The Giba, Tanqwa and Tsaliet Rivers in the Headwaters of the Tekezze Basin

Abstract

The Giba, Tanqwa and Tsaliet rivers in the headwaters of the Tekezze basin are the most important rivers in Dogu’a Tembien and its surroundings. The rivers and their tributaries have cut deep gorges and shaped the landscape. Whereas Ethiopia is well endowed with potential water resources, which are estimated to be around 110 billion m³ per year, these are unequally distributed over the country. Very little of the enormous water resource has been developed for irrigation agriculture, hydropower generation, tourism, and industrial purposes. Despite being a water tower, the country lacks access to clean water and remains as one with the lowest levels of electrical consumption per capita in the world. Furthermore, perturbations in the global water cycle, accompanying climate warming, affect water availability for many regions. This is particularly true for semi-arid regions such as northern Ethiopia, where river discharges are often highly variable within and between years.