Adama Science and Technology University

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn (LART 1004)

Chapter 4: Drainage Systems and Water Resources of

Ethiopia and the Horn
• Drainage Systems and Water Resources of
Ethiopia and the Horn
– Introduction
– Major Drainage Systems of Ethiopia
– Water Resources: Rivers, Lakes and Sub-Surface
Water
• The Ethiopian Rivers
• The Ethiopian Lakes
• Subsurface (Ground) Water Resource of Ethiopia
– Water Resources Development Potentials in
Ethiopia
.
 Introduction
• Of the earth’s total water surface:
– Nearly 97.5% is alkaline accumulated in oceans and seas.
– The remaining 2.5% is fresh water, of which nearly 68.7%
is deposited in glaciers, 30.1% in ground water, 0.8% in
permafrost and 0.4% in surface waters.
– Water in lakes, rivers, atmosphere, soils and wetlands are
considered as surface waters.
– Surface and ground waters are by far the most abundant
and easily available fresh waters.
• The diverse topographic setup, relatively higher rainfall and
its nearness to the equator made Ethiopia to have larger
volume of surface and ground water.
• Around 0.7% of the total landmass of Ethiopia is covered by
water bodies.
• The country’s surface water potential is estimated to be
124.4 billion cubic meters (BCM).
Major Drainage Systems of Ethiopia
• Drainage- is the flow of water through well-defined
channel.
• Drainage systems, also known as river systems, are the
patterns formed by the streams, rivers, and lakes in a
particular drainage basin.
• Drainage system is made up of a principal river and its
tributaries (the rivers that flow into it).
• Drainage system is branched network of stream channels
together with the adjacent land slopes they drain.
• Drainage patterns- are forms or surface arrangements of
drainage systems.
• The drainage pattern of an area is the outcome of
– the geological processes,
– nature and structure of rocks,
– topography,
– amount of flow
– periodicity of the flow
• Examples of drainage pattern: dendritic, parallel,
rectangular, radial, centripetal, …
A drainage network is a system of interconnected
stream channels found in a drainage basin.
• Drainage basin- is the topographic region from which
a stream receives runoff, through-flow, and
groundwater flow.
• The number, size, and shape of the drainage basins
varies and the larger and more detailed
the topographic map, the more information is
available
• Drainage basin is the topographic region from which
a river and its tributaries collect both the surface
runoff and subsurface flow.
• It is bounded by and separated from other river
basins by a water divide or topographic divide.
• Drainage density- is the measure of the length of
stream channel per unit area of drainage basin.
Mathematically, it is expressed as: drainage density =
stream length / basin area.

