Lake Timsah

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Lake Timsah, Arabic for Crocodile Lake, is a shallow lake in Egypt’s Nile Delta. It sits in a low basin that runs from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Suez through the Bitter Lakes region.

History and features:
- In 1800 a flood from the Wadi Tumilat spilled water toward the Bitter Lakes.
- In 1862 Red Sea waters filled the lake and it became part of the Suez Canal system.
- The lake covers about 5.4 square miles and is mostly marshy, with depths usually less than 3 feet.

Ismailia and the canal:
- The city of Ismailia began on the lake’s northern shore in 1863, named after Ismail Pasha.
- Construction of the Suez Canal began nearby in 1861. Workers built the Ismailia Canal from the Nile to Lake Timsah to bring fresh water, and a section connected Lake Timsah to the Mediterranean. This work used forced labor for a time.

Water and salt:
- Lake Timsah is brackish, with salinity that changes over time. It receives saltwater mainly from the El-Gamil outlet, while fresh Nile water flowed in with floods until the Aswan High Dam reduced those floods in 1966. Groundwater also supplies much of the lake.
- The mix of salt and fresh water has shifted which plants and animals live in and around the lake.

Pollution and people:
- A 2002 study found higher levels of some pollutants in crabs from the lake, with lower levels in clams.
- In 2003 efforts began to reduce pollution because the lake is important to local fishermen and the community.

Beaches:
- Several beaches overlook the lake, used for recreation and by residents.