Concepts of environmental flow assessment and challenges in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

摘要: The degradation of riverine ecosystems, resulting from changes in natural flow regimes, is increasingly recognized as being amongst the most significant negative effects hydraulic structures. Environmental flows are managed releases a reservoir intended to mitigate these impacts. Numerous techniques have been developed estimate environmental but, for variety reasons, methods rarely applied developing countries. Ethiopian Government planning major hydropower and irrigation development catchment Blue Nile River. This paper reports findings first attempt rigorously quantify Three desktop hydrological methods, Global Flow Calculator, Desktop Reserve Model, Tennant Method, were at three locations. With reasonable consistency they indicate that 21–28% mean annual may be sufficient sustain basic ecological functioning. results, which low-confidence estimates, need confirmed with much more detailed studies, but provide basis discussion can contribute early phases planning.