The
Egyptian government intended to continue
the project alone and use the revenues
of the Suez Canal to help pay for construction.
But in the Cold War struggle for influence
in Africa the Soviet Union stepped in
1958, and possibly a third of the cost
of the dam was paid for as a gift. They
also provided technicians and heavy machinery.
The enormous rock and clay dam was designed
by the Russian Zuk Hydroproject Institute.
Construction began in 1960. The High Dam,
El Saad al Aali, was completed on July
21, 1970, with the first stage finished
in 1964. The reservoir began filling in
1964 while the dam was still under construction
and first reached capacity in 1976. The
reservoir raised concerns from archaeologists
and a rescue operation was begun in 1960
under UNESCO. Sites were surveyed and
excavated and 24 major monuments were
moved to safer locations (see Abu Simbel)
or granted to countries that helped with
the works (such as the Debod temple in
Madrid).
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