Water balance variability in the confined Aba'ala limestone graben at the western margin of the Danakil depression, northern Ethiopia

Hailemariam Meaza Gebregergs*, Amaury Frankl, Jean Poesen, Amanuel Zenebe, Veerle Van Eetvelde, Biadgilgn Demissie, Tesfaalem Ghebreyohannes Asfaha, Jozef Deckers, Dirk Raes, Jan Nyssen

*Corresponding author

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

Abstract

Marginal grabens are major development corridors in Ethiopia, and need to be understood for proper assessment of the hydrological budget. This study investigates the water balance of the Aba'ala graben (553km(2)) in the period 2015-2016 under the challenge of data scarcity. We measured the rainfall and river discharge in order to analyse the runoff components of the graben. The rainfall volume in the Aba'ala graben showed erratic behaviour, which led to rapid flood runoff of the major river into the graben bottom. The average annual inflow and outflow of the graben bottom for the period 2015-2016 amounted to 364 and 254 hm(3), respectively. However, flood runoff and evapotranspiration had a marked effect on water availability. Water storage took 36% of the water inflow into the graben bottom. Sustainable water management could reduce the temporal variation of the water storage in Aba'ala graben.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftHydrological Sciences Journal
Vol/bind63
Udgave nummer6
Sider (fra-til)957-977
Antal sider21
ISSN0262-6667
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 26 apr. 2018
Udgivet eksterntJa

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