Three stations (Sankura, worabe and Wulbareg) are within the watershed, while other three stations (Butajira, Hosaena and Halaba) are out of watershed. 0000003302 00000 n During field observation, constructed terraces were poorly designed and some of the structures are collapsed due to poor maintenance. Uniquely Ethiopian and among the most endangered species are the walia ibex of the Simien Mountains, the mountain nyala (a kind of antelope), and the Simien jackal. The driest of all regions is the Denakil Plain, which receives less than 20 inches (500 mm) and sometimes none at all. Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and GTZ, Addis Ababa, pp 138, Woldu Z, Yeshitela K (2003) Wetland plants in Ethiopia with examples from Illubabor, south-western Ethiopia. 0 0 0 667 0 722 722 667 611 778 0 278 0 667 556 833 Soil loss toleranceorT value is the maximum average annualsoil lossexpressed as tons per acre per year that will permit current production levels to be maintained economically and indefinitely. A brief description of the natural vegetation is provided as well. 1995). (2009) also demonstrated that the catchments of Gilgel Abay, Gumara, Megech and Rib havehigh soil erosionrates with an averagesoilloss of 3065 ton/ha/year. 2). Therefore, the soil erosion could be reduced if the current land use land cover scenario is considered. /CapHeight 716 Other soils having no diagnostic horizons or none other than (unless buried by 50 cm or more new material) an ochric A horizon. /AvgWidth 441 Humic Andosols are the dominant soil type which is mainly found at an altitude of 3,000 m. The other types of soils are shallow Andosols, Lithosols, and Haplic Phaeozems that are mainly common in the area between 2,500 and 3,500 m. The Simien Mountains are highly eroded as a result of human land use practices and as a result of the topography . stream Lithosols are shallow soils consisting of imperfectly weathered rock fragments having sandy clay soil texture classes. Humic Andosols are the dominant soil type which is mainly found at an altitude of 3,000m. The other types of soils are shallow Andosols, Lithosols, and Haplic Phaeozems that are mainly common in the area between 2,500 and 3,500m. The Simien Mountains are highly eroded as a result of human land use practices and as a result of the topography of the area. They occur in the southwest and total 6% of Ethiopia. Discussed further in Frederick J. Simoons, "Snow in Ethiopia: A Review of the Evidence", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Welcome to the official website of Simien Mountains National Park", "Historical Notes on Books: An Early Ethiopian Map", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simien_Mountains&oldid=1131529902, This page was last edited on 4 January 2023, at 15:09. Summer rainfall is received by the Eastern Highlands and by the northern portion of the Western Highlands; annual precipitation there may amount to 55 inches (1,400 mm). J Environ Manag 83(4):448459, Assefa TT, Jha MK, Tilahun SA, Yetbarek E, Adem AA, Wale A (2015) Identificationof erosionhotspotareausingGISand MCE techniquefor kogawatershedin the UpperBlueNileBasin,Ethiopia. Ethiopia), where resources, facilities and trained scientific manpower are scarce, and where food is in short supply. Sci Total Environ 625:13091320, Donker NHW, Damen MCJ(1984)Gullysystemdevelopmentand an assessmentof gullyinitiationriskin MiocenedepositsnearDarocaSpain. Habitats however have been degraded, mainly by grazing of livestock as well as cutting of trees for firewood and clearing of land for planting. Quiz. 10). 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 It is difficult to estimate P_values due to lack of permanent conservation practices, irregularities on the implementation of conservation measures in different topographic position in the watershed. /XHeight 519 The most notable is the Awash River of Ethiopia that terminates in a series of lakes near the border with Djibouti.[2]. The c-values of croplands (0.15), mixed plantations (0.04), grasslands (0.05), woody savannas (0.08), Savannas (0.09), closed shrub lands (0.16), open shrub lands (0.17), with the mean values of 0.08 with standard deviation of 0.05 and maximum and minimum value of 0.17 and 0.04, respectively (Fig. Podzoluvisols showing hydromorphic properties within 50 cm of the surface, Other Podzoluvisols having a base saturation of less than 50 percent (by NH4OAc) in at least a part of the B horizon within 125 cm of the surface. /Subtype /TrueType The watershed covers 123,395 Ha. The Simien Mountains were formed prior to the creation of the Rift Valley, from lava outpourings between 40 and 25 million years ago during the Oligocene period. 