The downstream impact of the first and second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Abstract Water conflicts arise from geostrategic factors that hide behind visible ones such as the construction of dams. In the case of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), it will have a significant impact on development in Ethiopia, but its filling has worried downstream countries about altering the flow of the Nile and associated ecosystems. In this study, several high spatiotemporal resolution remote sensing products were used on the basis of artificial intelligence in Google Earth Engine. The results show that the two first filling phases had no effect on the reservoirs of the dams in Sudan and Egypt, nor on the vegetation cover. On the contrary, significant reserves of water have been stored in response to unusual floods in the White Nile, and the recent trend of increasing vegetation cover has not been affected likely due to groundwater contributions and judicious anticipation, and the provision of resources for food security. In general, the parties must take long-term collaborative measures to ensure effective management and reduce waste, especially in the upcoming filling.