Water Resources of Ethiopia

Ethiopia, known as the "Water Tower of Northeastern Africa," is the second richest African country in terms of water resource potential, with ample annual rainfall and numerous major rivers, lakes, and significant groundwater potentials.

Major Rivers of Ethiopia and Their Characteristics

Ethiopia have many rivers.
Ethiopia has enormous potential water resources. Ethiopian rivers are energetic.
They flow from the highlands of the interior to the peripheral lowlands and then to seas and lakes bouncingly.
These conditions have made Ethiopia known as the “water tower of Northeastern Africa” and as the watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean drainage systems.

3.3.2 Characteristics of Ethiopian Rivers

The most important characteristics are
Seasonal fluctuation in water volume
Steep profiles
They arise from very high places and flow to the country’s borders across lowlands
Rapids and waterfalls along their courses
Running through steep-sided river valleys and gorges
Serve as boundaries, both international and domestic.
Some of the Ethiopian rivers are given new names after they cross the country’s borders.
Examples:
Abbay becomes Blue Nile in the Sudan.
Tekezze becomes River Athbara in the Sudan.
Genale becomes River Juba in Somalia.
Baro becomes River Sobat in the Sudan.