Rivers in Ethiopia have their own size, structure, and destinations. Despite its location closer to the Sahel Deseret, Ethiopia is a land of green and dry, rivers, and mountains. “Ethiopia is where everything began. It is the cradle of life the home of the greatest mountains, the spirit of greatness the home of the lions, the largest ecosystem of many unique species, and the longest rivers. Rivers are the symbol of one country and also the symbol of life. Ethiopia is the symbol of life and the home of nature.
This beautiful country is located in the Horn of Africa. It has occupied a total area that is 1, 126,829 square kilometers, making the country the 27th largest country in the world. Ethiopia is bordered by Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, and Kenya.
The country is characterized by a vast complex of mountains, lowlands, dissecting plateaus, semi-desert, and tropical forests. And also the greatest civilization occurred following the Nile basin which is one of the largest rivers in the whole world.
A river is a natural stream of water that is fairly large and flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels. Though it begins with streams which become larger and larger on its way up to its final destination.
And it is said that rivers are the most powerful, effective, and ubiquitous geomorphic agents, capable to shape the Earth’s surface and to produce a large variety of landscapes.
The following article focuses on Rivers in Ethiopia and that flows within the boundaries of the country or those which flows across many countries like the Nile river which have greater impacts on those nations that share the water from eastern Africa up to Egypt which we can see now likewise Egypt and Ethiopia. We will see about the major rivers and other rivers that are found in Ethiopia, their list, in which ocean or basin they flow in to, and also rivers that flows through the capital city Addis Ababa.
Although most of the rivers found in Addis Ababa are polluted, we will see what the major causes of the pollutions are. What are the impacts of the pollution what should be consider protecting and treating these rivers?
We get a glimpse of Ethiopian rivers their structures their characters and also what rivers are cross country or those rivers which flow within Ethiopian boundaries and the rivers found in Addis Ababa and about their conditions.
So, how many rivers does Ethiopia have and what are their names, and where do they is found? Ethiopia has many rivers that are included within the boundaries of Ethiopia and beyond that and nine major rivers. which may also cross to other countries like the Nile river. Here are the major rivers that are found in Ethiopia or that flows in the land of Ethiopia.
Rivers in Ethiopia: River Nile
River Nile is one of the rivers in Ethiopia. It is the 2nd largest stream within the world when it is at its highest. It is the lifetime of Africa up to northern Egypt and it is the starting point of civilization principally for Ethiopian and for Egyptians. Both countries lived on its bank and depended on it for their survival and development.
The waters of stream Nile River square measure shared by eleven countries, particularly Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan, Congo, Kenya, Eritrea, South Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Two of its tributaries blue and White Niles. Wherever the White Nile is the headwater of the river.
The Nile River may be a major supply of irrigation and hydro-electricity in Egypt. The stream has conjointly been a significant supply of conflict between North and North-Eastern African countries. Egypt has been suspecting of dominating the resources of the stream particularly by constructing the Aswan High Dam. The development of another Dam by Ethiopians on the stream is seen as a threat by Egypt and presently changing into a supply of confusion between these countries.
The supply of the Blue Nile stream is Lake Tana and flows to the western a part of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and into the northwest of Sudan. The higher course of the Blue Nile stream is named Abbay. The Blue Nile contributes quite half the Nile’s stream flow and additionally supports the support of communities living on its banks. The Ethiopian government has created a mega-dam, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that creates a political fusion between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Egypt and additionally America.
Rivers in Ethiopia 1: River Nile
Rivers in Ethiopia: Awash Nile
Its course is entirely contained among the boundaries of Ethiopia and it merges into a sequence of interconnected lakes. The supply of the inundated stream is Mount Warqe and flows to inundated park its tributaries together with Logiya, Mille, Kabenna, Hawadi, and Durkham Rivers.
The inundated stream depression is home to several species just like the African ass, Beisa Oryx, Dorcasantelope, and Equus grevyi. in keeping with the Ethiopian, Central applied math Agency, the inundated stream is 1200 kilometers long. Cotton is fully grown within the fertile inundated stream depression, and dams provide electrical power.
