Hydrological Foundation as a Basis for a Holistic Environmental Flow Assessment of Tropical Highland Rivers in Ethiopia
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area Description
2.2. Data Collection
2.2.1. Precipitation
2.2.2. Stream Flow
2.3. Literature Review, Field Observation and Discussions
2.4. Data Analysis
2.4.1. Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Analysis
2.4.2. Flow Analysis Using IHA Software
2.4.3. Environmental Flow Components Threshold Values Setting
2.4.4. Flow Components and Needs
2.4.5. Irrigation Area Mapping and NDVI Analysis
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Precipitation
3.2. Flow Indices
3.2.1. Monthly Flows
3.2.2. Low and High Flows
Low Flow
High Flow
3.3. Environmental Flow Components (EFC), Durations and Timing
Environmental Flow Components
Flow Duration and Timing of Environmental Flow Components
3.4. Flow Components and Needs
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Months | Median Flow (Q50), m3 s−1 | Coefficient of Disp.; (Q75–Q25)/Q50 | Months | Median Flow (Q50), m3 s−1 | Coeff. of Disp. (Q75–Q25)/Q50 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 9.7 | 1.3 | August | 236 | 0.3 |
February | 5.9 | 1.7 | September | 151 | 0.4 |
March | 4.0 | 1.7 | October | 65.9 | 0.9 |
April | 4.2 | 1.3 | November | 31.2 | 1.4 |
May | 4.7 | 1.7 | December | 16.5 | 1.5 |
June | 13.3 | 1.0 | |||
July | 123.6 | 0.5 |
Duration | Median (Q50) | Coeff. of Disp.; (Q75-Q25)/Q50 | Duration | Median (Q50) | Coeff. of Disp.; (Q75-Q25)/Q50 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-day maximum | 335 | 0.49 | 1-day minimum | 1.62 | 1.89 |
3-day maximum | 316 | 0.41 | 3-day minimum | 1.70 | 1.85 |
7-day maximum | 293 | 0.41 | 7-day minimum | 1.71 | 1.91 |
30-day maximum | 248 | 0.32 | 30-day minimum | 2.36 | 1.91 |
90-day maximum | 183 | 0.37 | 90-day minimum | 4.27 | 1.54 |
Years | (a) | Percent Change in Low Flow | (b) | Percent Change in High Flow |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973–1980 | 3.02 | 432.5 | ||
1981–1990 | 3.19 | 5.7 | 441.3 | 2.0 |
1990–2000 | 1.96 | −38.7 | 384.0 | −13.0 |
2001–2010 | 0.00 | −99.9 | 261.0 | −32.0 |
2011–2018 | 0.00 | - | 263.4 | 0.9 |
S.N. | Fish Species | Migration/Aggregation/Period | Breeding Period/Catch | Habitat/Spawning Places/Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Labeobarbus spp. | July–October | June–August (min in May, peak spawning in August) | Fast flowing, clear, highly oxygenated water, and gravel-bed streams or rivers; |
L. intermedius | from July–3rd week of September | |||
L. tsanensis | from July–3rd week of September | |||
L. brevicephalus | 3rd week of August–3rd week of September | |||
L. nedgia | 1st week of September–1st week of October | |||
2 | Oreochromis niloticus | June to October (peak in July); (3 months, June–September) | shallow littoral zone | |
3 | Clarias gariepinus | April to July (peaked in June); max catch in Rainy season (peaked in June), min catch in Jan; short breeding period in July; high catch dry season (December-February); the breeding periods (1.5 months, June–July); peak in May | Largest aggregation in Gumara, abundant in the river mouth habitat; found mainly in the deeper open water area | |
4 | Varicorhinus beso | max catch in August, min catch in Sep, Oct and Jan | dominated in the littoral | |
5 | Small barbs | |||
b. humilis | Between March and September | spawn in shallow riverine backwaters during the rainy season | ||
b. tanapelagius | March and September | |||
b. pleurogramma | found only in the flood plain during the rainy season | |||
6 | Large barbs or piscivorous barbs | July to September | breeding period (4 months, mid-June to mid-October) | Gumara river, at Wanzaye. the ‘large’ piscivorous barbs migrate to affluent rivers for spawning |
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Abebe, W.B.; Tilahun, S.A.; Moges, M.M.; Wondie, A.; Derseh, M.G.; Nigatu, T.A.; Mhiret, D.A.; Steenhuis, T.S.; Camp, M.V.; Walraevens, K.; et al. Hydrological Foundation as a Basis for a Holistic Environmental Flow Assessment of Tropical Highland Rivers in Ethiopia. Water 2020, 12, 547. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12020547
Abebe WB, Tilahun SA, Moges MM, Wondie A, Derseh MG, Nigatu TA, Mhiret DA, Steenhuis TS, Camp MV, Walraevens K, et al. Hydrological Foundation as a Basis for a Holistic Environmental Flow Assessment of Tropical Highland Rivers in Ethiopia. Water. 2020; 12(2):547. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12020547
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbebe, Wubneh B., Seifu A. Tilahun, Michael M. Moges, Ayalew Wondie, Minychl G. Derseh, Teshager A. Nigatu, Demesew A. Mhiret, Tammo S. Steenhuis, Marc Van Camp, Kristine Walraevens, and et al. 2020. "Hydrological Foundation as a Basis for a Holistic Environmental Flow Assessment of Tropical Highland Rivers in Ethiopia" Water 12, no. 2: 547. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12020547