Aswan High Dam For the first time in history, the annual Nile flood is under human control. The dam impounds the floodwaters, releasing them when needed to maximize their utility on irrigated land, to water hundreds of thousands of new hectares, to improve navigation both above and below Aswān, and to generate enormous amounts of hydroelectric power (the dam’s 12 turbines can generate 10 billion kilowatt-hours annually). The dam’s reservoir also supports a fishing industry.