Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is evaluating a digital twin pilot on the Ismailia Canal ahead of a possible expansion to other canals nationwide, as part of efforts to improve water distribution management through real-time data and digital modelling.
Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam reviewed the trial’s results under the ministry’s “Water System 2.0” programme, focusing on the model’s accuracy in representing water flows and its ability to support operational decisions.
The evaluation included comparing flow measurements taken using conventional current meters and Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) equipment before incorporating the data into the digital model.
Sewilam ordered continuous verification of measurement quality and closer alignment between model inputs, actual field conditions and operational outcomes.
He also directed officials to update the system whenever new measurements are collected and document field interventions so they can be incorporated into the model to improve its performance.
The model is also to be trained using water-flow data from previous seasons to enhance its ability to respond to changing operating conditions.
Sewilam called for an assessment of the system’s practical benefits, including its impact on water distribution efficiency and its potential to reduce the human resources required to manage the network.
As part of the ministry’s broader digital infrastructure plan, Sewilam ordered all related applications and datasets to be transferred to secure ministry servers. He also called for the integration of different applications into a single platform with standardised interfaces, calculations and data displays.
The ministry said user responsibilities and access mechanisms would also be defined to strengthen integration across databases and information systems.