722 778 667 0 722 667 611 0 667 944 0 667 0 0 0 0 0000000016 00000 n 6 Tidal flushing must be strong enough to remove the alkalinity formed in the process of pyrite for- mation. % CHERNOZEMS (C)Other soils having a mollic A horizon with a moist chroma of 2 or less to a depth of at least IS cm; having one or more of the following: a calcic or a gypsic horizon, or concentrations of soft powdery lime within 125 cm of the surface when the weighted average textural class is coarse, within 90 cm for medium textures, within 75 cm for fine textures. The result also reveals that most of the watershed erosion severity evaluated under very low and low soil erosion severity classes covering 97.3% of the watershed areas which is due to the effect of mixed plantation of various tree and terraces. The authors thank Worabe Agricultural Research center for facilitating the required resources to complete the field work. PODZOLUVISOLS (D)Other soils having an argillic B horizon showing an irregular or broken upper boundary resulting from deep tonguing of the E into the B horizon or from the formation of discrete nodules (ranging from 2 to 5 cm up to 30 cm in diameter) the exteriors of which are enriched and weakly cemented or indurated with iron and having redder hues and stronger chromas than the interiors. 537; U.S. Department of Agriculture: Washington, DC, USA. /Subtype /TrueType Part of Springer Nature. The current finding on erosion was evaluated based on the past 10years land use land cover scenario; therefore, soil erosion might be reduced if the current land use land cover scenario considered. The result shows that the LS factor for the study watershed ranges from 0 to 78.48. J Ecol 23(7):13281335, WBISPP (Woody Biomass Inventory and Strategic Planning Project) Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regional State (SNNPR) (2011) A strategicplanfor the sustainabledevelopment,conservation,and managementof the woodybiomassresourcesWoodyBiomassInventoryand StrategicPlanningProject. Nitosols having a base saturation of less than 50 percent (by NH4OAc) in at least a part of the B horizon within 125 cm of the surface; having an umbric A horizon or a high organic matter content in the B horizon, or both, Other Nitosols having a base saturation of less than 50 percent (by NH4OAc) in at least a part of the B horizon within 125 cm of the surface. Mt Res Dev 8(23):145151, Hagos M, Koeberl C, Kabeto K, Koller F (2010) Geochemical characteristics of the alkaline basalts and the phonolitetrachyte plugs of the Axum area, northern Ethiopia. However, they are unable to analyze the dynamics of sediment erosion and deposition in the watershed as it contains fewer amounts of input data. (2020), the practices of wood check-dam, level soil bund, Graded soil bund, contour farming, infiltration pit, furrow making, bench terraces with tree Lucerne plantation, Gabions check-dam, mulching, contour farming, planting pit, leaving crop residues after crop harvest and intercropping contributed for low soil erosion in this area. The erodibility values of the study area contain two distinctive values ranging from 0.14 which is Chromic luvisols soil to 0.35 which is Eutric cambisols (Table7 and Fig. 0000004317 00000 n Empirically, plot-based soil loss due to water erosion has been reported by many researchers (for example: Adinarayana et al. The highest Ethiopian mountain is Ras Dejen at 4,550m with the second highest peak of Kidis Yared at 4,453m; other notable peaks include Mount Biuat at 4,437m. The Simien Mountains are remarkable as being one of the few spots in tropical Africa where snow regularly falls. Low soil erosion was recorded from mixed plantation and woody savannas as compared to other land use types as shown in Fig. 9 0 obj The use of models depends on the availability or adequacy of input data. thesis, International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, Enschede, Getaneh W (2002) Geochemistry provenance and depositional tectonic setting of the Adigrat Sandstone northern Ethiopia. /Leading 150 Drier sections of savanna found at lower elevations of the Western and Eastern Highlands contain tropical dry forests mixed with grassland. Correspondence to Mangroves occur along the coast, in muddy wadi mouths and inlets. The result of this study was compared with the original model result. Webbia 19:651681, Wright C, Adamseged Y (1986) An assessment of the causes, severity, extent and probable consequences of degradation on the Ethiopian highlands. However, relief plays a significant role in moderating temperature, so higher elevations experience weather typical of temperate zones. Even on the cool plateaus, where good volcanic soils are found in abundance, crude means of cultivation have exposed the soils to heavy seasonal rain, causing extensive gully and sheet erosion. In: Edwards S, Asfaw Z (eds) The status of some plants in parts of tropical Africa. 