1.5
Birds Eye view of Spate
Irrigation Experience In
Oromia
Yohannes Geleta
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1.7 million ha potential irrigable land is available (Slope < 5%)
only 212,796 (14%) hectares have been developed in the region
In the past, four categories of irrigation schemes have been recognized. Those
categories of irrigation schemes include:

Traditional irrigation schemes

Modern small scale irrigation schemes constructed by both Government and
NGO's

State owned irrigation farms/ Large scale irrigation schemes

Privately owned irrigation farms
In the past irrigation developments in Oromia Region were restricted
•
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small-scale irrigation schemes (up to 200-300 ha),
only on river diversions & Spring development.
Development
Area developed in hectares /ha/
Actors
Traditional
(Community)
HDW (Community)
OWRB
NGO
Private /Investors
State Farm
Total
143,144
9,731
20,000
6,588
6,827
26,506
212,796
Vision
 Irrigation Water Supply and
Drainage
Development
process
team
(IWSDDT)
under the umbrella of OWRB
aspire to see people of
Oromia prosperous through
proper irrigation water supply,
irrigation
water
resource
utilization for agriculture and
proper
land
drainage
management.
Agricultural
Potential land
Irrigation
potential
1.7mil.he.
Irrigation
Developed
13 %
212,796 hec.
The future direction indicates that it is not only to bring irrigation
potential area which is 1.7 mil.hec. but also to supply irrigation water
to all agricultural potential land of Oromia.
Mission

The Irrigation and Drainage development process team under
the sunshade of OWRB mission is to support peoples of Oromia
with their genuine participation to attain food self-sufficiency and
produce surplus for market by securing water for agricultural
production through irrigation and land drainage development
with sustainable policies, strategies and laws of water resource
management.
Major Objectives up to 2015 include:

To supply sufficient and continuous irrigation water for
928,737hec. which increase Land Under Irrigation from existing
12% to 54%
 To carry out drainage land development i.e to decrease the
current 4 million hectare waterlogged area by 70%

Breakthrough to medium and large scale Irrigation Development
 Aggressive implementation of schemes such as Fentale, Tebela & Kolba
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Spate Irrigation Development
Ground Water Development
Modern Land drainage Development
Small pump Irrigation Development
Water Fund Establishment
Irrigation Water Fee Implementation
Cost Recovery
Capacity Building in Design and Construction
Application of New W. saving technology like Geo-membrane
lining, hydro flume ,closed conduit irrigation system and others.
 Spate Irrigation in Oromia Region specially in
lowland area of Oromia is traditionally Known
and experienced.
 Traditionally Known as Galchaa direct
meaning is to collect and transport flood to
the command area.
Contd.
 ‘Modern’ Spate Irrigation In Oromia is Started
in 1998 in East and West Harerge Zone
 The First Spate Irrigation in Oromia mainly
are
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Ija Galma waqo (Fedis – East Harargee)
Ija Malabe(Fedis- East Harargee)
Bililo ( Mi’eso- West Harargee)
Hargetii (Mi’eso – West Harargee)
 East, Southeast and South
Oromia:

Huge Potential for spate &
conventional irrigation
development
 Lowland areas of Oromia,
especially those in Hararge,
East Shawa, Arsi, Bale, Borena
and Guji zones are known to
have ample potential area for
spate irrigation, small, medium &
large scale conventional
irrigation development.
10
• No clearly classified & Recognized spate
irrigation in the region.
• But to differentiate one from the other we Can be
classify based on the water availability
High land / semi-perennial/ Spate -
1.
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From the wadi which has water flow for more than a
month (semi- perennial)
Which resembles to semi conventional irrigation
•
Like Boru, Hargetii, e.t.c
Conventional Spate
2.
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From flashy rivers – rivers which have flow of short
duration, hours or days.
•
Like Ija Galma Waqo
 Study and Design of spate irrigation plan for
2000 -2002 Eth.cal

2001 -10488ha -6579 HH
 2000 -47450 ha- 29250 HH
 Construction plan for 2000-2002Eth. Cal
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19833ha -19829 HH-2001
38033ha -36413HH – 2000
 More than 7000ha benefiting the community
 Boru
 Ija Galma Waqo
 Hargeti
 Bililo
 Dhakata
 And others
Moisture increase on the farm land
Contd.
Transports Fertile soil
Yield increase:
 Field visit & data
collection (2007) by IFI
project –(OWRB & JICA)
on 280 ha land is done
Production is more higher
than non irrigated condition
and good rain season
production.
Effect of Spate irrigation on
crop production
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Irrigated
(2007)
Wheat with out irrigation
Wheat with irrigation
Teff without Irrigation
Teff with Irrigation
Traditional Intake
From Wadi
From Road side
It is blessing transports
fertile soil to irrigation
land.
May be curse it affects the structure
and canal
Silt in the D.box
Silt in the main canal b/n two
structures
Full of Silt
Canal with good gradient for spate
water
Flood Crossing
structures
Low Cost Drops
Sheet metal flume
Concrete Flume
Critical Conditions
 WUA characteristics
is different from the
conventional
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Land holding size is
different
No law for spate
irrigation land
By law is not
formulated for spate
irrigation
No water fee
No turn
Planted in the middle of the canal
Contd.
Scheme Management
 Scheme hand-over to the community is not
exercised.
 Operation manual has to be considered
 Maintenance in the traditional is labour consuming
(head work)
 Silt removal from canals is also critical issue