Basin vision
A restored Tekeze basin where conserved highland landscapes, secure rural water supply, and reliable hydropower together rebuild livelihoods after a decade of conflict and drought.
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
Northern highlands · Tigray, Amhara, Afar
Tekeze
- Catchment area
- 82,350 km²
- Annual yield
- 8.2 BCM
- Plan implementation
- 42%
Key features
- Major Nile tributary defined by deep gorges and the Tekeze hydroelectric dam (300 MW)
- Spans drought-prone northern highlands with strong reliance on small-scale irrigation
- Significant groundwater potential in the Mekelle and Sekota plateaus
- Cross-border drainage shared with Sudan via the Atbara river system
Thematic issues
- Post-conflict rehabilitation of water supply infrastructure across Tigray and Amhara
- Severe land degradation and soil loss reducing reservoir lifespan
- Recurrent drought cycles and weak early-warning coverage
- Limited monitoring of groundwater abstraction in expanding shallow-well systems
Key measures
- 01Restore damaged WASH infrastructure across 28 conflict-affected woredas
- 02Expand soil and water conservation on 950,000 hectares of degraded slopes
- 03Deploy a basin-wide drought early-warning system linked to the National Meteorological Agency
- 04Map and license groundwater use across the Mekelle and Sekota aquifers
Key targets · progressive
- 2027In progress
Restore safe water access for 2.1 million people in conflict-affected areas
- 2030Planned
Reduce sediment loading to Tekeze reservoir by 30%
- 2035Planned
Establish full integrated basin plan with operational allocation regime
Challenges
- Funding constraints for post-conflict reconstruction at the scale required
- Outmigration and depleted institutional capacity in basin offices
- Climate-driven decline in dependable streamflow
Implementation status & updates
42%
- Current phase
- Recovery & planning
- Last updated
- February 2026
The Tekeze Basin Plan is being re-baselined following the Northern Ethiopia conflict. Recovery investment programs are being aligned with the integrated plan during 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