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This study undertook an assessment and gap analysis of the institutional arrangements for improved land and water management in the Tana and Beles Sub-basins highlands of the Blue Nile Basin. We explored the mandates and design features of the major land- and water-related institutional arrangements. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a literature review were used in the analysis. The results of our work reveal that a lot of progress has been made in creating an institutional framework for improved land and water management and the policies and laws hitherto developed reflect global policy changes consistent with the widespread adoption of the integrated water resources management (IWRM) principles. There are also cases where informal institutions replace formal institutions. Judged by their enforcement, the water resources management, pollution control standards, and regulations and land use rights are not enacted effectively because of poor enforcement capacity. Overall there is a tendency to focus on command-and-control type policies. There is a need to strengthen traditional institutions by drawing lessons from their strengths and establish the legitimacy of these institutions. There is also a need to improve formal policy design, developing policies with specific objectives, goals, targets, and overall institutional changes and resources through active adaptive management to maximize the level and effectiveness of institutional learning. Finally, more focus needs to be given to incentive-based policies through increased use of positive incentives and more emphasis needs to be given to self-enforcement rather than third-party enforcement. KEY WORDS: institutional design, policy choices, Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia, Africa, Introduction Land and water institutions play a vital role in managing and sustaining resources as well as in economic development and poverty alleviation (Ananda, Crase, & Pagan, 2006; Hannam, 2003). [...]

It is a familiar exercise in hydrology to characterize river basins into hydrologically homogeneous regions by using parameters suited to explain typical hydrological variables such as extreme and annual flows. This paper discusses regionalization of the Blue Nile River Basin (BNRB) by using statistical techniques and describes the selection of best-fit distribution models to estimate the flood frequency of the basin; such undertakings have not been made before. The BNRB is delineated into five homogeneous regions based on statistical parameters of station data. Approximately 14 different distributions are analyzed. The generalized logistic model is the best fit for Regions I and IV. Log-Pearson Type III distribution is appropriate for Region II. Lognormal and generalized extreme value distributions are selected for Regions III and V, respectively. For all distributions, probability weighted moment parameter estimation method is most efficient, but for log-Pearson Type III, ordinary moments are chosen. For each region, a unique regional flood frequency curve is developed. These curves are important to estimate the flood quantiles of ungauged catchments in the data scarce area of the basin; hence, they meet the needs of water engineers who currently face tremendous challenges in designing small and medium hydraulic structures in the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focus of this article is to explore whether access to selected agricultural water management (AWM) technologies has led to significant reduction in poverty and, if they did so, to identify which technologies had higher impacts. In measuring impact we estimated the average treatment effect for the treated on crop income and measured the differences in consumption expenditures per adult equivalent of those with access and without access using matched data. The estimated average treatment effect was significant and amounted to USD 82 per season. Moreover, there was 24 less poverty incidence among users of AWM technologies compared to nonusers. All technologies were found to have significant poverty reducing impacts with micro dams, deep wells, river diversions, and ponds leading to 37%, 26%, 11%, and 9% reduction in poverty incidence compared to rainfed system. Finally, our study identified the most important correlates of poverty on the basis this we made the policy recommendations to build assets (AWM technologies, livestock, etc); to enhance human resource development and improve the functioning of labor markets for enhanced impact of AWM technologies on poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia has an irrigation potential of 5.3 million ha (Mha) of which 3.7 Mha can be developed using surface water sources, and 1.6 Mha using groundwater and rainwater management. Irrigation contributes to rapid transformation of agriculture as present-day agriculture is dominated by rainfed single crops. The current irrigation development in Ethiopia is about 0.7 Mha, and the performance of the existing schemes is not well understood. As the country is planning to expand irrigated agriculture in the next five years, it will be useful to review existing performance and to identify areas for interventions that help revitalize underperforming systems. In this paper, we have investigated the performances of irrigation at three levels: (a) national level for broad performance, (b) regional level for small-scale irrigation and (c) scheme level for large-scale irrigation. National level indicators measure (i) the relative proportion of operating schemes, (ii) ratio of actually cultivated area to planned command area and (iii) relative number of benefited to targeted number of households. The result shows that 86.5% of schemes are operating, 74.1% of command area is under cultivation and only 46.8% of the planned beneficiaries have benefited from implemented irrigation. For regional level irrigation performances, the regions of Southern Nations and Nationalities and Oromia Regions were investigated. We used technological (structural) and management factors as measures of performances. Sixty-four underperforming schemes were sampled from the two regions to analyse the causes. About 30 parameters were identified as causes of underperformance. Watershed degradation related problems that are causing erosion and sedimentation of water control and conveyance structures are found to be the major cause for structural failures, while lack of sustainable funding, extension of agronomic practice, and post harvest technologies are identified as the top management-related problems. For evaluating performances of large-scale schemes, we used irrigation water delivery performance and output performance indicators applied to six large-scale schemes. Scheme level performance indicators results showed that all of the schemes considered have supplied adequate to excess amounts of water during the period. The Wonji scheme that uses pump diversion showed higher water use efficiency than other schemes that are using simple gravity diversion types. In this case it might be the running costs of pumps that have encouraged efficient management of water. In terms of output performance, sugarcane based irrigation schemes are superior and up to ten times that of banana, cotton, and maize or tobacco production. The results of these assessments are useful for decision-makers and disclosed the low performance of the existing irrigation schemes. They also indicated the need to revitalize existing schemes to improve performance in parallel to the implementation of new projects. The paper also provided new indicators of evaluation of performance with respect to national level, structural and management related performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lake Tana is valuable for many people, including the communities who live around the lakeshore, those living on islands and close to the Blue Nile River, which flows from it. The area has been identified as a region for irrigation and hydropower development, which