The present article concerns with the topography, geomorphology and morphotectonic features of the vast Pleistocene inland delta of the paleoriver system of the Al Balatah Valley in northeastern Libya and its eastern extension in the Great Sand Sea of Egypt where it constitutes what is known as Nahda Plain immediately east of the Libyan-Egyptian borders. The paleodelta was formed as a result of northward flowing of the old Al Balatah river streams into a huge Pleistocene freshwater lake occupying the area lying between latitudes 26° 30’ and 28° 30’, and longitudes 23° 15' and 25° 26’. It was previously described as belonging to the ancient Al Kufrah Paleoriver, however, evidences from the paleo-drainage patterns show that this ancient delta is belonging to the Al- Balatah Paleoriver, not to the Al Kufrah Paleoriver. The paleoriver basin of the Al Balatah Valley is bounded along its both eastern (Egyptian) and western (Libyan) sides by two intersecting groups of structurally controlled Nubia Sandstone landforms. The older group is made up of a parallel series of longitudinal ridges trending NW/SE and representing bended (up-folded), cross-bedded to horizontally Nubia Sandstone layers separated by low-lying (down-folded) tracks formed as a result of the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) folding movement which affected the Western Desert of Egypt and Eastern Desert of Libya. The younger group is extending NE/SW and consisting of a parallel series of huge mountain ranges of Nubia Sandstone made up of new plateaus/depressions and dome-like structures/troughs formed as a result of the Late Oligocene refolding movement and dissecting the older Nubia Sandstone ridges. The results are fundamentally significant to the establishment of new agricultural communities in the inhospitable place known as the Great Sand Sea along both sides of the Egyptian/Libyan borders especially when considering the threat of fresh water scarcity in both countries.
Al Balatah Paleoriver system, Al Balatah Paleodelta, Northeastern Libya, Great Sand Sea, Western Desert of Egypt
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