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Evaluation of Existing Environmental Protection Policies and Practices Vis-a-Vis Sustainable Water Resources Development in Didessa Sub-Basin, West Ethiopia


Affiliations
1 Dept. of Civil Engineering, College of Enginering (A), Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530 003, A. P., India
 

In the effort to alleviate poverty and bring about sustainable development, Ethiopia is on the move to optimally utilize its natural resources, and hence the country has launched many water resources development projects aiming at the intensification of agricultural production and hydropower development. The Didessa Sub-basin is one of such watersheds where a number of large water management projects have been planned. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental impact assessment (EIA) practices against the country's existing environmental protection and water resources management legislations, with an emphasis on Arjo-Didessa Dam and Reservoir Project. Documents on environmental protection and water resources management legislations, EIA report of the project and data on land use/cover and soils of the dam and reservoir area were considered for the study. The existence of EIA legislations and institutions would create the impression that the government is determined to national and global environmental concerns. Due to the project, about 98.6 km2 of land with grasslands and riverine forest cover, and fertile soils with convenient land slope will be inundated by water. Besides, the role the community played in the project planning and EIA study was found to be inadequate. Although water withdrawal due to Arjo-Didessa Irrigation Project (about 19.75% of the mean annual stream flow at the dam site) is within the desired range of sustainable water resources development; and the mean annual instream flow requirements of 0.9 billion cubic meters (BCM) is fully delivered, the study has shown that some of the important decision making parameters of EIA like environmental flows assessment, dam-break analysis, environmental costs, and economic analysis, were bypassed, as observed from the EIA report of Arjo-Didessa Dam and Reservoir Project, although these are demanded by the environmental protection legislations.

Keywords

Arjo-Didessa Dam EIA, Environmental Protection Policies, Sustainable Water Resources.
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  • Evaluation of Existing Environmental Protection Policies and Practices Vis-a-Vis Sustainable Water Resources Development in Didessa Sub-Basin, West Ethiopia

Abstract Views: 271  |  PDF Views: 1

Authors

Tena Bekele Adgolign
Dept. of Civil Engineering, College of Enginering (A), Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530 003, A. P., India
G. V. R. Srinivasa Rao
Dept. of Civil Engineering, College of Enginering (A), Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530 003, A. P., India
Yerramsetty Abbulu
Dept. of Civil Engineering, College of Enginering (A), Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530 003, A. P., India

Abstract


In the effort to alleviate poverty and bring about sustainable development, Ethiopia is on the move to optimally utilize its natural resources, and hence the country has launched many water resources development projects aiming at the intensification of agricultural production and hydropower development. The Didessa Sub-basin is one of such watersheds where a number of large water management projects have been planned. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental impact assessment (EIA) practices against the country's existing environmental protection and water resources management legislations, with an emphasis on Arjo-Didessa Dam and Reservoir Project. Documents on environmental protection and water resources management legislations, EIA report of the project and data on land use/cover and soils of the dam and reservoir area were considered for the study. The existence of EIA legislations and institutions would create the impression that the government is determined to national and global environmental concerns. Due to the project, about 98.6 km2 of land with grasslands and riverine forest cover, and fertile soils with convenient land slope will be inundated by water. Besides, the role the community played in the project planning and EIA study was found to be inadequate. Although water withdrawal due to Arjo-Didessa Irrigation Project (about 19.75% of the mean annual stream flow at the dam site) is within the desired range of sustainable water resources development; and the mean annual instream flow requirements of 0.9 billion cubic meters (BCM) is fully delivered, the study has shown that some of the important decision making parameters of EIA like environmental flows assessment, dam-break analysis, environmental costs, and economic analysis, were bypassed, as observed from the EIA report of Arjo-Didessa Dam and Reservoir Project, although these are demanded by the environmental protection legislations.

Keywords


Arjo-Didessa Dam EIA, Environmental Protection Policies, Sustainable Water Resources.

References