18 December 2024 Elias Shiferaw 1
Addis Ababa University
Chapter 4
DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND WATER RESOURCE OF
ETHIOPIA AND THE HORN
By: Elias Shiferaw
December ,16,2024
Questions for Reflection
Take 10 minutes of a small group discussion and reflect back
1. What is drainage system and briefly describe the 3 Ethiopian
drainage systems ?
2. What are some of the highland and Rift valley lakes of Ethiopia?
3. Why is Ethiopian agriculture still rainfed despite there is a huge
potential for irrigation?
4. What are some of Ethiopian major rivers that have a trans-
boundary nature?
5. List down some of the artificial lakes/ dams of Ethiopia that are
providing hydro electric power.
Introduction
Drainage: is the flow of water through a well-defined channel
About 71% of the earth's total surface is covered by water bodies
mainly occupied by seas and oceans and the rest 29% is landmass
out of which only 24% is inhabited by humans the rest 76% is
uninhabited due to harsh climate, undulating terrain & thick jungle
Of the earth's total water surface, nearly 97.5% is alkaline
accumulated in seas and oceans.
The remaining 2.5% is fresh water, of which nearly 68.7% is
deposited in glaciers/ snow form
Water in lakes, rivers, atmosphere, soils and wetlands are
considered as surface waters
Major Drainage System of Ethiopia
A drainage system is made up of a principal river and its tributaries
(the rivers that flow into it).
Following the complex physiographic setup and geological makeup
Ethiopia possesses three broadly classified drainage systems namely
A. Western
B. Southeastern
C. Rift Valley Drainage Systems
Western and the Southeastern drainage systems are separated by the
Rift Valley system.
The Western Drainage Systems
The Western Drainage Systems are the largest of all drainage
systems draining 40 % of the total area of the country
It carries 60 percent of the annual water flow
This drainage system comprises four major river basins namely the
Tekeze, Abay, Baro-Akobo, Ghibe (Omo)
The Abay, Tekeze and Baro flow westward ultimately joining the
Nile which finally ends at Mediterranean Sea.
Abay which rises from Lake Tana/ Sekela and joined with White
Nile in Khartoum
More than 60 rivers drain Abay river
The Southeastern Drainage Systems
The basin is mainly drained by Wabishebelle and Ghenale
Major highlands of this basin include plateaus of Arsi, Bale,
Sidama and Harerghe.
Wabshebelle and Ghenale rivers cross the border into Somalia,
carrying 25 percent of the annual water flow of Ethiopia
Wabishebelle with a total catchment area of 202,697 km2, is the
largest river in terms of catchment area
It drains parts of Oromia, Harari and the Somali regions
It is the longest river within Ethiopia
Malkawakena is an artificial lake dammed from Wabeshebelle
The Rift Valley Drainage System
The Rift Valley drainage system is an area of small amount of
rainfall, high evaporation and small catchment area
The only major river basin in this drainage system is Awash
The Awash River originates from Shewan plateau in central
highlands of Ethiopia, and flows 1250 kms
It covers parts of the Amhara, Oromia, Afar, Somali, Dire Dawa,
and Addis Ababa City Administration.
Awash is the most utilized river in the country
It finally ends in Lake Abe on the Ethio-Djibouti border.
Koka is an artificial lake dammed from Awash
Data on Major Ethiopian Rivers
General Characteristics of Ethiopian Rivers
Almost all major rivers originate from the highlands elevating more
than 1500 M
Majority of Ethiopian rivers are trans-boundary
Extreme seasonal variability/fluctuation
Due to jagged topography have rapids and waterfalls along their
course,
Rivers in Ethiopia flow on steep slopes having steep profiles.
What factors contribute to the underdevelopment of the fishing sector
in Ethiopia, despite its significant production potential?
Ethiopian Lakes
Relatively Ethiopia is rich in lakes
Almost all Ethiopian lakes are result of tectonic process that took
place during Cenozoic era
Except few most of Ethiopian lakes are located within the Rift
Valley System
Ethiopia lakes are classified as highland lake and Rift Valley lakes
Ethiopian Highland lakes like Tana, Wonchi, Bishoftu, Hyke,
Ashenge etc.
Rift Valley lakes like Abaya, Chamo, Langano, Shalla, [Link]
Artificial lakes like Koka, fincha, Malka wakena, etc
Area and depth of some of Ethiopian Lakes
Water Resources Potentials and Development in Ethiopia
Ethiopian rivers have a very high potential for generating electricity
The exploitable potential of hydroelectric power is estimated at
about 45000 megawatts
The first hydroelectric power generation plant was installed on
Akaki River (Aba Samuel) in 1932.
There are 16 dams operating in the country
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is the country's largest
dam under construction aiming to generate 6400 megawatts.
All Ethiopian dams are generating closer to 4000 MW of energy.
Significance of Ethiopian lakes and rivers
Hydro-electric Potential: The major problem related to the use of
Ethiopian rivers for the generation of hydroelectric power is the
seasonal flow fluctuations and impact of climate change
Irrigation and Transportation: The terrain in Ethiopia is so
undulating and limits the uses of Ethiopian rivers both for
irrigation and transportation
Fishing and Recreation: The majority of Ethiopian lakes are rich
in fish.
Currently the annual production of fish is estimated to be 31.5
thousand tons
The Major reasons why Ethiopian agriculture remains predominantly rainfed
despite the country's significant potential for irrigation:
In Ethiopia, approximately 5% of the total agricultural land is covered by irrigation.
This low percentage highlights the significant reliance on rainfed agriculture
despite the country's potential for expanding irrigation systems. Due to:
Limited Infrastructure Development
Financial Constraints
Dependence on Traditional Farming Practices
Water Resource Management
Climate Variability and Risk
Topographic Challenges
Lack of Technical Expertise
Policy and Regulatory Framework Issues
Cultural Resistance to Change
Natural Resource Degradation
18 December 2024 EliaS Shiferaw 15
I wish you all the best!!!
SA