Challenges and Prospects of Advancing Groundwater Research in Ethiopian Aquifers: A Review

Tarekegn Dejen Mengistu, Il-Moon Chung, Sun Woo Chang, Bisrat Ayalew Yifru, Min-Gyu Kim, Jeongwoo Lee, Hiyaw Hatiya Ware and Il-Hwan Kim
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Tarekegn Dejen Mengistu: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
Il-Moon Chung: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
Sun Woo Chang: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
Bisrat Ayalew Yifru: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
Min-Gyu Kim: Department of Water Resources and River Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Goyang 10223, Korea
Jeongwoo Lee: Department of Water Resources and River Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Goyang 10223, Korea
Hiyaw Hatiya Ware: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
Il-Hwan Kim: Department of Water Resources and River Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Goyang 10223, Korea

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-15

Abstract: Groundwater is a strategic resource in all climatic regions of Ethiopia, contributing about 80% of the domestic supply of urban and rural populations. However, little research has been available compared with extensive geographical coverage and increasing population growth rates. Hence, the present study aimed to review published groundwater research of Ethiopian aquifers to realize potential research challenges and suggest future research directions. We focused on groundwater potential, recharge process, and qualities. The total potential groundwater of the country ranges from 2.5 to 47 billion cubic meters. The study depicted that the mean annual recharge estimate varies from 24.9 mm to 457 mm at catchments scales. However, the overall country was about 39.1 mm. The study found a need for a detailed investigation of different factors susceptible to groundwater pollution, as some of the evaluations indicated exceeding acceptable standards. This study observed that the main challenge was the lack of data and convergence research trends. Henceforth, future research in different climate regions should focus on multifaceted technical and stakeholder settings. This study gives the insight to integrate palatable research findings with the national policy and decision-making process to enhance the sustainability of groundwater resources significantly.

Keywords: aquifers; Ethiopia; groundwater; groundwater recharge; groundwater potential; sustainable management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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