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• The general patterns of major river basins in Ethiopia are
determined by topographic structures which can be clarified
as:
– The topography of the outward sloping of the Western and South
eastern plateaus
– The structural formation of the Rift Valley with its in-ward-
sloping escarpments resulting mainly in an inland drainage
system.
– Faults and joints that structurally influence part of the courses of
many rivers.
• Following the complex physiographic setup and geological
makeup, Ethiopia possesses three broadly classified drainage
systems, namely
– Western Drainage System,
– Southeastern Drainage System, and
– Rift Valley Drainage System.
• Western and Southeastern drainage systems are separated
by the Rift Valley system.
 1. The Western Drainage System
• The Western Drainage System:
– Is the largest of all drainage systems
– drains 40% of the total area of the country
– carries 60% of the annual water flow of the country
• Most of the catchment area coextends with the westward
sloping part of the western highlands and lowlands.
• This drainage system comprises four major river basins,
namely
– the Abay, Tekezze, Baro-Akobo, and Ghibe-Omo.
• Unlike other river basins in the system, the Ghibe-Omo flows
southward.
• The Abay, Tekeze and Baro-Akobo flow westward ultimately
joining the Nile which finally ends at Mediterranean Sea.
A. The Abay River Basin
– The largest river both in volumetric discharge and coverage
in the western drainage systems
– covers an area of 199,812 km2, drains parts of Amhara,
Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz regional states.
– carries 65% of the annual water flow of the region.
– The average annual volume is estimated to be 54.5billion
cubic meter (BCM, here after)
– originates from Lake Tana (some sources indicate its origin
from Sekela, Choke mountain system in Gojjam)
– flows about 1,450 kilometres and joins the White Nile in
Khartoum, Sudan, to form the Nile River.
– More than 60 streams drain into the Abay from elevations
ranging 500 - 4261 meters above sea level.
– The largest of these is Ghilgel Abay (Little Abay).
– flows eastward, turns 180 to make a large bend and after
cutting an impressive and deep gorge emerges out in the
west.
Tis Isat Waterfalls on River Abay
Men pull each other across the Blue Nile by rope prior to the
building of a new bridge
New Blue Nile River suspended bridge completed in 2009. It is the only
pedestrian cable bridge over the Blue Nile in Ethiopia.
Tributaries of Abay
• Abay river loops across northwest Ethiopia, before
being fed by numerous tributaries between Lake Tana
and the Ethiopia–Sudan border.
• Those on its left bank, in downstream order, include the
Wanqa River, the Bashilo River, the Walaqa River,
the Wanchet River, the Jemma River, the Muger River,
the Guder River, the Agwel River, the Nedi River,
the Didessa River and the Dabus River.
• Those on the right side, also in downstream order,
include the Handassa, Tul, Abbaya, Sade, Tammi, Cha,
Shita, Suha, Muga, Gulla, Temcha, Bachat, Katlan, Jiba,
Chemoga, Weter and the Beles.
Map showing the Abay River and its tributaries
Confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers near Khartoum, the
capital of Sudan
B. Tekeze River Basin
– Drains 82,350 Km2 of land surface within elevation
ranging between 536-4517 meters above sea level.
– The total mean annual flow from the basin is estimated
to be 8.2BCM.
– Tekeze and its tributaries carry 12% of the annual water
flow of the region
– The basin has two main tributaries (Angereb and
Goang) which rises in the north central highlands of
Ethiopia.
– Erosion in the basin resulted in large tablelands, plateau
blocks and isolated mountain groups.
– Tekeze River is named Athbara in Sudan, which is a
tributary of the Nile.
Tekezze gorge, a few km downstream from the reservoir
C. Baro-Akobo River Basin
– Baro-Akobo river basin has an area of 75,912 km2, covering parts
of the Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, Oromia, and SNNPR.
– This basin carries 23BCM of the annual water flow.
– The Baro-Akobo River drains the wettest highlands in southwestern
Ethiopia.
– In the lower course, the Baro River flows across an extensive
marshy land.
– The Baro together with Akobo forms the Sobat River in South
Sudan.
D. Ghibe-Omo River Basin
– The Ghibe/Omo river basin drains an area of 79,000 km2 with an
estimated mean annual flow of 17BCM.
– Ghibe/Omo River also drains the wettest highlands of southern
Ethiopia
– The Ghibe/Omo River finally empties into the Chew-Bahir at the
mouth of Lake Turkana (an elongated Rift Valley lake) thereby
forming an inland drainage.
 2. The Southeastern Drainage System
• Nearly the entire physiographic region of southeastern part
of Ethiopia is drained by the southeastern drainage system.
• The basin which is mainly drained by Wabishebelle and
Ghenale, slopes south-eastwards across large water
deficient plains.
• These rivers drain the highlands of Arsi, Bale, Sidama and
Harerghe.
• Wabshebelle and Ghenale rivers cross the border into
Somalia, carrying 25% of the annual water flow of Ethiopia.
A. Ghenale Basin
• Ghenale River basin has an area of 171,042 km2, covering
parts of Oromia, SNNPR, and Somali regions.
• Ghenale, which has fewer tributaries but carries more water
than Wabishebelle, reaches the Indian Ocean.
• The basin flow is estimated to be 5.8 BCM within elevation
ranging from 171-4385 meters above sea level.
• Dawa and Weyb rivers are the main tributaries of Ghenale River
• In Somalia it is named the Juba River.
B. Wabishebelle Basin
• Wabishebelle with a total catchment area of 202,697 km2, is
the largest river in terms of catchment area.
• Its annual volume is estimated to be 3.4BCM
• It drains parts of Oromia, Harari and the Somali regions.
• It is the longest river in Ethiopia.
• Its tributaries are mainly left bank originating from Hararghe
plateaus and, most of them are intermittent.
• 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.
 3. 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 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.
has a catchment area of 114,123 km2 and has
an average annual discharge of 4.9BCM.
• The Awash River originates from Shewan plateau in the central
highlands of Ethiopia (near Ginchi town, about 100km west of
Addis Ababa), and flows 1250 km.
• 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.
The Awash River in its middle course
• Following the Rift Valley orientation, the Awash flows in a
northeast direction.
• It 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 system, there is no one general
flow direction, as the streams flow in all directions.
• The Afar drainage sub-basin has practically no stream flow.
• It 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.
• It is also described as lakes region.
• The lakes occupy fault depressions.
• There are small streams that drain down from the
nearby mountain slopes which supply water to
the lakes.
• For example,
– Meki and Ketar Rivers flow into Lake Ziway;
– Bilate River flows into Lake Abaya; and
– Segen River flows into Lake 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.
 Water Resources: Rivers, Lakes and Sub-
Surface Water
The Ethiopian Rivers
• Unlike many other African countries, Ethiopia is
endowed with many rivers.
• Majority of the rivers originate from highland
areas and cross the Ethiopian boundary.
• Altogether, Ethiopian rivers form 12 major basins
separating the Mediterranean Sea from the
Indian Ocean drainage systems.
• The following table shows data on major
Ethiopian rivers
 Major Rivers of Ethiopia and their Tributaries
River Catchment Annual Length (km) Terminus/ Major tributaries
area (km2) Volume mouth
Inside Outside Total
(BCM)
Abay 199,812 54.5 805 645 1450 Mediterranean Beshilo, Jema,
Muger, Guder,
Dedessa, Fincha,
Dabus

