Hiza'iti Wedi Cheber Explained

Hiza’iti Wedi Cheber
Coords:13.3632°N 39.5431°W
Type:Freshwater artificial lake
Basin Countries:Ethiopia
Volume:1.24e6m3
Elevation:2230m (7,320feet)
Pushpin Map:Ethiopia
Pushpin Label Position:right
Cities:Mereb Mi’iti

Hiza’iti Wedi Cheber is a reservoir located in the Inderta woreda of the Tigray Region in Ethiopia. The earthen dam that holds the reservoir was built in 1997 by the Tigray Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources.[1]

Dam characteristics

Environment

The catchment of the reservoir is 33 km² large, with a perimeter of 24.6 km and a length of 6910 metres. The reservoir suffers from rapid siltation.[2] The lithology of the catchment is Antalo Limestone and Mekelle Dolerite.[1] Part of the water that could be used for irrigation is lost through seepage; the positive side-effect is that this contributes to groundwater recharge.[3] Actually the whole valley bottom down to Chelekwot benefits from this seepage water, that emerges in various springs and is particularly used for irrigation agriculture.

Notes and References

  1. Book: De Wit . Joke . Stuwmeren in Tigray (Noord-Ethiopië): kenmerken, sedimentatie en sediment-bronnen. Unpub. M.Sc. thesis . 2003 . Department of Geography, K.U.Leuven.
  2. Nigussie Haregeweyn . and colleagues . Reservoirs in Tigray: characteristics and sediment deposition problems . Land Degradation and Development . 2006 . 17 . 211–230 . 10.1002/ldr.698 . 129834993 . free .
  3. Nigussie Haregeweyn . and colleagues . Sediment yield variability in Northern Ethiopia: A quantitative analysis of its controlling factors . Catena . 2008 . 75 . 1 . 65–76 . 10.1016/j.catena.2008.04.011 . 2008Caten..75...65H .