Hydrological Responses to Land Use Land Cover Changes in the Fincha’a Watershed, Ethiopia

Land use land cover (LULC) changes are highly pronounced in African countries, as they characterized by an agriculture-based economy and a rapidly growing population. Understanding how use/cover (LULCC) influence watershed hydrology will enable local governments policymakers to formulate implement effective appropriate response strategies minimize the undesirable effects of future change or modification sustain socio-economic situation. The hydrological Ethiopia Fincha’a LULCC that happened during 25 years was investigated, comparing situation three reference years: 1994, 2004, 2018. information derived from Landsat sensors, respectively 5 TM, 7 ETM, 8 OLI/TIRS. various LULC classes were via ArcGIS using supervised classification system, accuracy assessment done confusion matrixes. For all overall accuracies kappa coefficients higher than 80%, with 2018 more accurate year. analysis revealed forest decreased 20.0% between 1994–2004, it 11.8% following period 2004–2018. Such decline areas covered is correlated expansion cultivated 16.4% 10.81%, respectively. After having evaluated at basin scale, divided into 18 sub-watersheds, which contained 176 hydrologic units (HRUs), specific LULC. Accounting for such detailed subdivision watershed, SWAT model firstly calibrated validated on past data, then applied infer each HRU LULCC. modelling results pointed out general increase average water flow, both dry wet periods, consequence shift coverage grass towards settlements build-up areas. present need accounting responses rivers scale.