Basin vision
A Genale Dawa basin where staged hydropower, expanding irrigation, and protected forest headwaters together drive shared prosperity across southern Ethiopia.
Basin Plans · IWRM Framework
Twelve Basins. One Integrated Vision.
Ethiopia's water future is mapped across twelve major river basins, each with its own hydrology, communities, and challenges. Explore the integrated management plan for each basin — features, targets, and where we are today.
Select a basin
Southern highlands and lowlands · Oromia, SNNP, Sidama, Somali
Genale Dawa
- Catchment area
- 172,300 km²
- Annual yield
- 6.1 BCM
- Plan implementation
- 31%
Key features
- Significant hydropower potential — Genale Dawa III (254 MW) operational, GD-V and GD-VI under planning
- Origin in the well-watered Bale and Sidama highlands, draining to the Somali lowlands
- Substantial smallholder coffee and irrigated horticulture in the upper basin
- Bale Mountains National Park headwaters provide critical ecosystem services
Thematic issues
- Deforestation and land conversion in the upper Bale headwater zones
- Sedimentation pressure on existing and planned hydropower reservoirs
- Conflict-sensitive water allocation across Oromia, Sidama, and Somali sub-basins
- Limited rural water coverage in the lower basin pastoralist areas
Key measures
- 01Protect Bale Mountains headwater zones via payment-for-ecosystem-services pilots
- 02Coordinate cascade hydropower planning with downstream irrigation and ecological flows
- 03Establish a basin allocation council representing all four regional states
- 04Scale up rural multi-village water systems in the lower basin
Key targets · progressive
- 2027In progress
Place 380,000 hectares of headwater catchment under formal protection
- 2030Planned
Operationalise the basin allocation council with binding decision authority
- 2035Planned
Reach 75% safe water access in the lower basin pastoralist woredas
Challenges
- Coordinating hydropower, irrigation, and ecological needs across competing interests
- Headwater conservation requires long-horizon, sustained financing
- Inter-regional dialogue on allocation is still being institutionalised
Implementation status & updates
31%
- Current phase
- Plan drafting
- Last updated
- October 2025
A multi-stakeholder drafting process is producing the Genale Dawa Integrated Plan, with technical support from the African Development Bank. Approval is expected in late 2026.
Institutions
Water Resources Management Platforms
Integrated basin management depends on the institutions that convene, decide, and act. Five platforms operate across Ethiopia's basins to align government, communities, partners, and technical experts.
- 12Members
River Basin Authorities
Role · Lead implementation of integrated basin plans
Federal authorities responsible for planning, allocating, and regulating water resources within each major basin. The Awash, Abbay, Omo-Gibe, and Rift Valley authorities are operational, with others being established.
- 36Members
Basin High Councils
Role · Multi-stakeholder governance and oversight
High-level basin councils convene federal ministries, regional bureaus, and civil society to oversee basin priorities, endorse plans, and resolve cross-jurisdictional water issues.
- 220Members
Stakeholder Forums
Role · Community and user-group engagement
Sub-basin and woreda-level forums bring together farmers, pastoralists, women's groups, industry, and local government to inform allocation and resolve day-to-day water disputes.
- 8Members
Inter-Ministerial Committee
Role · Federal policy alignment
Brings together MoWE, Agriculture, Finance, Environment, Health, and others to align water-sector decisions with national development, fiscal, and environmental priorities.
- 64Members
Technical Working Groups
Role · Specialist analysis and standards
Cross-institutional working groups on hydrology, irrigation, water quality, climate, and gender provide technical inputs to basin plans and national IWRM frameworks.
Documents
Basin Plan Resources
Foundational documents, manuals, and reports that guide integrated basin planning across Ethiopia. Final basin-specific plans will be added to this library as they are approved and published.
- Coming soon
National IWRM Framework
The overarching national framework for integrated water resources management in Ethiopia, setting out principles, institutional roles, and planning hierarchy.
PDF · 4.2 MB · 2023
- Coming soon
Basin Plan Preparation Manual
Step-by-step methodological guide for preparing an integrated basin plan, including stakeholder engagement, data requirements, and approval pathway.
PDF · 6.8 MB · 2024
- Coming soon
Hydromet & Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines
Standards for siting, operating, and maintaining hydrological and water-quality monitoring stations across the basin gauging network.
PDF · 2.1 MB · 2023
- Coming soon
Water Allocation & Permitting Guidelines
Procedures for volumetric allocation, abstraction permitting, and compliance monitoring under the Water Resources Management Proclamation.
PDF · 3.5 MB · 2024
- Coming soon
Basin Stakeholder Engagement Handbook
Practical handbook for basin authorities and councils on convening, consulting, and reporting back to basin-level stakeholders.
PDF · 1.8 MB · 2023
- Coming soon
Basin Plans Annual Implementation Report 2024
Annual progress report on integrated basin plan implementation across all twelve basins, with status indicators and forward-look priorities.
PDF · 9.4 MB · 2024