Rivers in Ethiopia 2: Awash Nile
Rivers in Ethiopia: Shebelle Nile
If you travel to the east of Ethiopia, you will find the Shebelle river. The name “Shebelle” springs from a Somali word Webi Shabeellex which means “tiger” or “leopard”. The Shebelle stream originates from the highlands of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and flows into the African nation, wherever it becomes a seasonal body of water, as an alternative rising and disappearing at totally different times of the year. The stream covers a distance of 702 miles creating it the fourth-longest stream in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Shebelle stream has each seasonal and permanent tributary. Together with the Erestream, Galetti stream, and Wabe stream.
The stream is encircled by a sacred enclosure that’s jungly with juniper trees. The region through that the Shebeli flows is occupied by Somalis, Bantu-speaking folks, and Oromo. Cultivation has, for the most part, replaced pastoral nomadism within the river’s lower basin, and therefore the bananas fully grown on the southern reaches of the Shebeli, and therefore the Jubba compose an oversized portion of Somalia’s export trade.
Rivers in Ethiopia 3: Shebelle Nile
Rivers in Ethiopia: Omo Nile
Omo stream is the largest stream outside the Nile that is found in the southwestern Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Japanese continent. It rises within the Ethiopian highland and flows southward for concerning four hundred miles (644 km) into the northern finish of Lake Rudolf; it’s the lake’s solely perennial affluent.
The lower Omo depression is made in life and additionally, the complete Omo geographic region is vital geologically and archaeologically. Many hominid fossils and anthropology localities, qualitative analysis to the epoch and epoch, and thanks to its several archeological reasons, it had been selected a UNESCO World Heritage website in 1980. Situated on the stream is that the Gilgel Gibe II electricity station that was inaugurated.
The stream passes varied scenery, together with an open gallery forest of tamarinds and figs, alive with colobus. Below the cover on the stream, banks are also seen several colorful birds goliath herons, blue breasted coraciiform bird, white-cheeked turacos, emerald noticed wood doves, and red-fronted bee-eaters square measure all-satisfying sights.
Rivers in Ethiopia 4: Omo Nile
Rivers in Ethiopia: Genale Doriya River
The stream is found in the southeastern Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. it’s a perennial stream. Rising within the mountains east of Aleta Wendo, the Genale flows south and east to affix with the Dawa at the border with African nation. The river’s tributaries embody the Welmel, Weyib (also referred to as Gestro), Dumale, Doya, Hawas, And therefore the Hambala.
Rivers in Ethiopia 5: Genale Doriya River
Rivers in Ethiopia: Atbara River
The name is Arabic that is known as when a town situated in Nile stream northeastern Sudan? The Atbara River rises within the Ethiopian highlands north of Lake Tsana and flows westward into Sudan, then meets with the Angereb and Satīt (Tekeze) rivers before heading northwestward to the Nile River. This connects Ethiopia and Sudan. Therefore, the stream flows into Sudan and reaches the Nile.
Rivers in Ethiopia 6: Atbara River
Rivers in Ethiopia: Tekeze River
Tekeze stream starts within the central Ethiopian Highlands close to close to, Tekeze additionally spelled Takaze, Arabic Nahr Satīt, river, a significant tributary of the Atbara stream, itself a tributary of the Nile River. Ethiopia, and flows in an exceedingly deep vale, north so west, wherever it forms a part of the border between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Eritrea, to enter Sudan below Om Hajer.
The Tekezé stream is 608 kilometers (378 mi) long. The canon that it’s created is that the deepest incontinent and one among the deepest within the world, at some points having a depth of over 2000 meters. Although it’s some history back that the Tekezé served as an early link between Ethiopia and Egypt. The Kebra Nagast, that received its current kind within the thirteenth century, states that king Menelik I came back to Ethiopia by following this stream from Egypt.
Rivers in Ethiopia 7: Tekeze River
Rivers in Ethiopia: Dawa River
The Dawa stream starts because the Mormora and Awata rivers that flow down the Japanese slopes of the Sidamo mountains Rising within the mountains east of Aleta Wendo, the Dawa flows south and east to affix with the Genale Dorya at the border with African nation (shared with African nation and Somalia) The Dawa stream is that the largest tributary of the Genale stream and forms a part of the Genale–Dawa basin.
