It is traversed east�west by the Al-Isma?iliyah Canal, formerly called the Sweet Water Canal, built 1858�63 from the .... canal, suez

It is traversed eastwest by the Al-Isma?iliyah Canal, formerly called the Sweet Water Canal, built 185863 from the Bulaq quarter of Cairo on the Nile to the city of Ismailia on Lake At-Timsa? A branch, commencing just west of the city, runs south along the waterway to Suez city. Poor, sandy soils have hindered agricultural development on the Suez Canal branch. Ancient ruins have been discovered at Tall al-Maskhutah, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Ismailia on the Al-Isma?iliyah Canal. The canal itself follows the course of an ancient Red SeaNile canal, first built by the Saite pharaoh Necho II (610595 ).