The ancient Egyptians were one of the most powerful and advanced cultures of their time. However, they were totally reliant on the Nile river for their food and water. If the river's output was decreased or removed entirely, they could not survive.
This is a significant vulnerability to their empire, and it makes me wonder if any of their enemies ever attempted it. The two main issues I can see with the plan is the engineering feasibility as well as the potential lack of other large empires that could control the Sudan/Ethiopia region.
As far as engineering goes, clearly the Egyptians were able to accomplish amazing feats. I wonder if completing an upstream dam would be more difficult, or even if another culture without the expertise/materials/ manpower could even come close.
Clearly this never came to fruition, but it is an interesting hypothetical.
This is an interesting but thought provoking question. I don't think I've ever came across one like this before. The short answer is no. For various reasons.