Isaiah and Lake Nasser

I'm in a class, "Writings of Isaiah" taught by Victor Ludlow. Yeah, the Victor Ludlow. I'm almost afraid to comment in this class because I'm so in awe. Well, this last week we were talking about Isaiah chapters 19-20, which talks about Egypt-both about their past and the future. In chapter 19:5-10, it explains that life along the Nile will change drastically. Things will dry up, fishermen will not be able to find fish, and many other things. Professor Ludlow explained how this could possibly happen.

In the 1970's, the Aswan Dam (see picture) was constructed on the Nile, thereby creating Lake Nasser. Original configurations about the dam and the water suggested that the dam could last over 200 years before it could no longer hold the water. More recently, as scientists have studied the input of Lake Nasser and the Aswan Dam, it is determined that the dam will only hold for 80-100 years. If you are wondering why, it is because the sediment dissolved in and carried by the Nile River gradually builds up, slowly filling the bottom with new layers. As this increases, the Dam will no longer be able to hold all the water and will burst. And as it does that it will devastate the land. I mean, 90% of the entire population of Egypt lives within sight of the Nile. Some solutions are being discussed, such as piping some of the water over into the Sahara or building another dam. But nothing has been decided and done.

Amazing what you can learn in your religion class. Unfortunately, I'm also in a Geology class this semester (the bane of my semester). Shouldn't I have learned this is Geology instead?