CHAPTER FOUR
DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND WATER RESOURCE OF
ETHIOPIA AND THE HORN.
About 71% of the earth’s total surface is covered by water
bodies majorly occupied by seas and oceans.
From the total water bodies:
97.5% is alkaline(ocean and seas)
2.5% is fresh water
From this Fresh water:
68.7 is in glaciers.
30.1% is ground water
0.8% in permafrost
0.4% in surface waters
Cont’d…
However, fresh water is distributed unevenly throughout
the world following varied latitudinal locations, climatic
and topographic setups.
Around 0.7 % of the total land mass of Ethiopia is covered
by water bodies.
4.2. Major Drainage System of Ethiopia
Drainage: The flow of water through well-defined channel
Drainage system: is branched network of stream channels
together with the adjacent land slopes they drain.
is made up of a principal river and its
tributaries
Cont’d…
Source or headwater : a place at which a river system begins
Mouth: a point at which a river system ends
Drainage pattern: structure or slope of Drainage system
which is the outcome of:
geological processes
slope
nature and structure of rocks
topography
amount and the periodicity of the flow.
A drainage basin: topographic region from which a river and
its tributaries collect both the surface runoff and subsurface
flow.
Water Divide/Topographic divide: Topography that bound
Cont’d…
The general patterns of major river basins in Ethiopia are
determined by topographical structures which can be
clarified as:
a. outward sloping of the Western and South eastern
plateaus
b. The formation of the Rift Valley with its in-ward-sloping
escarpments resulting mainly in an inland drainage
system.
c. Faults and joints that structurally influence part of the
courses of many rivers.
4.2. The Major Drainage Systems
Ethiopia possesses three broadly classified drainage systems
Western
Southeastern and Rift Valley Drainage Systems.
Western and the Southeastern drainage systems are separated by the Rift Valley
system.
4.2.1. The Western Drainage Systems
The Western Drainage Systems:
are the largest of all drainage systems draining 40 % of the
total area of the country and carry 60 % of the annual water flow.
Most of the catchment area coextends with the westward sloping part of the western
highlands and western lowlands.
This drainage system comprises four major river basins namely:-
Tekeze
Abay
Baro-Akobo
Ghibe (Omo).
Unlike other river basins in the system, the Ghibe (Omo) flows southward.
The Abay, Tekeze and Baro flow westward ultimately joining the Nile which finally ends
at Mediterranean Sea.
Cont’d…
A) Abay river
Is largest river both in volumetric discharge and catchment
area(199,812 km)
covers parts of Amhara, Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz regional
states.
it carries 65 % of the annual water flow of the region together with
its tributaries..
rises from Lake Tana (some sources indicate its origin from Sekela,
Choke mountain)
flows about 1,450km and joins the White Nile in Khartoum, Sudan
to form the Nile River.
More than 60 streams drain the Abay within elevation ranging
between 500 - 4261 meters above sea level.
The largest of its tributaries is Ghilgel Abay (Little Abay).
flows eastward, turns 180 to make a large bend and after cutting an
Cont’d…
b) Tekeze River
carry 12 % of the annual water flow of the region with its
tributaries.
Has Catchment area of 82,350 Km2 of land surface.
Flow at an elevation ranging b/n 536-4517 m a.s.l.
has two main tributaries (Angereb and Goang) which
rises in the central highlands of Ethiopia.
is termed Atbara in Sudan, which is a tributary of the
Nile.
has total mean annual flow estimated to be 8.2 billion
metric cubes (BMC, here after).
C) Baro-Akobo
drain the wettest highlands in the south and southwestern
Ethiopia.
Carry 17 % of the annual water flow.
In the lower course flows across an extensive marshy land.
It has catchment area of 75,912 km2.
It drains parts of the Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella,
Oromia, and SNNPR.
The total mean annual flow from the river basin is
estimated to be 23.6 BMC
The Baro together with Akobo forms the Sobat River in
South Sudan.
D)The Ghibe/ Omo
It has catchment area of 79,000 km2.
Has an estimated mean annual flow of 16.6 BMC.
Carry 6% of the annual water flow.
finally empties in to the Chew-Bahir at the mouth of
Lake Turkana (an elongated Rift Valley lake) thereby
forming an inland drainage.
