CHAPTER FOUR

DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND WATER RESOURCE OF ETHIOPIA

AND THE HORN
4.1. Introduction
 71% of the earth's total surface is covered by water bodies predominantly occupied by seas and oceans.
 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;

30.1% in ground water;

0.8% in permafrost/ground which is permanently frozen; and

0.4% in surface waters.

 Surface water is Water in lakes, rivers, atmosphere, soils and wetlands.

 Surface and ground waters are by far the most abundant and easily available fresh waters.
 Fresh water is distributed unevenly throughout the world following varied latitudinal locations, climatic and
topographic setups.
 The diverse topographical setup, relatively higher rainfall and its nearness to equator made the country to have
larger volume of ground and surface water.
 Around 0.7 % of the total land mass of Ethiopia is covered by water bodies.
 Ethiopia’s surface water potentials estimated to be 124.4 billion cubic meters (BCM)- the water tower of “Eastern
• Drainage- is the flow of water through well-definedchannel.
• Drainage systems also known as river systems
• are the patterns formed by the streams, rivers, and lakes in
aparticular drainage basin.
• A drainage system is made up of a principal river and
itstributaries (the rivers that flow into it).
• Drainage basin-is the topographic region from which a stream
receives runoff, throughflow, and groundwaterflow.
• Drainage pattern refers to the arrangement and direction of
the streams, rivers, and other watercourses in a particular
area.
• A water divide, also known as a topographic divide is a high
point or ridge on the landscape that separates the areas
drained by different river systems.
 4.2. Major Drainage System of Ethiopia

Drainage: is the flow of water through well-defined channel.

Drainage System: is branched network of stream channels together with the adjacent land
slopes they drain.
 drainage patterns differ from drainage systems.
 The term patterns refers to the fabric or surface arrangement of the main rivers and
their tributaries. These features are the result of factors of the underlying rock and
slope.
 In contrast, the term systems refers to the direction and destination of the rivers.
The drainage pattern of an area is the outcome of the:
Geological processes;
Nature and structure of rocks; Drainage System
Topography;
Slope; and
Amount and the periodicity of the flow
 A drainage system is made up of:
 a principal river; and
 its tributaries.
 A river system begins at a place called the source or headwater and ends at a point
 Drainage Basin
It is the topographic region from which a river and its tributaries collect both the surface
runoff and subsurface flow. A drainage basin is an area of land where water from rain or snow
melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a river, lake, wetland or ocean

The drainage basin includes both the streams and rivers that convey the water as well as the
land surface from which water drains into those channels,
All rivers receive a water supply and the area of land this comes from is known as a
drainage basin

It is bounded by and separated from other river basins by a water divide or topographic divide.
A mountain or an upland separates two drainage basins in an elevated area is water divide or
topographic divide.
The patterns of major river basins in Ethiopia are determined by topographical structures
which can be clarified as:
I. The topography of the outward sloping of the Western and South eastern plateaus
II. The structural formation of the Rift Valley with its in-ward-sloping escarpments resulting in an inland
drainage system.
 The Major Drainage Systems

 Ethiopia owns three broadly classified drainage systems

namely:
Western/ Mediterranean Sea Drainage system ;
Southeastern/ Indian Ocean Drainage system; 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

It is the largest of all drainage systems draining:

40% of the total area of the country; and
Carry 60% of the annual water flow

This drainage system consists of four major river basins:

Tekeze;
Abay-the largest both in volume of discharge & coverage-199,812km2
Baro-Akobo; &
Ghibe (Omo)-exceptionally flows southward.

The Abay, Tekeze and Baro flow westward ultimately joining the Nile which
finally ends at Mediterranean Sea.
Abay river basin covers an area of 199,812 km2, covering parts of Amhara,
 Abay
 The largest river both in volumetric discharge and coverage in the western drainage
systems is the Abay
 Abay river basin covers an area of 199,812 km2, covering parts of Amhara, Oromia and
Benishangul-Gumuz regional states.
 Together with its tributaries, most of which are left-bank tributaries; it carries 65% of the
annual water flow of the region.
 Abay which rises from Lake Tana (some sources indicate its origin from Sekela, Choke
mountain) flows about 1,450 kilometers 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 these is Ghilgel Abay (Little Abay). Abay flows eastward, turns 180 0 to
make a large bend and after cutting an impressive and deep gorge emerges out in the west.
 Tekeze
 It carries 12% of the annual water flow of the region

 Drains 82,350 Km2 of land surface within elevation ranging between

536-4517 meters above sea level
 Erosion in the basin resulted in large tablelands, plateau blocks and
isolated mountain groups
 The basin has two main tributaries Angereb and Goang

 Tekeze River is termed Atbara in Sudan, which is a tributary of the

Nile
 The total mean annual flow from the basin is estimated to be 8.2
 The Baro-Akobo
 Drain the wettest highlands in the south and southwestern Ethiopia.

