Nile river |
From earliest times Egyptian farmers have planned their work according to the flood. They know when it will come every year. They harvest their crops before it begins, then wait for the water to soak the hard, dry earth before it drains off and leaves its new, fertile soil. There is little or no rainfall in Egypt, so the flood moisture is sufficient for only one planting. Early in their history, however, the Egyptians learned to irrigate the land by using water from the Nile and carrying it to the fields in short canals. Then they could plant and harvest two or even three crops a year.
You can easily see the importance of this regular flooding of the Nile. Each year the valley receives a fresh layer of soil. Because of this, the land of the Nile Valley has been farmed continuously for more than 6,000 years. And it is still farmed today.