Assessment of Irrigation Land Suitability For Surface Irrigation in Birbir River Watershed Using Geographic Information System Technique in Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Assessment of Irrigation Land Suitability For Surface Irrigation in Birbir River Watershed Using Geographic Information System Technique in Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Assessment of Irrigation Land Suitability For Surface Irrigation in Birbir River Watershed Using Geographic Information System Technique in Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Email address:
Received: July 21, 2021; Accepted: August 10, 2021; Published: August 24, 2021
Abstract: The planning process of surface irrigation has to integrate information about the suitability of the land, water
resource availability and water requirements of irrigable areas in time and place. Birbir River is one of well-known river found
in western Ethiopia. The Birbir River is a tributary of the Baro-Akobo river basin, which creates Baro River when it joins with
Gebba River. Ethiopia has immense potential in expanding irrigation using available water resources. But due to lack of
information related to cultivable and irrigation suitability of the land, its agricultural system does not yet fully productive.
Geographic Information System can be an effective tool in identifying irrigable land and mapping of suitable land for
irrigation. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to assess the surface irrigation potential land suitability of the Birbir
river watershed using ArcGIS 10.3 and Soil and water assessment tool software. Different methods of data processing and
analysis have been employed in this study. The main suitability parameters used to identify the irrigation land suitability were
slope, soil texture, soil depth, soil type, soil drainage characteristics, land use land cover and distance to water source. The
individual suitability of each parameter was first analyzed and finally weighted to get suitable irrigable sites. To reduce the
individual biases of factor weighting, the weights of each parameter in the study were determined by using a pairwise
comparison method as developed by Satty in the context of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). By weighting values of the
seven factors using Analytic Hierarchy Process and overlaying by weighted overlay in ArcGIS 10.3, the irrigation suitability
map was developed and irrigable land area for surface irrigation was found to be 17%, 63% and 20% for highly suitable S1,
moderately suitable S2, and marginally suitable S3 respectively. The total area of the land classified under not suitable (N)
class covered was not available. This implies that all lands of the Birbir river watershed can be utilized based on the current
irrigation technology.
Keywords: Birbir River Watershed, Geographic Information System, Analytical Hierarchy Process,
Surface Irrigation Suitability, Suitability Factors
than 90% of the world uses surface irrigation, even if local suitability for surface irrigation in Birbir river watershed
irrigators have least knowledge of how to operate and using GIS technique.
maintain the system [2].
Agriculture is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy. It 2. Research Methodology
accounts an employment of 90% of its population, around
50% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 2.1. Study Area Description
around 90% of foreign exchange earnings [3]. Ethiopia has
been proved to be the” water tower of Africa” however; the The Birbir river is a tributary of the Baro-Akobo river
use of this water resource is not practiced well in the country. basin, which creates Baro river when it joins with Gebba
It is estimated about 90% of the food demand in the country river at latitude and longitude 8°14′28″N 34°57′39″E
comes from low yield rainfed agriculture. However, Rainfall respectively. The Birbir river watershed covers an area of
in the country is varying highly and erratic in time and space 634415 ha of land. It is located between the geographical
[4]. FAO analyzed agricultural production for over 90 less coordinates of 8°27’11’’ to 9°24’25’’N latitude and
developed country, and the result showed that from a period of 34°42’54’’to 35°50’52’’E longitude and it is located at a
1998 to 2030 it increases by 49% in rain-fed agriculture and by distance of 490 km from Addis Ababa. The annual mean
81% by irrigation. Therefore, a higher number of additional minimum and maximum temperature ranges are 12.0°C to
foods are expected from an irrigation system as a 16°C and 23.1°C to 31°C respectively. Rainfall in the region
consequence, it becomes very important to develop and generally varies with variation of altitude. The Annual
manage all other available water resources in the country [5]. rainfall of the river watershed is ranging from 1500 to 1800
Water has been recognized as the most important factor for mm. The agro-climatic condition of the areas alternates with
the transformation of low productive and low yield rain-fed long summer rainfall (June to September) and winter dry
agriculture into most effective and high productivity irrigated season (December to March). The altitude ranges from 1300
agriculture [6]. About 15 to 17% of Government to 1800 m.a.s.l.
expenditures are committed to the agriculture sector [7]. 20°0'0"E 30°0'0"E 40°0'0"E
According to the study of MoWE [8], Ethiopian mountains
¯
20°0'0"N
are the source of most rivers (Abay, Awash, Tekeze, Mereb, 20°0'0"N
Baro, Gilo, Akobo and Omo rivers) that flow to the west and
southwest. The main capital investment on surface irrigation
system is mainly associated with land grading, but if the
topography is not too undulating, these costs are not high [9].
