The first civilizations thrived near major rivers and waterways: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and so on. Part of the reason why so many ancient civilizations built their settlements so close to rivers was because they needed a steady supply of water for various uses, including irrigation. As these civilizations expanded farther from rivers and waterways, the need to create proper irrigation systems also grew. Today, you can grow crops and vegetation without being close to rivers, as long as proper irrigation systems are in place.
Early irrigation systems used the natural features of rivers to water their crops. In Egypt, towns near the Nile anticipated seasonal flooding, and made various preparations to ensure that crops and land plots were watered. The annual flooding of the Nile was much anticipated by the populace, since the absence of flooding in the middle of a hot desert could lead to famine. The Nile functioned as a large irrigation system, which enabled Egypt to develop into a major ancient superpower.
Today, irrigation systems are more controlled with spray heads and drip spouts due to a pressing need to conserve water. That was the case in the 1970s when Egypt’s Aswan Dam in the southern part of the country was completed, enabling the country to control its seasonal Nile floods. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for irrigation systems, the civilizations of the ancient world wouldn’t have been possible.
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