Small Scale Irrigation (SSI) Project at Abba Samuel River Watershed

University of Connecticut Engineers Without Borders Student Chapter Kelsey Reeves

Fiona O’Donnell

New England Water Environment Association 2016 Annual Conference - Water for People Session 8

Partners

•  University of Connecticut Engineers Without Borders

(UCONN EWB)

•  University of Connecticut Department of Civil and

Environmental Engineering

•  Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources, Addis Ababa

University (EIWR)

•  Bahir Dar University (BDU)

Presentation Overview •  Location

•  Goal

•  Existing Irrigation Structures

•  Design Process

About Ethiopia (ኢትዮጵያ) •  Population: 97 million

•  Kiremt – July through to Sept.

•  Fogera District, Woreta Zuria Kebele Administration

•  Ethiopia in Crisis

•  Recurring droughts, 2015 one of worst droughts in

decades

•  8.2 million in need of food assistance

•  80% of population work in agriculture

Left: http://www.africaguide.com/image/maps/africa_map.png

Right:http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Ethiopia+Map+Africa&view=detailv2&&id=EFE0AAE862C8A6A69C7FF355E08A9241FD277009&selectedIndex=209&ccid=hXzfVWsw&simid=607994858116679008&thid=JN.qYGgNEA2lkoMv4Zixz7%2fHw&ajaxhist=0

Location Village located in Fogera District, Woreta Zuria Kebele Administration, Amhara region

Average Rainfall for Bahir Dar

h"p://us.worldweatheronline.com/bahir-dar-weather-averages/et.aspx

Local Community

Agriculture in the Community •  150 households, 3 fields at most per household •  Wet season:

•  June to August – rice •  September – oats •  wheat & beans

•  Dry season: •  mostly onion •  millet, corn, oil seeds

Existing

Needed

Goal •  Extend the period of agricultural productivity for

currently irrigated fields and extend the irrigation system into currently unirrigated fields

Objectives

•  Rehabilitate existing storage and distribution systems

•  Store more water

•  Design second distribution system

Existing Storage

Traditional Irrigation

•  Dam structure

•  Supplies irrigation water for all but two months of the year

•  Stored water also is used for: drinking, washing, cattle, sheep, donkeys

•  Site assessments in January and May to determine seasonal conditions

Traditional Irrigation - May

Beginning of wet season

•  Reliance on seasonal stream

•  Stagnant water

Traditional Irrigation - January

Traditional Irrigation - January

Middle of dry season

•  Leakage from both gates

•  Evaporation losses

Existing Distribution

Photo

Photo

Conclusions on Existing Distribution

•  Water losses

•  Leaks in bridges

•  Many repairs needed

•  Many breaks between built structures and open land

Site Overview

A

A

B

B

C

C

D

D

Design

Design Breakdown

1.  Watershed model

2.  Water storage

3.  Distribution

4.  Irrigation

5.  Crop Selection

6.  Logistics

Watershed Model

Watershed Model Focus on Abba Samuel River Watershed in Blue Nile River Basin

•  Visual development in ArcGIS with LANDSAT add on

•  CT 2004 Stormwater Quality Manual as reference combined with TR-55 calculation to estimate water quality volume based on storms

•  Use the watershed model to determine how much water we can store for irrigation purposes

•  Calculate the required water for irrigation and figure how many fields we can irrigate

Watershed Model Data required:

•  Precipitation – EIWR

•  Soil types - EIWR, field tests, BDU soils mechanics lab

•  Evaporation - BDU

•  Infiltration - field tests

•  Topography - field tests, EIWR

Collection of Soils for Testing

Soils Testing - N, K, P, pH

Stream Measurements

GPS

Water Storage

Water Storage Options:

•  Second dam structure upstream

•  Ferrocement tanks

Secondary Dam Structure •  Created by the placement

and compaction of various soils, sands, clays or rocks

•  Semi-pervious natural waterproof covering for its surface with a dense impervious core

•  The friction and interaction of the particles binds them together to create a stable mass

•  Low construction cost

http://www.motherearthnews.com/

Potential Damming Site

Ferrocement Tanks •  Water tanks made from reinforced

cement mortar

•  Widely used in many parts of the world for domestic, stock and irrigation purposes

•  Made from commonly available materials

•  Simple skills needed

•  Simple equipment, techniques are straightforward and do not require use of expensive and sophisticated machinery

http://www.ewbchallenge.org/nepal-water-health-newah/design-area-2-wash

http://www.aprovecho.net/2009/09/constructing-a-ferrocement-tank/

Ferrocement Tank Placement

Distribution

Existing

Needed

Irrigation

Irrigation Techniques

Drip Irrigation

http://techie2aggie.blogspot.com/2014/07/drip-irrigation-be-ready-for-maintenance.html

Furrow

Crop Selection

Crop Assessment •  Sustenance crops vs. cash crops vs. maintenance

•  space constraints, soil types, utilization & culture, water needs, climate

•  1838 meters, north, highlands

•  pulses, niger seed, flaxseed, teff, wheat, barley

•  Community would like to grow: mango, avocado, potato, carrot, corn and tomatoes in the dry season or continue growing current wet season crops

•  Cowpeas, legumes, beets, sweet potatoes, yams

Logistics

Meeting with Government Leaders

Sustainability

Factors that contribute to sustainability of the system: •  Sense of ownership •  Economical and maintainable system •  5% cash contribution •  Operations and maintenance manual •  Water Users Authority •  Government owned land •  Ensure that benefits are felt by all in the community

How well with the design fit into the culture of the community?

Special Thanks

Acknowledgments Partners

•  Mamo Kassegn, EIWR

•  Shimelis Abebe, EIWR

•  Dr. Geremew Sahilu, EIWR

•  Dr. Seifu Tilahun, BDU

•  Dr. Habtamu Tsegaye, BDU

•  Dr. Maria Chrysochoou, UCONN

•  Dr. Timothy Vadas, UCONN

UCONN Engineers Without Borders Members

Local Community Government

Professional Mentors

•  Dr. Jonathan Mellor, UCONN

•  Yigrem Dingo, UCONN

•  Joe Thompson

UCONN Senior Design Team

•  Alexander Curry

•  Lori Fomenko

•  Yamil Roman

Winter Semester EWB Travel Team

•  Kristin Burnham

•  Ryan Cordier

Questions? (photos of Addis Ababa)