It drains nearly a 3rd of Genale’s basin space. The Dawa stream then loops spherical in an exceedingly south-easterly direction till it joins the Ethiopia–Kenya border close to Melka Mure and continues east on the border for a hundred and fifty clicks till connexon the Genale stream at Dolo on the Ethiopia–Somalia border. Many seasonal rivers and streams feed into the Dawa.
The most important trees within the riverine forest on this lower section of the Dawa stream square measure genus Diospyrosmespliformis, dicot genus sycamores, Mimusops liqueur, tamarind, and mahogany tree Trichilia emetica. Shrubs of Dicot Genuscapreaefolia cowl abundant of the bank, and their square measure reed beds within the stream.
Rivers in Ethiopia 8: Dawa River
Rivers in Ethiopia: Baro River
The Baro watercourse is that the solely passable watercourse in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The watercourse is accessible by land or air through the western Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Gambella, however, it’s settled in the southwestern Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia that defines a part of Ethiopia’s border with South Sudan. The Baro watercourse is made by the confluence the Birber and Gebba Rivers, east of Metu within the Illubabor zone of Oromiya region.
Rivers in Ethiopia 9: Baro River
Rivers in Ethiopia: Angereb River
Angereb additionally called the Bahr as-Salam could be a watercourse of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and jap Sudan, and one in each of the sources of the river. It rises close to Daqwa, north of Gondar within the Ethiopian Region, flowing west to hitch the Atbara watercourse that flows to Sudan. Additionally, it contains several birds and animal species.
Rivers in Ethiopia 10: Angereb River
Rivers in Ethiopia: Mereb River
The Mereb watercourse (or Gash watercourse), could be a watercourse flowing out of the central State of Eritrea. Its chief importance is processing a part of the boundary between the State of Eritrea and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Mereb watercourse is 440 kilometers (270 mi) long. The Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources reports its Ethiopian geographic region as five,700 sq. kilometers.
Its source rises south-west of national capital in the central State of Eritrea. It flows south, bordering the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, then west through the western State of Eritrea to achieve the Sudanese plains close to Kassala. not like the Setit or Takazze watercourse, that flows out of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and additionally forms a natural border with the State of Eritrea, the waters of the Mareb do typically not reach the river however dissipate within the sands of the jap Sudanese plains.
The Mareb is dry for an abundance of the year, however just like the Takazze is subject to unforeseen floods throughout the rainy season; solely the neighborhood of the higher course of the Mareb is in Ethiopian territory. Its main tributaries square measure the Obel watercourse on the correct bank (in Eritrea) and therefore the Sarana, Balasa, Mai Shawesh, and ‘Engweya Rivers on the left (in Ethiopia). Rivers in Ethiopia 11: Mereb River
Ethiopia has additionally twelve water course basins that are: Abbay, Awash, BaroAkobo, Genale-Dawa, Mereb, Omo-Gibe, valley, Tekeze, Wabe-Shebele, Afar-Denakil, Ogaden and Aysh with a complete quantity of 122 Billion Meter cube-like (BMC) annual runoff There square measure loads of rivers in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and that we cannot end listing them among this short article however I’m tried to place some in some categorical manner.
