Crossword Genius

A river bird and parent create Nile blockage (5,3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

aswan dam

'nile blockage' is the definition.
(dam in the River Nile)

'a river bird and parent' is the wordplay.
'river bird' becomes 'swan' (bird which may live by a river).
'and' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'parent' becomes 'dam' (term for the female parent of an animal).
'a'+'swan'+'dam'='ASWAN DAM'

'create' is the link.

(Other definitions for aswan dam that I've seen before include "Egyptian water barrier" , "Huge structure in Africa" , "Egypt's lake district" , "massive barrier" , "Nile construction of 1902" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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