Baro-Akobo 75,912 23.23 227 280 507 Mediterranean Akobo, Gilo

Ghibe-Omo 79,000 17 760 - 760 Lake Turkana Gojeb, Gelgel Ghibe
Tekezze 87,733 8.2 608 560 1168 Mediterranean Tirari, Angereb,
Ghiba, Guang
Genalle 171,042 6 480 570 1050 Indian Ocean Dawa, Weyb,
Welmel, Mena
Awash 114,123 4.9 1250 - 1250 Inland (Within Akaki, Mojo, Kesem,
Ethiopia) Borkena, Mille
Wabishebelle 202,697 3.4 1340 660 2000 Coast of Indian Ramis, Erer, Daketa,
Ocean Fafen, Yerer, Gobelle,
Galleti
 General Characteristics of Ethiopian Rivers
• Owing to the highland nature of the Ethiopian
landmass, surface ruggedness, the outward
inclination of the highlands, and the climatic
conditions, Ethiopian rivers have the following
characteristics.
– Almost all major rivers originate from the highlands
elevating more than 1500 meters above sea level,
– Majority of Ethiopian rivers are trans-boundary,
– Due to the marked seasonality of rainfall, Ethiopian
rivers are characterized by extreme seasonal
fluctuation.
– In the wet season, runoff is higher and rivers are full
bursting their banks, destroying small bridges, damage
roads and flooding low lands; during the dry seasons
they became mere trickles of water/even dry up
– Due to surface ruggedness they have rapids and
waterfalls along their course,
– They have cuts, steep-sided river valleys and deep
gorges along their courses,
– Rivers in Ethiopia flow on steep slopes having steep
profiles.
– Some of the rivers serve as boundaries, both
international and domestic administrative units.
 The Ethiopian Lakes
• Relatively, Ethiopia is rich in lakes.
• Almost all Ethiopian lakes are the result of tectonic
processes that took place during Quaternary period of
Cenozoic Era, i.e. they are not outcomes of climate.
• The lakes in the drainage system are mainly formed on
faulted depressions and are clustered along the system
forming linear pattern.
• Except few Ethiopian lakes, majority of the lakes are
located within the Rift Valley System.
• Ethiopian lakes are found dispersed on the plateaus and
clustered in the Rift Valley.
• Therefore, they can be classified as highland and Rift
Valley lakes
1. Highland Lakes
• These lakes are found dispersed on the plateaus, either
as crater or watershed lakes.
• These types of lakes resulted from different types of
structural formations.
• A is formed after an explosive volcano breaks
a mountain open, leaving a deep mouth. The mouth is
filled with water – from either small streams or
subterranean sources.
• Ethiopia is also rich in crater lakes
• A is formed when a sheet of lava dams up a
shallow surface depression.
• For example, Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia, was
formed during the Quaternary Period, when a sheet of flowing
lava dammed the shallow depression that had already been
formed between the Gojjam and Gondar massifs.
Examples of Crater lakes in Ethiopia:
üBishoftu, Kuriftu, Babbo Gaya, and Arsedi, all around
Bishoftu
üZequala near Bishoftu
üWonchi and Dendi around Ambo, Ginchi and Wellisso
üHashenge near Korem in Tigray
üHaik, (some 30 kilometers away from Dessie on the road to
Woldiya
2. Rift Valley Lakes
• Unlike the highland lakes, the Rift Valley lakes are
clustered. They are found in a linear pattern along the
floor of the Rift Valley.
• Lake Abaya is the largest while lake Beseka is the
smallest of all the lakes in the Rift Valley system.
• Ziway and Shala are the shallowest and the deepest
lakes in the central Ethiopian Rift, respectively
• The southern tip of the Rift Valley forms the marshy
land called the Chew Bahir which is drained by Segan
and Woito Rivers.
• Other types of lakes in Ethiopia are man-made such as
Lakes Koka, Fincha, Melka Wakena, and many other
lakes are dammed following hydroelectric power
generation projects.
Major Rift Valley Lakes of Ethiopia
Tana 3600 9 Abijata 205 14