1997). Lithosols were defined as: "soils other than Histosols that were limited in depth by continuous coherent and hard rock within 10 cm of the soil surface." In: Braimoh AK, Vlek PLG (eds)Landuseand soilresources. Hawassa, Ethiopia, Wischmeier W, Smith D (1965) Predictingrainfall erosionlossesfrom CroplandEastof theRockyMountains:guidefor selectionof practicesfor soiland waterconservation. Part of Springer Nature. >> Based on land use and slope, P-values collected from similar research work have been used in Wischmeier and Smith (1978) as cited by Bagegnehu et al. There are many species of interest, including the endemic Archer's lark (Heteromirafra archeri), a species of dragon tree (Dracaena ombet), and a large suite of desert ungulates, including the last viable population of African wild ass (Equus africanus somalicus). Land Degrad Dev 15:499512, Merritt WS, Letcher RA, Jakeman AJ (2003) A review of erosion and sediment transport models. Most of the time, the effect of LS factors was considered together in soil erosion studies. implementations of sustainable soil conservation and management system in the ( 2013) classified the land mass of Ethiopia into 60 soil types with an area coverage ranging from 1.4 to 208,882 km 2. This indicates there is a need to quantify the rate of soil erosion for the study watershed. The Reference Soil Group of the Leptosols accommodates very shallow soils over hard rock or highly calcareous material, but also deeper soils that are extremely gravelly and/or stony. . Salinity and sodicity hazard characterization in major irrigated areas and irrigation water . Total annual precipitation varies from 20 to 40 inches (500 to 1,000 mm). Springer, Dordrecht. The soils of Ethiopia can be classified into five principal types. Basement rocks are composed mainly of Tertiary lava flows, although there are also Quaternary basinal deposits at the northern end and pre-Cretaceous basinal deposits on the northern coast of Somaliland. 0000017283 00000 n Remote Sensing (RS) and Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) techniques to quantify Environ Model Softw 18(89):761799, Morgan RPC (1995) Soil erosion and conservation, 2nd edn. Agriculture is the main source of income in Ethiopia. But over the following centuries the central of Ethiopian civilization itself moved to the south, these mountains came to be thought of as lying to the north, and the meaning of the word likewise changed. http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/en/, FAO/IGADD/Italian Cooperation (1998) Soil and terrain database for northeastern Africa and crop production zones. 0000025719 00000 n The rainfall erosivity (R-factor) value of the watershed ranges from 376 to 465 MJmm/ha/year with average erosivity value of 408.9 MJmm/ha/year in (Fig. Agricultural land has been classified into six slope classes and combined with land use and the corresponding values have been assigned to each slope classes. (5.3%) of Ethiopia's 3.7 million hectares . The C Factor is dimensionless and varies from 1 on bare soil to 1/1000 under forest, 1/100 under grasslands and cover plants, and 1 to 9/10 under root and tuber crops (Wischmeier and Smith 1978). A special thank to Ernesto Abbate, Mario Sagri and Milvio Fazzuoli that introduced me to the beauties of the Horn of Africa geology and geomorphology, to Giovanni Ferrari for his inspiring views and, finally, to Fabrizio Vannacci that faithfully assisted me with his laboratory, field and human skills in such a long endeavor. [7] Although the later Scottish traveller James Bruce claims that he had never witnessed snow in the Simien Mountains, the 19th century explorer Henry Salt not only recorded that he saw snow there (on 9 April 1814), but explained the reason for Bruce's failure to see snow in these mountains Bruce had ventured no further than the foothills of the Simiens.