Effect of agriculture on surface water quantity and quality in Gilgel Gibe watershed, southwestern Ethiopia.

Abstract

Monitoring water quality and quantity is crucial to be sure that water resources are sustainably used. However, there is no monitoring system of water quantity and quality in southwestern Ethiopia, despite expansion of agricultural activities demanding water resources. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of agriculture on water quantity and quality with special emphasis on irrigation in southwestern Ethiopia. Data of water quantity was collected from four rivers and four irrigation canals during dry season of 2023. Physico-chemical water quality data was collected from 35 sites. Water quantity was calculated by estimating the water discharge of the rivers and irrigation canals. Weighted arithmetic water quality index was calculated to assess the status of the studied rivers. Principal component analysis was used to identify the relation of the sites with water quality parameters. This study revealed that the average amount of abstracted water for irrigation from the four studied rivers was 22,399 m3/day during the studied period, and the average percentage of abstracted water was 17%. Sites downstream of the irrigation site were characterized by poor water quality compared with the upstream sites. Sites surrounded by agricultural land use were correlated with chemical oxygen demand, electric conductivity, nitrate, orthophosphate, water temperature, and pH, whereas all sites surrounded by forest were positively correlated with dissolved oxygen. This study indicates that agricultural activities have a negative impact on surface water quality and quantity if not managed properly. Hence, we recommend sustainable use of water resources for the planned irrigation expansion.