4.2.2. The Southeastern Drainage Systems
Mainly drained by Wabishebelle and Ghenale, slopes
south-eastwards across large water deficient plains.
Wabshebelle and Ghenale rivers cross the border into
Somalia, carrying 25 %of the annual water flow of
Ethiopia.
Ghenale River
Has catchment area of 171,042 km2.
Drains parts of Oromia, SNNPR, and Somali regions.
has fewer tributaries but carries more water than
Wabishebelle
reaches the Indian Ocean.
Cont’d…
Has annual volumetric discharge estimated to be 5.8 BMC .
Flows at elevation ranging between 171-4385 mal.
is named the Juba River in Somalia.
Wabishebelle River
Has a total catchment area of 202,697 km2.
is the largest river in terms of catchment area.
drains parts of Oromia, Harari and the Somali regions.
It is the longest river in Ethiopia.
Its tributaries are mainly left bank and, most of them, are
intermittent.
Despite its size, the Wabishebelle fails to reach the Indian
Ocean where at the end of its journey it flows parallel to the
coast before its water disappears in the sands, just near the Juba
River.
4.2.3. The Rift Valley Drainage System
is an area of :
small amount of rainfall
high evaporation and
small catchment area.
The size of the drainage area is restricted by the outward
sloping highlands, which starts right from the edge of the
escarpment.
The Rift Valley drainage system is therefore left with the
slopes of the escarpment and the Rift Valley floor itself as the
catchment area.
The only major river basin is that of the Awash.
Awash river basin
Has a catchment area of 114,123 km2 .
Has an average annual discharge of 4.9 billion cubic meters.
Cont’d…
originates from Shewan plateau in central highlands of
Ethiopia, and flows 1250 kms.
covers parts of the Amhara, Oromia, Afar, Somali, Dire
Dawa, and Addis Ababa City Administration.
is the most utilized river in the country.
flows in a NE direction and finally ends in a maze of
small lakes and marshy area; the largest of which is Lake
Abe on the Ethio-Djibouti border.
In the Rift Valley drainage systems, there is no one
general flow direction, as the streams flow in all
directions.
Cont’d…
The Afar drainage sub-basin
Has practically no stream flow.
is an area of little rain, very high temperature and very high evaporation.
Lake Afrera and Asale are the only main surface waters in the basin which
are not the result of any meaningful surface flow.
Their formation is related to tectonic activities
The Southern part of the Rift Valley sub-basin
Is characterized by a number of lakes and small streams.
is also described as lakes region.
The lakes occupy fault depression.
There are small streams that drain down from the nearby mountain slopes
which supply water to the lakes. For example, -
Meki and Katar Rivers flow into Ziway
Bilate into Abaya; and Segen into Chew Bahir.
Likewise, some of these lakes are interconnected.
Lakes Ziway and Langano drain into Lake Abijiata through the small
streams of Bulbula and Horocolo respectively.
4.3. Water Resources: Rivers, Lakes and Sub-
Surface Water
4.3.1. The Ethiopian Rivers
Unlike many other African countries, Ethiopia is endowed with many rivers.
General Characteristics of Ethiopian Rivers
Major rivers originate from the highlands elevating more than 1500
meters above sea level
Majority of them are trans-boundary,
are characterized by extreme seasonal fluctuation.
Due to surface ruggedness they have rapids and waterfalls along their course,
have cuts, steep-sided river valleys and deep gorges along their
courses
flow on steep slopes having steep profiles.
Some of them serve as boundaries, both international and domestic
administrative units.
Cont’d…
4.3.2. The Ethiopian Lakes
Relatively Ethiopia is rich in lakes.
Almost all Ethiopian lakes are result of tectonic process
that took place during Quaternary period of Cenozoic era
Except few Ethiopian lakes, majority of lakes are located
within the Rift Valley System.
Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia occupies a shallow
depression in the highlands.
The Tana depression is believed to be formed following
slower sinking and reservoir by lava flow between
Gojjam and Gonder massifs.
