In: Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics, vol. 63, no. 3
Dessalegn Dagnew - Christian Guzman - Assefa Zegeye - Tigist Tibebu - Menelik Getaneh - Solomon Abate - Fasikaw Zemale - Essayas Ayana - Seifu Tilahun - Tammo Steenhuis
Details:
Year, pages: 2015, 210 - 219
Keywords:
Runoff; Soil loss; Sediment concentration; Blue Nile Basin; Soil and water conservation.
Original source URL: http://www.ih.savba.sk/jhh
About article:
In response to the continually increasing sediment concentrations in rivers and lakes, the Ethiopian
government is leading an effort where farmers are installing soil and water conservation measures to increase infiltration
and reduce erosion. This paper reports on findings from a four year study in the 95 ha Debre Mawi watershed where
under the government led conservation works, mainly terraces with infiltration furrows were installed halfway in the
period of observation. The results show that runoff volume decreased significantly after installation of the soil and water
conservation practices but sediment concentration decreased only marginally. Sediment loads were reduced mainly
because of the reduced runoff. Infiltration furrows were effective on the hillsides where rain water could infiltrate, but on
the flat bottom lands that become saturated with the progress of the monsoon rain, infiltration was restricted and
conservation practices became conduits for carrying excess rainfall. This caused the initiation of gullies in several
occasions in the saturated bottomlands. Sediment concentration at the outlet barely decreased due to entrainment of loose
soil from unstable banks of gullies in the periodically saturated bottom areas. Since most uphill drainage were already
half filled up with sediments after two years, long term benefits of reducing runoff can only be sustained with continuous
maintenance of uphill infiltration furrows.
How to cite:
ISO 690:
Dagnew, D., Guzman, C., Zegeye, A., Tibebu, T., Getaneh, M., Abate, S., Zemale, F., Ayana, E., Tilahun, S., Steenhuis, T. 2015. Impact of conservation practices on runoff and soil loss in the sub-humid
Ethiopian Highlands: The Debre Mawi watershed. In Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics, vol. 63, no.3, pp. 210-219. 0042-790X (until 2019) .
APA:
Dagnew, D., Guzman, C., Zegeye, A., Tibebu, T., Getaneh, M., Abate, S., Zemale, F., Ayana, E., Tilahun, S., Steenhuis, T. (2015). Impact of conservation practices on runoff and soil loss in the sub-humid
Ethiopian Highlands: The Debre Mawi watershed. Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics, 63(3), 210-219. 0042-790X (until 2019) .