Identification of Suitable Rainwater Harvesting Sites Using Geospatial Techniques With AHP in Chacha Watershed, Jemma Sub-Basin Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia

Rainfed agriculture in Ethiopia has failed to produce enough food, achieve the increasing demand for food. Pinpointing appropriate site rainwater harvesting (RWH) have a substantial contribution available water and enhancing agricultural productivity. The current study related identification of potential RWH sites was conducted at Chacha watershed central highlands which is endowed with rugged topography. Geographic Information System Analytical Hierarchy Process used generate different maps identifying RWH. In this study, 11 factors that determine locations including slope, soil texture, runoff depth, land cover type, annual average rainfall, drainage density, lineament intensity, hydrologic group, antecedent moisture content, distance roads were considered. overall analyzed result shows 10.50%, 71.10%, 17.90%, 0.50% areas found under highly, moderately, marginally suitable, unsuitable RWH, respectively. selection highly dependent on depth; moderately use cover; but less other factors. suitable expansion are lands having flat topography textural class high-water holding capacity can high depth. application could be baseline planners decision-makers support any strategy adoption selection.