are vital for food security and economic growth in Ethiopia. This report presents findings from an integrated multidisciplinary study that was conducted to investigate the implications of this development. The study comprised three components: i) an environmental flow evaluation; ii) a stakeholder analysis of the impact of current infrastructure and water management; and iii) computer modeling of future water resources development. The study found that existing water resources development, for hydropower generation, has modified flows downstream of the lake, reduced water levels of the lake and significantly decreased flow over the Tis Issat Waterfall. Interviews with stakeholders indicate that the changes have benefited some people but have adversely affected others. Future development will exacerbate pressure on the lake. If all the planned development occurs, the mean water level of the lake will drop by 0.44 meters (m), and the average surface area will decrease by 30 square kilometers (km²) (i.e., 1%) and up to 81 km² (i.e., 2.6%) during some dry seasons. There will be prolonged periods of several years during which water levels will be much lower than they would be naturally. If environmental flow requirements (estimated to average 862 Mm³y-1) are maintained in the reach containing the Tis Issat Waterfall, the mean water level of the lake will reduce by a further 0.37 m and the average lake area will reduce by an additional 26 km². Without careful management these changes are likely to have severe ecological and social consequences. Hard choices must be made about how the water is best utilized. It is important that all stakeholders, including local people, are involved in the decision-making process and benefit from investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation development has been identified as an important tool to stimulate economic growth and rural development, and is considered as a cornerstone of food security and poverty reduction in Ethiopia. While a lot of effort is being exerted towards irrigation development, little attempt is being made to quantify the contribution of irrigation to national income. This study is an attempt in that direction by quantifying the actual and expected contribution of irrigation to the Ethiopian national economy for the 2005/2006 and 2009/2010 cropping seasons using the adjusted net gross margin analysis. Our results show that irrigation generates an average income of approximately US$323/hectare (ha) under smallholder-managed irrigation systems compared to an average income of US$147/ha for rainfed systems. This indicates that, after accounting for annual investment replacement cost, the adjusted gross margin from irrigation is 219.7% higher than the gross margin from rainfed agriculture. The gross margin from medium- and large-scale systems was calculated to be US$400/ ha and US$1,308/ha, respectively. Based on our calculations, irrigation contributed approximately 5.7 and 2.5% to agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the overall GDP, respectively, during the 2005/2006 cropping season. By the year 2009/2010, the contribution of irrigation to agricultural GDP and overall GDP is estimated to be approximately 9 and 3.7%, respectively. After relaxing some of the underlying assumptions, the future contribution of irrigation to agricultural GDP rises to approximately 12% while the contribution to overall GDP will be approximately 4%. To realize these outcomes, besides the obvious task of developing the planned irrigation infrastructure, there is a need to: i) improve the provision of agricultural inputs including high-value crops, ii) improve the performance of the agricultural extension system to support irrigation to enhance efficiency and productivity, iii) improve market access conditions and marketing infrastructure, and iv) improve the management of schemes to increase efficiency at all levels. Additional policy implications for cost recovery and sustainability of irrigation investment are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical parameters of Lakes Abaya and Chamo in the Ethiopian rift lakes system, including such physical characteristics as depth, water resources capacity, hydrology, water balances, and impacts of water use and degradation of their watersheds. These parameters have not previously been studied for these two lakes to any significant extent. This study describes the bathymetry survey undertaken for these two lakes, and the morphometric characteristics derived from it. This study is part of a research project developed to provide further details on such parameters as hydrology, water quality, sediment inflows and deposition, lake hydrodynamics and consumptive water uses. The bathymetric survey was conducted, utilizing a combination of global positioning system (GPS) and echo sounder. To calculate the morphometric characteristics, the background lake map was digitized, and the surveyed primary data were developed as digital values. The digital values were interpolated, generating grids of the elevation surface. The elevation area and elevation volume curves (capacity curves) of the two lakes were developed from the digital values, describing the water resources capacity of the lake water basins. The results of this study increase our understanding of the water resources of these two lakes, as well as provide better understanding of their vulnerability to human activities because of their shallow depths. Immediate application of the results, as a basis for continuation of this study, also is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is few available information regarding the water resource systems of Abaya Lake and Chamo Lake, which are found in the Southern Rift Valley Region of Ethiopia. This paper describes modelling of the water balance components of these lakes, as well as the impacts of water uses, and sediment transport and deposition in the lakes. The various parameters and data needed for the water balance model are derived on the basis of various surveys, analysis of data and modelling efforts. The watershed characteristics are derived using geographical information system, whereas the morphometry of the lakes is investigated by undertaking bathymetry surveys. The hydrometeorological components of this lake system also were investigated through the development of relevant database and information systems, by identifying regional relationships, and by a rainfall-run-off model. These information systems have subsequently been integrated to model the water balance of the two lakes, and simulating the in-lake water levels. Several scenarios reflecting the natural conditions, water consumptive development possibilities, and sedimentation impacts have been investigated in this study. Based on the model simulation results, and on the computation of the life expectancies of the two lakes, it was found that sediment inflow and deposition significantly threaten their existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the Ethiopian Environmental Policy with focus on the institutional set-up and implemented Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures. The evaluation of EIA is done against a set of evaluation criteria. Specific legal provision for EIA application is well documented and the Environmental Protection Authority exists as the legal body. A chronological evaluation of the establishment of the environmental policy reveals that this process was more a result of donor requirements than of political will. Inconsistency on institutional level, non-existence of complementarities between institutions, and of environmental and investment policy and proclamations, contradict the enforcement of the EIA law. Furthermore lack of multidisciplinary experts, missing environmental baseline data, and lack of monitoring and post-auditing adversely affect the effectiveness of the EIA law. The paper concludes that, besides other important measures, the Ethiopian EIA law needs to be adapted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]