the jonglei canal scheme was first studied by the government of egypt in 1946 and plans were developed in 1954-59. construction work on the canal began in 1978 but the outbreak of political instability in sudan has held up work for many years. by 1984 when the sudan people's liberation army (spla) brought the works to a halt, 240 km of the canal of a total of 360 km had been excavated.