[8]. We all have agreed to submit our final manuscript for Modeling Earth Systems and Environment Research journal and approved the submission. GIS Based Soil Loss Estimation Using RUSLE Model: The Case of Jabi Tehinan Woreda, ANRS, Ethiopia. The study area soil groups were clipped from FAO (2012) digital soil map using spatial analyst tool in Arc GIS Environment. Vol: 200(703), p 384, Ritchie JC, Nearing MA, Ritchie CA (2003) Patterns of soil erosion and redeposition on lucky hills watershed, walnut gulch experimental watershed, Arizona. 0 0 0 667 667 722 722 667 611 778 722 278 500 667 556 833 This accounts for the influence of soil and cover management, such as tillage practices, cropping types, crop rotation, fallow, etc., on soil erosion rates. /Flags 32 In order to protect remaining species, the government has set aside 20 national parks, game reserves, and sanctuaries covering a total area of 21,320 square miles (55,220 square km)about 5 percent of the total area of Ethiopia. 2012). /MaxWidth 2000 Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy, You can also search for this author in 0 The off-site effect also generates deposition of soil materials in the reservoirs, irrigation schemes and waterways downstream (Cerd and Doerr 2008). using RUSEL models. Birds include the endemic Archer's lark (Heteromirafra archeri).[2]. Soil erosion could accurately be estimated if and only if the extent and distribution of gullies should be measured. The rainfall is uni-modal type with one long rainy season. Sci Total Env 486486:164179, Osmaston HA, Mitchell WA, Osmaston NJA (2005) Quaternary glaciations of the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia. Considering the effectiveness of integrating erosion models with GIS, many researchers quantified the rate and severity of soil erosion worldwide and southern Region in particular. /CreationDate (D:20171206093231+02'00') Saleem Ullah, Amjad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Veera Narayana Balabathina, R. P. Raju, Gedefaw Tadele, Meena Kumari Kolli, Christian Opp & Michael Groll, Mengie Belayneh, Teshome Yirgu & Dereje Tsegaye, Ebenezer Boakye, F. O. K. Anyemedu, Jonathan A. Quaye-Ballard, Modeling Earth Systems and Environment (2008) estimated that soil loss due to erosion of cultivated fields under standard conditions in Ethiopia amounts to about 42 tons ha1year1. As shown in Fig. /Flags 32 Soils developed over the lava deposits are mainly lithosols, while regosols are predominant on the Quaternary and pre-Cretaceous basinal deposits. U.S.Departmentof AgricultureHandbookNo. As compared to the watershed average annual soil loss rate, 11 sub-watersheds such as R, F, N, C, J, I, G, O, D, A and B have erosion rate of 3.1 ton/ha/year which is above the watershed mean (2.2 ton/ha/year). The topographic (LS) factors represent the effect of both slope length (L) and slope steepness(S) on soil erosion. The mean annual soil loss rate was analyzed based on the sub-watersheds, soil types, land uses, slopes and woreda basis. These soils are formed from volcanic material and, with proper management, have medium to high potential for rain-fed agriculture. J Quat Sci 20(6):593606, Pankhurst R (1995) The history of deforestation and afforestation in Ethiopia prior to World War I. 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Source of income in Ethiopia a significant role in moderating temperature, so higher elevations experience weather typical of zones. //Www.Fao.Org/Countryprofiles/En/, FAO/IGADD/Italian Cooperation ( 1998 ) soil and terrain database for Africa... In tropical Africa where snow regularly falls are shallow soils consisting of imperfectly weathered rock fragments sandy! Provided as well and Environment Research journal and approved the submission a review of erosion and sediment transport.... Food is in short supply relief plays a significant role in moderating temperature, so higher elevations weather. ), where resources, facilities and trained scientific manpower are scarce, and where food is in supply. The time, the soil erosion was recorded from mixed plantation and savannas... The main source of income in Ethiopia a significant role in moderating temperature, so higher elevations experience typical... Of agriculture: Washington, DC, USA, slopes and Woreda basis and basis. Tropical dry forests mixed with grassland gullies should be measured shows that the LS factor the.