 It carries 17% of the annual water flow of the region.

 In the lower course, the Baro River flows across an extensive

marshy land.
 Baro Akobo river basin has an area of 75,912 km2, covering 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
 Ghibe / Omo

 It carries 6% of the annual water flow of the region.

 The Ghibe/ Omo river basin drains an area of 79,000 km2
with an estimated mean annual flow of 16.6 BMC.
 The Ghibe / Omo River 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

 Nearly the entire physiographic region of southeastern part

of Ethiopia is drained by the southeastern drainage systems.
 The basin which is mainly drained by Wabishebelle and
Ghenale, slopes south-eastwards across large water
deficient plains.
 Major highlands of this basin include plateaus of Arsi, Bale,
Sidama and Harerghe.
 Wabshebelle and Ghenale rivers cross the border into
Somalia, carrying 25% of the annual water flow of Ethiopia.
 Ghenale

 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 flows estimated to be 5.8 BMC within elevation
ranging between 171-4385 meters above sea level.
 In Somalia it is named the Juba River.
 Wabishebelle

 Wabishebelle with a total catchment area of 202,697 km2, is the

largest river in terms catchment area.
 It 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

 The Rift Valley drainage system is an:

Area of small amount of rainfall;
High evaporation; and
Small catchment area

 The only major river basin is that of the Awash.

 In the Rift Valley drainage systems, there is no one general
flow direction, as the streams flow in all directions.
 Awash

Awash river basin has a catchment area of 114,123 km 2 and

has an average annual discharge of 4.9BMC.
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.
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.
 The Afar drainage sub-basin

 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.
 Con…
 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 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

 Ethiopia is endowed with many rivers.
 Majority of the rivers originate from highland areas and
cross the Ethiopian boundary.
 Ethiopian rivers form 12 major watersheds separating the
Mediterranean Sea from the Indian Ocean drainage
systems.
 Data on major Ethiopian rivers
River Catchment Annual Terminus/ Major tributaries
Area(km2) Volume Mouth
BMC

Abay 199,812 Mediterranean Dabus, Dedessa, Fincha,

Guder, Muger, Jema, Beshilo

Wabishebelle 202,697 Coast of Indian Ramis Erer, Daketa Fafan

Ocean

Genale Dawa 171,042 Indian- Ocean Dawa, Weyb, Welmel, Mena

Awash 114,123 Inland (within Akaki, Kesem, Borkena,

Ethiopia) Mile

Tekeze 87,733 Mediterranean Goang, Angereb

Ghibe(Omo) 79,000 Lake Turkana Gojeb

Baro(Akobo) 75,912 Mediterranean Akobo

 General Characteristics of Ethiopian Rivers

 Taking into account the following factors, Ethiopian rivers

have the following characteristics.

Highland nature of the Ethiopian landmass;

Surface ruggedness;

The outward inclination of the highlands; and

The climatic conditions.

 Con…
 Steep profiles; they arise from very high places
and flow to the country’s borders across lowlands.
 They gush through rapids and waterfalls along
their courses.
 They show seasonal fluctuation in water volume.
 They run through steep-sided river valleys and
gorges.
 They serve as boundaries, both international and
domestic (administrative units).
Some of the Ethiopian rivers are given new names
after they cross the country’s borders.
Examples:
 River Abbay becomes Blue Nile in the Sudan.
 River Tekezze becomes River Athbara in the
Sudan.
 River Ghenalle becomes River Juba in Somalia.
 River Baro becomes River Sobat in the Sudan.
 Con…
Almost all major rivers originate from the highlands elevating more than 1500 meters above
sea level,

Majority of Ethiopian rivers are trans-boundary, A transboundary river is a river that crosses
at least one political border

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 or 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. Steep slopes are legally defined
as hillsides having a 15 foot, or greater, vertical rise over 100 feet of horizontal run,

Some of the rivers serve as boundaries, both international and domestic administrative units .
 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.

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.
Ethiopia is also gifted with crater lakes. These include:
lakes at and around Bishoftu;
Wonchi (near Ambo);
Hayk (near Dessie);
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
ing the Lakes of Ethiopia
 Con…

Cluster of lakes are lined up within main Ethiopian rift.

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 & Shala are the shallowest and the deepest lakes in
the central Ethiopian Rift.
4.3.3. Subsurface (Ground) Water Resource of 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.
 C4.4. Water Resources Potentials and Development in
Ethiopiaon…

 The followings are some of potential development uses of

water resource of Ethiopia.
 a) Hydro-electric Potential
 b) Irrigation and Transportation
 c) Fishing and Recreation
 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.
 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.
 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 variabilities.
 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 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.
 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. 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.
 More than 60% of fish supplies are coming from Ethiopian main Rift Valley lakes. 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