Determining the suitability of land for surface irrigation 10°0'0"N
10°0'0"N
requires thorough evaluation of soil properties and
topography (slope) of the land within field [10]. All kinds of
rural land are involved by different land-cover land use types;
the land suitability evaluation for surface irrigation also
provides guidance in cases of conflict between rural land use
and urban or industrial expansion, by indicating which areas 0°0'0" 0°0'0"
of land covers land uses are most suitable for irrigation [9].
The planning process of surface irrigation has to integrate
information about the suitability of the land, water resource
Legend
availability and water requirements of irrigable areas in time
Oromiyaa Boundary
and place [11]. Assessing the suitability of land for surface 10°0'0"S Birbir river watershed
10°0'0"S
Electricity and Energy, Hydrology Department. The watershed 2.3.1. Slope Suitability Analysis
physiographic data were collected from Ethiopian Map The slope map of the Birbir river watershed was derived
Agency. Records on soil, land use land cover, slope and using the “Spatial Analysis Slope” tool in ArcGIS 10.3. The
drainage systems were collected from Ethiopian Ministry of Slope that had been derived from the Digital Elevation
Water, Electricity and Energy, Geographic information system Model (DEM) was classified based on the classification
and remote sensing department. Materials used in this research system of FAO [14] using the “Reclassification” tool, which
were ArcGIS 10.3 and Geographic Position System (GPS). is an attribute generalization technique in ArcGIS 10.3
interface. The four suitability ranges or slope suitability
2.3. Methods of Data Processing and Analysis criteria’s are S1 (highly suitable), S2 (moderately suitable),
Different methods of data processing and analysis have S3 (marginally suitable), and N (not suitable) for surface
been employed in this study. Identification of suitable sites irrigation.
for surface irrigation was carried out by considering the 2.3.2. Soil Suitability Assessment
slope, soil type, soil texture, soil drainage, soil depth, land For the assessment of soil suitability for surface irrigation,
cover/use and distance between water supply and the FAO- soil map of east Africa was used. The major
potential command area as factors. In processing all the characteristics of soil such as soil types, soil depth, and soil
design and analysis, identifying literature review of the drainage and soil texture in the watershed were then
research, and data gathered were analyzed to come up with reclassified. By considering those soil physical parameters,
the research output. The individual suitability of each factor irrigation land suitability of the Birbir river watershed was
was first analyzed and finally weighted to get suitable evaluated independently based on the soil classification
irrigable sites. Finally, according to the objectives of the guideline [15]. Accordingly, soil suitability classes for each
research suitable land map for irrigation was prepared based parameter with the factor rating of S1, S2, S3, and N were
on GIS analysis. In watershed delineation, the DEM with described in Table 1. Important physical properties of these
30x30 pixel size, which provides topographic information of soil groups were used for irrigation suitability analysis. The
the watershed, was used. The study area was delineated using rasterized soil map of the watershed was then reclassified
“Soil and water assessment tool (SWAT)” tool in ArcGIS based on their soil type name, texture, and depth and
10.3. The delineated Birbir river watershed covers a total drainage classes.
area of 634415 ha.
Table 1. Soil suitability factor rating for surface irrigation suitability [15].
Factor rating
Soil factors
S1 S2 S3 N
Drainage class Well Moderate Imperfect Poor to very poor
Depth (mm) >100 80-100 50-80 <50
Texture Loam-Silty Cay, Clay Silt loam, Sandy Cay Sandy, sandy loam
Factors Slope Land cover Soil depth Soil drainage Soil texture Soil type Distance Weight (%)
Slope 1 4 3 4 3 4 5 31
Land cover 0.25 1 2 2 2 2 3 20
Soil depth 0.33 0.5 1 1 1 1 4 11
Soil drainage 0.25 0.5 1 1 1 1 3 11
Soil texture 0.33 0.5 1 1 1 1 2 11
Soil type 0.25 0.5 1 1 1 1 3 10
Distance 0.2 0.33 0.25 0.33 0.25 0.33 1 6
So the seven stated above parameters were weighted in above table 2 and the suitability of the land was done using the
weight given to each parameters.
