GIS-based irrigation potential assessment on Shaya River sub-basin in Bale Zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia

Nasir Gebi Tukura (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Jimma University)
Tolera Abdisa Feyissa (Department of Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University)

Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management
Vol 7, No 2 (2020)

The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the land resources potential of the fertile Shaya River sub-basin for irrigation and amply providing a Geo-referenced map of these valuable resources using Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques. Suitability factors considered to identify the potentially irrigable land were the slope, texture, depth, drainage characteristics, land use/cover and distance to a water source. The suitability analysis of the parameters indicates that slope 66.38%, soil 98.20% and land use/cover 92.93% of the study areas classified as potentially suitable for irrigation development in the study area. By weighing analysis of all parameters, 22.05% of the study area was found to be highly suitable, 25.27% moderately suitable and 16.20% marginally suitable whereas about 33.57% restricted for irrigation developments. By comparing the required water and available monthly flow of the river, the river possesses the capacity for the application of the command area.