Cont’d…
Ethiopia is also gifted with crater lakes. These include the lakes
at and around Bishoftu, Wonchi (near Ambo), Hayk (near
Dessie) and the Crater Lake on top of Mount Zikwala. Lake
Ashenge (Tigray) is formed on a tectonic basin.
Other types of lakes in Ethiopia are man-made such as Lakes
Koka, Fincha and Melka Wakena, and many other lakes
dammed following hydroelectric power generation projects.
Lake Abaya is the largest of all the lakes in the system.
The southern tip of the Rift Valley forms the marshy land
called the Chew Bahir which is drained by Segan and Woito.
Ziway and Shala are the shallowest and the deepest lakes
respectively in the central Ethiopian Rift
Cont’d…
lake Area Max Lake Area Max depth
(Km2) Depth (km2)
Tana 3600 9 Abijata 205 14
Abaya 1162 13.1 Awassa 129 10
Chamo 551 13 Ashenge 20 25
Ziway 442 8.95 Hayk 5 23
Shala 409 266 Beseka 48.5 11
Koka 205 9
4.3.3. Subsurface (Ground) Water Resource of Ethiopia
As compared to surface water resources , Ethiopia has
lower ground water resources.
However, there exists higher total exploitable
groundwater potential in Ethiopia.
Climatic and geophysical conditions determine the
availability of groundwater resource.
Based on existing scanty knowledge, the groundwater
potential of Ethiopia is estimated to be 2.6 - 6.5 BMC.
However, this estimate is now considered underestimated.
Considering various separate studies, Ethiopian potential
of groundwater is believed to range between 12-30 BMC.
Water Resources Potentials and Development
in Ethiopia
The enormous water resource potential of Ethiopia is
underutilized due to so many factors.
some of potential development uses of water resource of
Ethiopia are:
A) Hydro-electric Potential
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
Cont’d…
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is the country’s largest
dam under construction aiming to generate 6400 megawatts.
Gilgel Gibe III hydropower project has gone operational generating
1870 megawatts.
Currently Ethiopia is administering 14 hydroelectric power plants
constructed on:
Lake Aba Samuel,
Koka,
Tis Abay,
Awash,
Melka Wakena,
Sor,
Fincha,
Gibe/Omo,
Tana Beles and Tekeze, generating close to 4000 megawatts of
energy.
Cont’d…
Besides the domestic use of generated electricity, the
country is exporting electricity to the neighboring
countries.
Major problem related to the use of Ethiopian rivers for the
generation of hydroelectric power
The seasonal flow fluctuations
impact of climate change and variability.
The severe erosion from the highlands and sedimentation
in the reservoirs
b) Irrigation and Transportation
The terrain in Ethiopia is so rugged that it limits the uses
of Ethiopian rivers both for irrigation and transportation.
Regardless of existing physiographic setups, Ethiopia’s
potential of irrigation is estimated to be 5.3 million
hectares
The Baro-Akobo and Genale Dawa river systems have
large irrigation potential compared to other basins.
Despite the untapped irrigation practice, more than 60%
of the area under irrigation so far is located in Rift Valley
Drainage System.
Except few, majority of hydro-electric reservoirs are
multi-purpose and are expected to contribute for
irrigation.
Cont’d…
Majority of Ethiopian rivers are not suitable for transportation.
The Baro at its lower course is the only navigable river.
Comparatively, Ethiopian lakes are much suitable for transportation
than rivers.
Lake Tana and Abaya are relatively the most used for transportation.
C) 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 exploitable potential is however, by far greater than the current
production:
Lake Tana leads the potential by 8,000-10,000 tons per year.
Lake Chamo is estimated at 4,500 tons per year.
However, more than 60% of fish supplies are coming from
Ethiopian main Rift Valley lakes.
Cont’d…
But, some of the lakes are currently threatened by:
sedimentation
invasive species (water hyacinth),
over exploitation and expansion of investments around lakes.
Some of the reasons that make Ethiopian rivers and lakes important
recreational and tourist attractions are:
a variety of fish, birds and other aquatic life forms in the
lakes.
the scenic beauty of the lakes,
the hot springs around them,
the spectacular river gorges and
the most impressive waterfalls.
Being the natural habitat of a variety of wild life, some of which
are only endemic to Ethiopia,
their value for immense scientific purposes .