The general objective of the project is to assess the impact of sediment yield and siltation on the reservoir capacity under land cover/uses change, using an Ethiopian watershed as a case study. The research will provide insights on how land cover and land use (LULC) changes affect the sediment yield, with consequences on reservoir capacity. The study will involve a combination of hydrological models and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). By means of multiple simulations, the research will provide water managers and policymakers with multiple scenarios forced by different LULC, and associated management strategies and mitigation measures for reducing the siltation in the Fincha Dam reservoir, in Ethiopia.

In order to achieve the main objectives of the project, some research questions will be tackled:

a) What is the sediment yield of the selected river basin in the actual conditions (present land cover/use)?

b) How sediment yield correlates with topography, flow discharge, channel geometry, land cover and drainage characteristics?

c) What is the impact of LULC changes on the sediment yield of the catchment? Do these effects vary seasonally?

d) Is the sediment load affecting the useful life of the reservoir?

e) What are the possible management strategies and mitigation measures that can be applied for reducing the sediment volume coming from the basin hillslopes, and the consequent siltation in the Fincha Dam reservoir?

The project was presented in the IAHR Hydrolink magazine: https://www.iahr.org/library/infor?pid=20573, while the very recent outcomes were published in August 2022 on Land.