Belesat
Belesat is a reservoir located in the Inticho woreda of the Tigray Region in Ethiopia. The earthen dam that holds the reservoir was built in 1997 by the Relief Society of Tigray.
Dam characteristics
- Dam height: 15 metres
- Dam crest length: 308 metres
- Spillway width: 19 metres
Capacity
- Original capacity: 428 028 m³
- Dead storage: 60 000 m³
- Reservoir area: 7.4 ha
In 2002, the life expectancy of the reservoir (the duration before it is filled with sediment) was estimated at 15 years.
Irrigation
- Designed irrigated area: 32 ha
- Actual irrigated area in 2002: 20 ha
Environment
The catchment of the reservoir is 4.8 km² large, with a perimeter of 9.62 km and a length of 3670 metres. The reservoir suffers from rapid siltation. The lithology of the catchment is Adigrat Sandstone and Enticho Sandstone. Part of the water that could be used for irrigation is lost through seepage; the positive side-effect is that this contributes to groundwater recharge.
References
- ^ De Wit, Joke (2003). Stuwmeren in Tigray (Noord-Ethiopië): kenmerken, sedimentatie en sediment-bronnen. Unpub. M.Sc. thesis. Department of Geography, K.U.Leuven.
- ^ Nigussie Haregeweyn, and colleagues (2006). "Reservoirs in Tigray: characteristics and sediment deposition problems". Land Degradation and Development. 17: 211–230. doi:10.1002/ldr.698. S2CID 129834993.
- ^ Nigussie Haregeweyn, and colleagues (2008). "Sediment yield variability in Northern Ethiopia: A quantitative analysis of its controlling factors". Catena. 75 (1): 65–76. Bibcode:2008Caten..75...65H. doi:10.1016/j.catena.2008.04.011.