Development and Management of Groundwater in Eritrea, N-E Africa

The water needs of Eritrea are almost entirely met from groundwater resources. Except the reservoirs of the cities of Asmara and Mendefera there are no surface water resources in the country. The Setit is the only perennial river traversing a small southwestern tract of the country. The available water resources hardly cater to around 15% of the requirement of the people. In the present situation only groundwater development and management is the viable solution. The geology of the area, including the basement rocks is suitable as receptacles of groundwater. Besides, the country is crisscrossed by many shears, fractures, normal faults, extension joints and dykes which act as conduits. As a part of groundwater management, aforestation, social forestry, horticulture and grasslands are to be promoted extensively, initially in the central high land zone and the green belt zone that receive more than 800 mm rainfall. The same programs are to be extended, step-by-step to the western escarpment, southern lowland, northwestern low land and the coastal zone, which wears a desert look. Both surface and subsurface water development and management are essential to meet the water requirements of the country and to avoid soil erosion and associated problems.