultivated area in Egypt has increased by about 100,000 feddans.

During this same period, most of the lands in Upper Egypt that were irrigated by summer irrigation, about 100,000 feddans, were converted from the basin irrigation method.

Thanks to the works to be explained, it will be easier in the future to obtain the necessary water for expanding agriculture and reasonably implementing the public's demands in terms of reclaiming fallow land, estimated at an average of 60,000 feddans annually, and converting land irrigation from the basin system to summer irrigation at 40,000 feddans per year.

If these two rates of expansion can be maintained, Egypt will be able to achieve its agricultural goals within 30 years from now.