Hydro-Metrological Drought Assessments along the Blue Nile River Basin in East Gojjam Zone

Abstract

The Upper Blue Nile basin is less-explored in drought studies as compared to other river basins in Ethiopia and a shortage of particular basin drought monitoring system. The area founds in along a Blue Nile basin faced a recurrent drought conditions in several years ago. The main objectives of this study to investigate droughts along a Blue Nile basin in the east Gojjam zone. To evaluate the drought duration, severity, occurrence and risks it was used different indices. The results shows a hydrological drought was occurring in a frequent condition in partial areas of Shebel Berenta, Goncha siso enese and Enarg enawuga woreda.  Based on 12-month time-scale, the total number of drought events were identified in the area, using Reconnaissance drought index (RDI) during the period of analysis (1995–1996) and its values 100% drought and its ranges were highly sever. Considering the drought events in the stream flow drought index (SDI) the values indicates drought severity was existed in the year 1984/1985 and 1989/1990. Inaddation standard precipitation index (SPI) also indicates a severe drought in 1984/1985, 1990/1991 and 1991/1992 and its values was -1.5. Generally the hydrological, metrological and agricultural drought where existed in the year (1984-2012) within the study area.

Keywords: RDI, Drought, SDI, SPI, NDVI

DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-9-04

Publication date:September 30^th 2020