Abaya 1162 13.1 Hawassa 129 10

Chamo 551 13 Ashenge 20 25
Ziway 442 8.95 Hayk 5 23
Shala 409 266 Beseka 48.5 11
Langano 230 46 Koka 205 9
 Subsurface (Ground) Water Resource of
Ethiopia
• Unlike surface water resources, Ethiopia has lower ground
water potential.
• However, there exists higher total exploitable groundwater
potential.
• 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 BCM.
• However, this estimate is now considered underestimated.
• Considering various separate studies, Ethiopian potential of
groundwater is believed to range between 12-30 BCM.
 Water Resources Potentials and
Development in Ethiopia
• The enormous water resource potential of Ethiopia is
underutilized due to so many factors.
• However, there are plenteous of opportunities that
can transform the resource into our collective social
and economic needs.
• The followings are some of development potentials
of water resource of Ethiopia.
a) Hydro-electric power 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 dam) in 1932.
• Currently, many hydroelectric power dams are operating
and many others are under construction to realize
Ethiopia's ambitious energy goals.
• Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is the country's
largest dam under construction aiming to generate 6000
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.
• Besides the domestic use of generated electricity, the
country is exporting electricity to the neighboring countries.
• 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 and variability.
• The severe erosion from the highlands and sedimentation in
the reservoirs is also a critical problem for hydroelectric
power generation.
b) Irrigation and Transportation
• The terrain in Ethiopia is so rugged that it limits the uses of
Ethiopian rivers both for irrigation and transportation.
• In the highlands, steep slopes, rapids, waterfalls, narrow
and deep valleys and gorges are important obstacles.
• But on the lowlands, their demand for irrigation is high.
• 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 potentials 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.
• 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.
• Exploitable fish potential in lakes varies.
• Currently Lake Tana leads the potential by estimated 8,000-
10,000 tons per year.
• Fish production from 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.
• However, some of the lakes are currently threatened by
sedimentation, invasive species (water hyacinth), over
exploitation and expansion of investments around lakes.
• There are a variety of fish, birds and other aquatic life
forms in the lakes.
• This and the scenic beauty of the lakes, the hot springs
around them, the spectacular river gorges and the most
impressive waterfalls make Ethiopian rivers and lakes
important recreational and tourist attractions.
• As they are the natural habitat of a variety of wild life,
some of which are only endemic to Ethiopia, their value for
scientific purposes is immense.
Different Drainage Patterns in
Diagrams
Dendritic Drainage Pattern
Parallel Drainage Pattern
Rectangular Drainage Pattern
Radial Drainage Pattern
.