May 26, 2021 - Nile River Delta

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   This stunning true-color image of the Nile River Delta, Egypt on a
   sunny late spring day was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging
   Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite. The
   expansive green delta of the Nile River blooms like a flower in the
   desert, formed from the wide floodplain created as the Nile splits into
   the Rosetta (west) and Damietta (east) branches. By the time these
   branches reach the Mediterranean Sea, they sit roughly 87 miles (140
   km) apart and the Delta spans roughly 10,039 square miles (26,000
   square km).

   Before the construction of the Aswan High Dam, which opened in 1970,
   the Nile River braided into many channels as it widened near the
   Egyptian city of Cairo. Flood waters would carry nutrient-rich sediment
   from the upper reaches of the river to the Delta where the sediment
   would be deposited across the entire flood plain. Today flow levels
   have been greatly reduced, even in flood season, and all that remains
   of the braids are several lakes.

   Despite the reduced flow, the Nile Delta remains extremely important
   for agriculture, fishing, and habitat for wildlife and one of the
   world’s most important routes for migrating birds. It is also the most
   densely populated region of Egypt, with more than 39 million people
   calling the Delta home. In this image, vegetation appears green and
   arid desert looks tan. Light tan or gray smudges are the mark of human
   habitation, including the large city of Cairo located at the base of
   the Delta.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:  Terra
   Date Acquired: 5/24/2021
   Resolutions:  1km (209.4 KB),  500m (543.5 KB),  250m (286.5
   KB)
   Bands Used: 1,4,3
   Image Credit: MO'DIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-05-26
 
