Book excerpt: Egyptian coastal lakes and wetlands are among the most productive wetland ecosystems in the world. This volume explores their current status and how it can be maintained and improved. It describes the five Northern coastal lakes, their origin, physical and chemical properties and current development activities, and discusses the challenges facing these lakes, such as shrinking, pollution, degradation, and adaptive management. Further topics include hydrodynamics and modeling techniques, as well as strategies for the sustainable development of these valuable resources. The book closes with a concise summary of the conclusions and recommendations presented in the chapters. As such, it offers an invaluable resource for the academic community and postgraduate students, as well as for environmental managers and policymakers.