Surface irrigation potential assessment of Chacha River Watershed, Jemma subbasin of upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia

Introduction: Evaluation of water availability and land suitability for surface irrigation practice is crucial a country like Ethiopia whose livelihood highly dependent on seasonal rainfed agriculture, which susceptible to climate change has large population suffering from food insecurity. Methods: In this study, several factors, such as slope, use cover, rainfall, proximities (market centers, roads, rivers), soil factors (i.e., pH, organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, available storage drainage, depth, texture, type) were considered. The data entered analyzed using the GIS tool multicriteria analysis Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) determine suitable area in Chacha Watershed. Subsequently, CROPWAT was used check requirement dominant crops grown study watershed, while flow duration curve 90-percentile exceedance frequency monthly average streamflow carried out identify minimum River. Results Discussion: findings assessment revealed that 13336.5 ha (11.8%), 58357.4 (51.6%), 37588.1 (33.2 %), 3887.9 (3.4 %) lands found watershed are suitable, moderately marginally unsuitable irrigation, respectively. crop estimated be 7 l/s per hectare, at 87 can potentially irrigate about 9280 with an 10 days watering interval irrigation. However, currently irrigated 2159.8 implying existing quite limited though not limiting factor. Hence, government other concerned bodies should exhaustively work develop projects practices maximally utilize resources enhance agricultural productivity. return, it ameliorates livelihoods communities thereby helps ensure security watershed.