Suitable dam site identification using GIS-based MCDA: a case study of Chemoga watershed, Ethiopia

Abstract Ethiopia is Africa's second-most populous country, after Nigeria, and primarily a farming community with low productivity that heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture. Water scarcity, global warming, rising population all necessitate more effective water conservation methods. As result, the demand for dams increasing dramatically in order to provide safe drinking water, electricity, irrigation ensure food security. The goal of this study was use remote sensing geographic information system (GIS) techniques conjunction dam suitability stream model multi-criteria decision analysis identify potential sites multi-purpose construction. used six influencing factors find suitable sites, model's overall output maps proposed evaluated as result. Based topography land use, results showed three upper part watershed are likely preferable irrigation, fishery, clean supply. watershed's lower reaches, however, better suited hydropower generation. In addition, GIS useful dam/reservoir site selection because they allow decision-makers create, manipulate, manage relevant thematic layers.