Lake Tana flows into the following rivers
- Lesser Abay
- Magech River
- Lesser Angereb
- Reb River
- Gumara River
- Adar River
- Yabus River
- Daga River
- Sobat River
- Baro River
- Jikawo River
- Alero River
- Birbir River
- Dipa River
- Gebora River
- Karsa River
- Gebba River
- Sor River
- Pibor River
- Gilo River
- Akobo River
Rivers flow into the Indian ocean
- Jubba River
- Shebelle River
- Fafen River
- Jerer River
- Erer River
- Ramis River
- Galetti River
- Dungeta River Gololcha River
- Ganale Dorya River Mena River
- Weyib River
- Welmel River
- Dawa River
Rivers that flow into the Endorheic Basins
- Awash River
- Logiya River
- Mille River
- Ala River
- Golima River
- Borkana River
- Ataye River
- Hawadi River
- Kabenna River
- Germama River
- Durkham River
- Keleta River
- Mojo River
- Akaki River
- Dechatu River
- Meki River
- Katar River
- Bilate River
- Kulfo River
- Weito River
- Sagan River
- Kibish River
- Omo River
- Usno River
- Mago River
- Neri River
- Mui River
- Mantsa River
- Zigina River
- Denchya River RiverGojeb River
- Gibe River
- Gilgel Gibe River
- Maze River
- Awash River
- Logiya River
- Mille River
- Ala River
- Golima River
- Borkana River
- Ataye River
- Hawadi River
- Kabenna River
- Germama River
- Durkham River
- Keleta River
- Mojo River
- Akaki River
- Meki River
- Katar River
- Bilate River
- Kulfo River
- Weito River
- Sagan River
- Kibish River
- Omo River
- Usno River
- Mago River
- Neri River
- Mui River
- Mantsa River
- Zigina River
- Denchya River
- Gojeb River
- Gibe River
- Gilgel Gibe River
- Maze River
Addis Ababa Rivers
The tributaries of the Akaki watercourse embody Kebena, BancheYeketu, Kortame, Bulbula, LequSoramba, and kotebe, and Fincha rivers, etc. Akaki watercourse consists of 2 main branches, the confluence of that at the Aba-Samuel reservoir. very little Akaki flows through the western a part of the town, rises north-west of Addis Ababa on the flanks of Wechacha Mountain and flows for forty metric linear units before it reaches the reservoir and also the huge Akaki watercourse flows through part of the town that rises from the north-east part of Addis Ababa (Entoto Kidane Miheret) space and flows into Aba-Samuel reservoir once fifty-three metric linear unit.
The most water resources that give the town by synthetic water reservoirs within the inundated basin, particularly Legedadi, Gefersa, Dire, and Aba prophet. Aside from Aba prophet, all reservoirs provide domestic and industrial water.
The Aba prophet Reservoir was made within the late Nineteen Thirties for electricity generation, and these days a number of the municipal and industrial effluents are discharged into this reservoir.
It’s according that the Akaki well field provides half-hour of the water system of Addis Ababa and it needs correct geological formation management. The African nation has termed the reservoir of the continent because of its combination of mountainous areas with a relatively massive share of water resources incontinent. Solely a fraction of this potential has been used currently to this point to become the powerhouse of continent African nation is now pushing forward to largest dam comes and programs.
Thus, it is the rivers that play the best role. However, several of the comebacks lack to satisfy the correct and want of the habitats and also the system in this space.
The conditions of rivers found in Addis Ababa: in the African nation, from the increasing human population, uncontrolled urbanization and inadequate sanitation infrastructure cause serious quality degradation of surface waters. currently, a day’s pollution from disposal of commercial waste is changing into Associate in Nursing environmental concern in Addis Ababa town and its locality areas, wherever most (More than four-hundredth of enormous and medium scale producing industries are situated.
As a result, several rivers and streams are heavily contaminated as they flow through major cities and cities. Pollutants will enter surface waters from purpose sources like single-source industrial discharges and waste treatment plants.
However, most pollutants result from non-point supply pollution activities together with runoff from agricultural lands, urban areas, construction, and industrial sites, and unsuccessful septic tanks. Thus, Environmental pollution of the Addis Ababa watercourses significantly Akaki River has been an issue of concern for several students, establishments, the affected community, and lots of environmental teams. Each solid and liquid waste generated from antecedently mentioned sources contribute to the pollution of Addis Ababa Rivers. Addis Ababa holds quite 0.5 % of the country’s industries.
SUMMARY
We have seen that Ethiopia has many rivers that are included within its boundaries and beyond that and nine major rivers, and many other rivers that flow within the country or beyond. These include the Nile River, Awash River, Baro River, Genale Dorya River, Omo River, Tekeze River, Shebelle River, The Atbara River, Mereb River, Angereb River, Weyib River, and Dawa River.
Although Ethiopia has many rivers that flow throughout the country the rivers are not preserved well as we can see now on Addis Ababa and many of them are endangered that is the responsibility of every person in the country because we are the one who is benefited from them and as long as we keep them safe we are secured because nature is venerable if we cannot use it properly.