Pharaonic monuments in Upper Egypt are currently threatened by environmental impacts including the rise of groundwater table, seepage of drainage and sewage water from cultivated lands and surrounding houses as well as salinity problems. These problems are mainly due to change of land use since construction of High Dam in 1968. land use changes include expansion of old cultivated lands, expansion of urban areas, as well as change of irrigation. The present paper uses techniques of geographic information systems and remotely sensed data for determination of land use change in Upper Egypt since construction of High Dam. The study depends on using Landsat imagery covering the period 1972–2000. Results of this study revealed that agriculture and urbanization were changed considerably during the studied period of time. Agriculture decreased from 1984 to 2000, whereas urbanization increased considerably from 1972 to 2000. These changes are accompanied by changes in environmental hazards including seepage of drainage water as well as sewage water. Management alternatives are required to make a balance between the land use changes and accompanied risks.