35°0'0"E
3.1.3. Soil Texture Suitability
Legend
slope suitability classes
S1: 27.91%
S2: 25.35% Coordinate System: GCS WGS 1984
±
Datum: WGS 1984
S3: 41.14%
Units: Degree
N: 5.6%
0 10 20 40 Kilometers 9°0'0"N 9°0'0"N
35°0'0"E
±
(S1) class on the map is located at the middle part of the
river watershed.
35°0'0"E
± 9°0'0"N 9°0'0"N
9°0'0"N 9°0'0"N
Legend
soil depth
suitabiltiy classes
Legend S1: 88.14% Coordinate System: GCS WGS 1984
Land use land cover Datum: WGS 1984
suitability classes S2: 11.86%
Units: Degree
S1: 31.21 %
Coordinate System: GCS WGS 1984 0 10 20 40 Kilometers
S2: 0.16%
Datum: WGS 1984
S3: 45.33% Units: Degree
35°0'0"E
N: 23.28%
0 10 20 40 Kilometers
Figure 6. Reclassified soil depth class map of the watershed.
35°0'0"E
Figure 4. Reclassified land use land cover map of the watershed. 3.1.4. Soil Depth Suitability
Based on the guideline of land suitability evaluation [15],
Software Engineering 2021; 9(2): 45-52 50
the study area has fall under only two ranges of soil depth. classified as moderately suitable (S2) were as soil types such
The soils depth identified in the study area were found to be as Chromic luvisols, Haplic lixisols and Eutric gleysols were
deep to very deep which was ranging from 90 cm to even classified as marginally suitable (S3) for surface irrigation
greater than 120 cm. The depth class which is greater than with limitation factor of their low fertility. As it can be
120 cm was classified as highly suitable (S1) whereas soil observed from figure 8, about 90% soils type of the Birbir
depth of 90 cm to 120 was classified as S2 (moderately river watershed were found to be suitable for surface
suitable). The range of highly suitable was found to be irrigation if the limiting factor productivity and fertility of the
88.14% (559146 ha) of the total area whereas the rest part of land (S2 and S3) is improved and soil and water conservation
the land 11.86% (75224) with soil depth of 90-120 cm was practices was done.
classified as S2 (moderately suitable class). The result in
35°0'0"E
figure 6 shows highly suitable (S1) class on the map almost
covered all area of watershed except small area of the lower
part which is the part of moderately suitable class (S2).
3.1.5. Soil Drainage Suitability
±
Based on the FAO (1985) guideline of land suitability
evaluation, the study area has fall under only three ranges of 9°0'0"N 9°0'0"N
soil drainage. These are S1, S2 and N suitability classes and
the final soil drainage suitability map of the watershed was
developed accordingly as shown on Figure 7. ;A soil drainage
class with well drainage was classified as highly suitable
(S1), whereas moderate drainage and poor drainage were
classified as S2 (moderately suitable) and N (marginally not
suitable) respectively. The result in figure 7 shows highly Legend
Soil type suitability classes
suitable (S1) class on the soil drainage map is located at the
S1: 28.57%
middle and lower part of the watershed. The location of S1 Coordinate System: GCS WGS 1984
S2: 13.20%
for drainage is opposite of soil texture. This indicates that S3: 53.71%
Datum: WGS 1984
Units: Degree
soil with good drainages has no good textures for surface N: 4.52%
0 10 20 40 Kilometers
irrigation.
35°0'0"E
35°0'0"E
±
Figure 8. Reclassified soil type suitability map.
land suitability, were as the remaining 20.05% (124947 ha) of cannot be accumulated at the middle part of the watershed.
the total area of the Birbir river watershed was found to be in However, land suitability classes in the range of moderately
the range of marginally suitable (S3) for surface irrigation suitable (S2) can get enough discharge than S1 since it is
method. The total area of the land classified as not suitable N located at lower parts.
class cover was not available. This implies that all areas of
lands in the Birbir river watershed can be utilized based on the Table 3. Final Suitable surface irrigation land of the study area.
