53 - Groundwater Potential Assessment and Sustainable Management Approaches and Strategies in Ethiopia, Africa

Groundwater offers significant life support to humankind in meeting domestic, irrigation and industrial demands. It accounts for the most extensive source of fresh water, with uneven distribution throughout the earth. It is the most preferred water source in all climatic zones for its convenient availability, drought dependability, excellent quality, and low development cost. The rural areas, which account for more than 85% of the country's population, encountered a shortage of potable water supply, which can be solved by proper groundwater utilization. Estimating groundwater balance is essential to assess the safe yield and to establish rational exploitation and sustainable management. It understands the role of groundwater resources and the growing demand, and it is imperative to search for practical strategies for managing the groundwater. For effective supply-side management, it is essential to know hydrogeological controls that affect the yield and groundwater levels under abstraction stress, surface and groundwater interaction with river base flow and changes in flow and recharge due to their exploitation. This study presents the selected study area's potential groundwater assessment and sustainable management approaches and strategies. The study area falls into four potential groundwater zones ranging from poor to high. However, the current groundwater management practices in the study area are poor. Despite the pervasive and devastating challenges, immediate and proper responses have not yet been given to the problem. Thus, such frustrating threats and challenges have initiated the researcher to work in the project area.
Keywords: Groundwater, Groundwater Management, Water Supply, Ethiopia, Africa