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Sediment dynamics and the role of flash floods in sediment export from medium-sized catchments: a case study from the semi-arid tropical highlands in northern Ethiopia

  • SEDIMENT RESPONSE TO CATCHMENT DISTURBANCES • RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Abstract

Purpose

The Ethiopian highlands are a fragile environment characterized by steep slopes, intense rainfall, a sparse vegetation cover, and the occurrence of flash floods. Although important efforts have been made to mitigate the ongoing soil erosion and land degradation problems, the sediment dynamics at medium-sized catchment scale (100–10,000 km2) are not fully understood. Therefore, this study aims to provide a better understanding of sediment export processes and the importance of flash flood events in semi-arid tropical catchments.

Materials and methods

Measuring campaigns were conducted in ten sub-catchments of the Geba, a tributary of the Tekeze, representative of the northern Ethiopian highlands. During two to four rainy seasons, the rivers were sampled for their suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and runoff discharge.

Results and discussion

Variations in SSC and sediment grain size distribution indicate changes in sediment supply during the rainy season due to the depletion of readily available sediments and the development of a vegetation cover. Also, during flood events, changes in sediment supply are observed. Sediment yields (i.e., 497–6,543 t km−2 year−1) are higher than suggested by previous studies and correlate with rainfall depth. The majority of sediment export occurs during a few short but intense flash floods. No clear effect of implemented soil and water conservation measures could be detected in the sediment yields of the catchments.

Conclusions

Sediment export rates in the Ethiopian highlands are high, are characterized by important changes in sediment supply, and are mainly controlled by the occurrence and magnitude of flash flood events. Mitigation measures to reduce sediment yield at the catchment scale should therefore not only focus on the reduction of hillslope erosion rates but also on the magnitude of these floods.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted in the framework of VLIR-Mekelle University’s IUC-Land Project (Belgium-Ethiopia). M. Vanmaercke received grant-aided support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), Belgium and K.U. Leuven. The help of Hailay Hagos, Kedir Mohammed, Kim Vanhulle, Annelies Beel, Isabelle Neyskens, Elke Soumillion and all other students and guards who helped with the collection and processing of the field data is gratefully acknowledged. Finally, this study benefited substantially from the comments by two anonymous reviewers and the editor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, K.U. Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 E, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium

    Matthias Vanmaercke, Amanuel Zenebe, Jean Poesen, Gert Verstraeten & Jozef Deckers

  2. Department of Land Resources Management and Environmental Protection, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia

    Amanuel Zenebe

  3. Department of Geography, Ghent University, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Jan Nyssen

Authors
  1. Matthias Vanmaercke
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  2. Amanuel Zenebe
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  3. Jean Poesen
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  4. Jan Nyssen
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  5. Gert Verstraeten
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  6. Jozef Deckers
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Correspondence to Matthias Vanmaercke.

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Responsible editor: Philip N. Owens

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Vanmaercke, M., Zenebe, A., Poesen, J. et al. Sediment dynamics and the role of flash floods in sediment export from medium-sized catchments: a case study from the semi-arid tropical highlands in northern Ethiopia. J Soils Sediments 10, 611–627 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0203-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0203-9

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