Review of Hydrological Drought Analysis Status in Ethiopia

Abstract

Drought is a complex natural disaster unlike flood, which covers a large area when it occurred. This review was conducted on hydrological drought analysis and monitoring status in Ethiopia by reviewing the master plan of eight major river basins and previous research related to drought. A total of 24 article papers was reviewed and it is found that hydrological drought analysis studies cover only 8.33% of all of the river basins in Ethiopia. Researchers in the region have focused primarily on meteorological drought (37.5%) rather than hydrological and agricultural drought analysis. Although Ethiopia has long been dependent on rainfed agriculture for its economy and remains the primary livelihood of the population, the Ethiopian government has begun focusing on transitioning to an industrial economy, placing pressure on the water resource. In a region plagued by drought, drought analysis, and monitoring, drought early warning systems and effective mitigation measures are still limited and even lacking in some areas. Therefore, emphasis on hydrological drought analysis and development of suitable drought mitigation measurements is important to implement strategies for effective and sustainable water resource management by which water may remain available during the long dry seasons and the impacts of hydrological drought may be lessened.