Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia

The Bale Eco-Region (BER) in Southern Ethiopia is characterized by high surface runoff and sediment yield. This study assessed long-term (2016–2023) hydrological dynamics in three BER watersheds: Bekaye, Hawo, and Horosoba, exhibiting different agroecological zones and rainfall patterns. It investig...

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Main Authors: Berhanu, D., Tarkegn, T. G., Haileslassie, Amare, Alamirew, T., Mekuria, Wolde, Zeleke, G., Lemann, T., Hurni, H., Feyisa, G. L.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: IWA Publishing 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175402
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author Berhanu, D.
Tarkegn, T. G.
Haileslassie, Amare
Alamirew, T.
Mekuria, Wolde
Zeleke, G.
Lemann, T.
Hurni, H.
Feyisa, G. L.
author_browse Alamirew, T.
Berhanu, D.
Feyisa, G. L.
Haileslassie, Amare
Hurni, H.
Lemann, T.
Mekuria, Wolde
Tarkegn, T. G.
Zeleke, G.
author_facet Berhanu, D.
Tarkegn, T. G.
Haileslassie, Amare
Alamirew, T.
Mekuria, Wolde
Zeleke, G.
Lemann, T.
Hurni, H.
Feyisa, G. L.
author_sort Berhanu, D.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The Bale Eco-Region (BER) in Southern Ethiopia is characterized by high surface runoff and sediment yield. This study assessed long-term (2016–2023) hydrological dynamics in three BER watersheds: Bekaye, Hawo, and Horosoba, exhibiting different agroecological zones and rainfall patterns. It investigated impacts of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures on runoff and sediment yield for Bekaye watershed, which experiences more intense rainfall than the others. Bekaye had a higher runoff coefficient (38.4%) and sediment yield (15.5 t ha−1 yr−1), while Hawo had lower values (19.6% runoff coefficient; 3.2 t ha−1 yr−1 sediment yield). Observation of significant differences in runoff coefficients and sediment yields highlights the influence of rainfall intensity, monthly rainfall distribution, topography, land use, and vegetation cover on hydrological and erosion processes. SWC interventions in Bekaye reduced runoff and sediment yield while increasing base flow in subsequent years. Results indicated that maintenance of SWC measures every two to three years following the implementation is key to sustaining their benefits in runoff and sediment reduction. This research provides novel insights into long-term hydrological dynamics under varying agroecological zones and rainfall patterns, offering a comprehensive assessment of SWC effectiveness in mitigating runoff and sediment yield.
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spelling CGSpace1754022025-12-08T10:11:39Z Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia Berhanu, D. Tarkegn, T. G. Haileslassie, Amare Alamirew, T. Mekuria, Wolde Zeleke, G. Lemann, T. Hurni, H. Feyisa, G. L. agroecological zones soil conservation water conservation runoff sediment yield watersheds rainfall patterns The Bale Eco-Region (BER) in Southern Ethiopia is characterized by high surface runoff and sediment yield. This study assessed long-term (2016–2023) hydrological dynamics in three BER watersheds: Bekaye, Hawo, and Horosoba, exhibiting different agroecological zones and rainfall patterns. It investigated impacts of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures on runoff and sediment yield for Bekaye watershed, which experiences more intense rainfall than the others. Bekaye had a higher runoff coefficient (38.4%) and sediment yield (15.5 t ha−1 yr−1), while Hawo had lower values (19.6% runoff coefficient; 3.2 t ha−1 yr−1 sediment yield). Observation of significant differences in runoff coefficients and sediment yields highlights the influence of rainfall intensity, monthly rainfall distribution, topography, land use, and vegetation cover on hydrological and erosion processes. SWC interventions in Bekaye reduced runoff and sediment yield while increasing base flow in subsequent years. Results indicated that maintenance of SWC measures every two to three years following the implementation is key to sustaining their benefits in runoff and sediment reduction. This research provides novel insights into long-term hydrological dynamics under varying agroecological zones and rainfall patterns, offering a comprehensive assessment of SWC effectiveness in mitigating runoff and sediment yield. 2025-06-01 2025-06-30T13:22:52Z 2025-06-30T13:22:52Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175402 en Open Access IWA Publishing Berhanu, D.; Tarkegn, T. G.; Haileslassie, Amare; Alamirew, T.; Mekuria, Wolde; Zeleke, G.; Lemann, T.; Hurni, H.; Feyisa, G. L. 2025. Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 16(6):2032-2052. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2025.755
spellingShingle agroecological zones
soil conservation
water conservation
runoff
sediment yield
watersheds
rainfall patterns
Berhanu, D.
Tarkegn, T. G.
Haileslassie, Amare
Alamirew, T.
Mekuria, Wolde
Zeleke, G.
Lemann, T.
Hurni, H.
Feyisa, G. L.
Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia
title Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia
title_full Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia
title_fullStr Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia
title_short Hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia
title_sort hydrological dynamics in various agroecological zones and impacts of soil and water conservation measures on runoff and sediment yields in the bale eco region ethiopia
topic agroecological zones
soil conservation
water conservation
runoff
sediment yield
watersheds
rainfall patterns
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175402
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