Assessment and mapping of potential sites for small-scale hydropower in Gidabo River catchment

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the small-scale hydropower potential (SHP) of the Gidabo River catchment. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model was used to estimate the streamflow in the river networks. The model was calibrated and validated at Messa and Apposto gauging stations, and the results for the coefficient of determination (R²) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) revealed that the observed and simulated streamflow results agree fairly well at the calibration and validation locations. Thus, the simulated streamflow at the sub-catchment outlets was used to determine design discharge at 50%, 75%, and 95% flow dependability. The potential assessment was conducted under a scenario of 500, 1000 and 2000 m horizontal intervals along the stream networks. The study revealed that the river catchment has the potential to develop run-of-river-type plants at different locations with 50%, 75%, and 95% dependability, though it varies from place to place.

KEYWORDS:

• Gidabo River catchment
• hydropower potential
• stream discharge
• SWAT model

Editor K. Soulis; Associate Editor O. Link

Editor K. Soulis; Associate Editor O. Link

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the National Meteorological Agency (NMA) of Ethiopia and the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE) for providing climate and hydrological data. The authors are also grateful to the Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) and the Ministry of Agriculture for providing the data used in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Dilla University Energy & Environment Research Center. The authors thank the Dilla University for their generous support.