AP Story on Nile Water and Renaissance Dam

AP published on 2 July 2013 an article by Kirubel Tadesse titled "The Big Story: Ethiopia's Big Nile Dam Is Compared to Hoover Dam."  The article notes that Ethiopia will start filling the reservoir behind the dam in 2014, a process that will take five to six years.  This is the most sensitive issue as concerns Egypt because it will hold back some water from reaching the Aswan Dam until the reservoir is full and the Blue Nile flows normally again.  The volume of water flowing down the Blue Nile varies from year to year.  Consequently, it seems to me this factor will have to be taken into account during the filling of the reservoir so as not to cause unnecessary harm to downstream Sudanese and Egyptian interests.  High water volume in the Blue Nile could speed up the filling process; low water volume could slow it down. 

The article quotes my views on the prospect of future conflict between Ethiopia and Egypt over construction of the Renaissance Day.