Ecohydrology-as a Nature Based Solution to

Addressing Water Ecosystems Adverse Effects of

climate change and Economic Development in

Ethiopia

Yohannes Zerihun

Coordinator, Ecohydrology Office

Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

yhnnszerihun@gmail.com

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UNESCO Category 2 - Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management

(RC-IRBM), Kaduna NIGERIA Workshop Paper

CONTENT

Background & Introduction

Policy Responses

Implementation of IWRM & EH in Ethiopia

African Regional Center for Ecohydrology

Conclusion and Recommendations

Acknowledgment

1.Introduction

Locationlatitude 3o and 15o North and longitude 30o and 48o east.

Area 1.2 million square kilometer.

Altitudinal :

4620 masl at Ras Dashen in the Semien (freezing temperature)

160mbsl at in the Dallol Depression( ≥ 600c) 3

Ertale volcano

about 50 percent of African mountains above 2,000 meters, are in Ethiopia

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50% of the total area is mountainous95% of the total arable land90% of the total population and 60% of livestock

(Source: MoA, 2000)

The basic ecological elements:

climate,

physiography,

soils,

vegetation,

farming systems, etc

33 Agroecological zones(AEZs) of Ethiopia

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UNESCO Category 2 - Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management (RC-IRBM), Kaduna, NIGERIA Workshop

Papers 6

12 major river basins (123Bm3/y)

Ground water resources 28Bm3/y

Wetlands covers an area of 13,699 km2 or 1.14% of the country’s land surface

UNESCO Category 2 - Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management (RC-IRBM), Kaduna,

NIGERIA Workshop Papers 7

Ethiopia’s primary water resource managementchallenges are its extreme hydrologicalvariability and seasonality and the internationalnature of its most significant surface waterresources.

Variability is most obviously manifest inendemic, devastating droughts and floods. Lessapparent is the broad range of impactsvariability and seasonality have on the Ethiopianeconomy, even in good rainfall years.

Water ES BD hot Spot

Status

Introduction

IUCN,2014

Source: Ethiopia’s Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Ethiopia: Summary of Threats by ecosystems

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Land degradation,

• deforestation,

• improper agricultural prac.

• overgrazing,

Environmental CHALLENGES in Ethiopia

Terrestrial Ecosystems:

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Aquatic Ecosystems:

Sedimentation

Pollution

EutrophicationConversion of Wetland/Buffers into Agricultural,

Urban and Industrial overgrazing,

Environmental Problems in Ethiopia

Flooding

RFV Vs. GDP

Population

temperature

Exacerbated By

Sedimentation

pollution,

eutrophication,Overexploitation.

UNESCO Category 2 - Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management (RC-IRBM), Kaduna, NIGERIA

Workshop Papers 14

Historical Development of Main policies for WRM in Ethiopia in chronological order

EH

UNESCO Category 2 - Regional Centre for

Integrated River Basin Management (RC-

IRBM), Kaduna, NIGERIA Workshop Papers 16

Implementation of EH & IWRM in Ethiopia

UNESCO Category 2 - Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management (RC-IRBM), Kaduna, NIGERIA

Workshop Papers 17

o IWRM Issues in Ethiopia

o MoWIE

o Basin High Council

o Basin Authorities

“Ecohydrology – a transdisciplinary science for integrated water resources and sustainable development in Ethiopia for the year 2008-2012”

Capacity Building EH demo sites

Zalewski,2009

After 6 months

Sediment trap potential: the upper figure shows the 2010 constracted checkdam; the lower figure – the result of sediments retained away from the reservoir

Reduction of dioxin pollution with sedimentation-biofiltration system

BEA ASSELA BRANCH

(WVD) in Gumera basin, Ethiopia, in the

period 1970-1999.

Long term Gumera River annual

discharges in the period 1959-2006

Mean annual air temperature in the Gumera

basin, Ethiopia, in the period 1971-1999.

Precipitation (mm) around Debretabor

(head water) in the period 1980-2006

Source: Kędziora A. 2011, modified

Drying air

Drying land

Mean Vapour Demand (MVD)Hotter

air

Stable

rainfall

Changing climatic variables and aggravating water deficit

Evaporation is energy

consuming process (2,45 MJ/kg H2O).

ECOLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL FUNCTIONOF THE LANDSCAPE

Application of biodegradable geotextile for the

rehabilitation of degraded land in Lake Tana

catchment – Gum / Rib Rivers

6 months later

1 2

3 4

Ecotone integrated with and check dam

Ecological Engineering for water, biodiversity society at Lake Tana Littoral Zone

(Zenzelima Kebele)

Echiochloa(ሻፍሪ)

Increased CC (water(qual. &quan.), biodiversity, ES &SE)

High milk productivityNo CO2 emission/

Green energy/

Co2 sequestration

Farming up to the edge of the Lake

Awareness Creation

Synergy Avoid duplication

Ecohydrology

as a new tool for

Integrated Watershed

Management

scenario-based planning

Multidisciplinary Team Composition

• University

• Ministry of Agriculture

• Regional Bureau of Agriculture

• Research Centers

• City Administration

• Private sector

• Fishers

• Local people

• MoWIE Coordinator

African Regional Center for Ecohydrology (ARCE) u/a of UNESCO

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2nd Intl. EH Symposium

UNESCO Category 2 - Regional Centre for

Integrated River Basin Management (RC-

IRBM), Kaduna, NIGERIA Workshop Papers 31

Practical Knowledge Sharing on Ecohydrological Systemic Solution

1. In the face of demographic and climate change andeconomic development conservation is not enough.Carrying capacity of ecosystems need to be enhancedand, to this end, appropriate mechanism must be putin place which is a nature based Transdisciplinaryscience -Ecohydrology

Conclusions

2. Strong cooperation among water related center, toput into practice Ecohydrology, is crucial

Traditional and new integrative education model of environmental and sustainability scientists and engineers necessary for achieving sustainable development [based on concepts described in Zalewski (2013)]

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THANK YOU