current irrigation technology. Suitability Area
Suitability class name
class (%) (ha)
35°0'0"E
S1 17.03 106223 Highly suitable
±
S2 62.92 392232 Moderately suitable
S3 20.05 124947 Marginally suitable
Total 100 623402
±
texture. This indicates that soil with good drainages has no
good textures for surface irrigation. About 90% Soil type of
the Birbir river watershed were found to be suitable for
surface irrigation if the limiting factor productivity and
fertility of the land (S2 and S3) is improved and soil and
water conservation practices was done. Even though the cost
9°0'0"N 9°0'0"N
for application for this surface irrigation increases in the
areas of S2 and S3 classes more than 90% of the Birbir river
watersheds were found to be suitable for surface irrigation in
terms of distance suitability. By weighting the values of these
seven parameters data sets using weighted overlay in ArcGIS
10.3, the irrigation suitability map was developed and land
suitable for surface irrigation were found to be 17%, 63%
and 20% for S1, S2, and S3 respectively. This result shows
Legend that highly suitable (S1) class on the map is located at the
Final suitability classes
Coordinate System: GCS WGS 1984 upper and middle part of the river watershed. From this land
S1: 17.03%
Datum: WGS 1984 suitability location it can be concluded that it might be
S2: 62.92% Units: Degree
S3: 20.05% difficult to irrigate all highly suitable (S1) land area because
0 10 20 40 Kilometers
enough amount of discharge cannot be accumulated at the
35°0'0"E middle part of the watershed. However, land suitability
Figure 10. Final surface irrigation land suitability map. classes in the range of moderately suitable (S2) can get
enough discharge than S1 since it is located at lower parts.
The result in figure 10 shows that highly suitable (S1)
class on the map is located at the upper and middle part of 4.2. Recommendations
the river watershed. From this land suitability location it can
Result of the irrigation suitability analysis of the watershed
be concluded that it might be difficult to irrigate all highly
indicated that, from the total area of the watershed, only 17%
suitable (S1) land because enough amount of discharge
Software Engineering 2021; 9(2): 45-52 52
of the watershed is highly suitable for surface irrigation. Statistical Agency, 2016. Central Statistical Agency of
Therefore, in order to increase the suitable irrigable land, Ethiopia.
suitability analysis for other methods of irrigation which are [6] FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), 1994. Andreas P. S.
less affected by topography, such as sprinkler and drip and Karen F. Crop Water Requirements and Irrigation
irrigation should be carried out. In this study, the surface Scheduling. Water Resources Development and Management
irrigation land suitability was carried out by considering only Officers FAO Sub-Regional Office for East and Southern
Africa: Irrigation Manual Module 4. Harare, Zimbabwe.
distance from the source, soil type; soil texture, soil drainage,
slope, and land cover use as factor of suitability. However, [7] Federal Democratic Repulic of Ethiopia, 2011. Small-Scale
there might be effects of other factors such as water quality, Irrigation Capacity-building Strategy for Ethiopia. Addis
environmental impacts, economic importance of crops, Ababa, Ethiopia.
ground water resource, and social terms should also be [8] MoWE (2013) Ministry of water and energy of Ethiopia:
assessed to get sound and reliable result. MoWR, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE),
Addis Ababa.
Acknowledgements [9] FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), 1995. Guideline
for Land Evaluation for Irrigated Agriculture. Soils Bulletin,
First and foremost, thanks to the Almighty God for 55. FAO, Rome.
granting me His limitless care, love and blessings all along
[10] Jaruntorn B, Det W, Katsutoshi S., 2004. GIS based land
the way. We are grateful to National Metrological Service suitability assessment for Musa. Graduate School of
Agency (NMSA), Ministry of Water, Electricity and Energy, Agricultural science, Ethime University, Japan.
Hydrology Department and Ethiopian Map Agency for
providing the required data to conduct the study. Besides, our [11] FAO, 2007. Land evaluation towards a revised framework.
Land and Water Discussion Paper 6, Rome.
deep hearted gratitude goes to Jimma Institute of Technology,
School of graduate studies for the invaluable knowledge and [12] Fasina, A. S., G. O Awe, and J. O Aruleba, 2008. Irrigation
guidance for our study. suitability evaluation and crop yield an example with
Amaranthus cruentus in Southwestern Nigeria. African
Journal of Plant Science Vol. 2 (7), pp. 61-66, July 2008.