Hydrological Analysis of Stream Flow Characteristics of Huluka River, Abbay Basin

Abstract

Abstract A thorough assessment of the magnitude and regularity of a river's low flow is necessary for planning and designing water resource projects. The catastrophic consequences of water scarcity have made it increasingly clear that low flow conditions are perilous. Another critical skill is the ability to anticipate low flow at any specific riverbank. The severity of low flows is affected by the way the terrain regulates water storage and release throughout time, which in turn is impacted by the climate. Huluka River is one of the main tributaries of the Abay River Basin, Ethiopia, which has significant ecological and economic value to the city of Ambo Town. Serious questions concerning the sufficiency of upcoming water withdrawals from this River, both in terms of quantity and quality, have been brought up by the rapid population increase of Ambo Town. However, knowledge of the magnitude and frequency of river runoff is necessary for both present-day and future water resource planning. This paper concentrate on the characteristics of Huluka River flow using stream flow record from 1995 to 2016. In addition, Hydrological index computations, such as FDC and fundamental discharge indices, determined the methodologies for flow characterization. In the areas of stream flow analysis and categorization, the zero-flow index was employed. Based on this index, the classification of stream flow was established. The study's findings demonstrate that the Huluka River has behavior of perennial stream and good ground water contribution to surface flow due to its high BFI value and low ZFI. The value provided for ZFI and BFI were 0.004% and 67%, respectively. The findings of this study offer important insights for water resource management.