The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abbay Basin Authority Wetlands Ecosystems Coverage,Status and Threats in the Abbay River Basin Conducted By: Getnet Hunegnaw Habib Mengesha Alemante Aimro Biazin Ferede Abbay Basin Authority December, 2013 Table of Contents Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... ii List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. v Acronyms ...................................................................................................................................... vi Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ vii Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Objectives of the assessment .......................................................................................... 3 1.3 Scope of the assessment ................................................................................................. 3 2. Literature Review ..................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Wetlands in the world ........................................................................................................ 4 2.2 Wetlands in Ethiopia ......................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Wetlands in the Abbay Basin ........................................................................................... 8 2.4 Classification of wetlands ............................................................................................... 10 2.5 Functions of wetlands ..................................................................................................... 12 2.5.1 Wetland economic values ..................................................................................................... 13 3. Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 15 3.1 Description of Assessment Areas ................................................................................. 15 3.2 Data Collection and Analysis Methods ........................................................................ 17 4. Findings of the Assessment and Discussion ..................................................................... 17 4.1 Wetlands Distribution in the Abbay Basin ................................................................ 17 4.2 Uses of wetlands in the Abbay River Basin ................................................................ 23 4.2.1 Fisheries ........................................................................................................................ 24 4.2.2 Food supply ................................................................................................................... 25 4.2.4 Material supply .............................................................................................................. 26 4.2.5 Water supply ................................................................................................................. 27 4.2.6 Urban wastewater and Surface runoff treatment ................................................... 28 4.3 Bird Species Diversity ..................................................................................................... 28 4.4 Plant Species Diversity ................................................................................................... 29 ii 4.5 Current wetlandmanagementsystems……………………………………………….30 4.6 Threats of Wetlands ........................................................................................................ 30 4.7 Legal Frameworks ........................................................................................................... 31 4.8 Strategic issues for future wetland management ....................................................... 32 5. Conclusion and Recommendations .................................................................................... 33 5.1 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 33 5.2 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 35 References .................................................................................................................................. 37 Annexes ....................................................................................................................................... 41 Annex I. Assessment Questionnaires ................................................................................ 41 Annex II. Bird Species .......................................................................................................... 45 Annex III. Plant Species ........................................................................................................ 46 Annex IV. Wild Animals ........................................................................................................ 49 Annex V. Reptiles .................................................................................................................. 49 Annex VI. Fishes ................................................................................................................... 49 Annex VII. Lists of wetlands found in the Tana sub basin ............................................... 50 Annex VIII. Lists of wetlands found in the Debub Gojjam sub basin ............................ 59 Annex IX. Lists of wetlands found in the Fincha sub basin ........................................... 74 Annex X. Lists of wetlands found in the Beles sub basin ............................................... 82 Annex XI. Lists of wetlands found in the DiDessa sub basin ......................................... 84 Annex XII. Lists of wetlands found in the Dabus sub basin ........................................... 84 Annex XIII. Lists of wetlands found in the Muger sub basin .......................................... 85 Annex XIV. Lists of wetlands found in the Muger sub basin ..................................................... 85 Annex XV. Lists of wetlands found in North Gojjam sub basin ................................................. 85 iii List of Figures Figure 2 1 Wetalds distribution around Lake Tana .................................................................. 9 Figure 3. 1 Assessment Study areas ........................................................................................ 16 Figure 4. 1 Wetland distributions in Tana sub basin at wereda level .................................. 19 Figure 4. 2 Wetland distributions in Debub Gojjam sub basin at wereda level .................. 20 Figure 4. 3 Wetland distributions in Fincha sub basin at wereda level ............................... 20 Figure 4. 4 Wetland distributions in Dabus sub basin at wereda level ................................ 21 Figure 4. 5 Wetland distributions in Didessa sub basin at wereda level ............................. 21 Figure 4. 6 Wetland distributions in Muger sub basin at wereda level ................................ 22 Figure 4. 7 Wetland distributions in Welaka sub basin at wereda level .............................. 22 Figure 4. 8 Wetland distributions in Beshilo sub basin at wereda level .............................. 23 Figure 4. 9 Wetland distributions in Jemma sub basin at wereda level .............................. 23 Figure 4. 10 Rice cultivation in Fogera swamps ................................................................... 25 Figure 4. 11 Wetlands used for grazing .................................................................................. 26 Figure 4. 12 Local boats made from wetland products (Papyrus) in Lake Tana ............. 27 Figure 4. 13 Flock of Eurasian Cranes and other large waterbirds, Fogera Plain, ........ 29 Figure 4. 14 Nymphaea sp. and sedges along roadside wetlands in Fogera Plain ........ 30 iv List of Tables Table 2. 1 Wetland types ............................................................................................................ 6 Table 2. 2 Wetland distribution by region in Ethiopia ............................................................ 7 Table 2. 3 Wetland goods and services, intrinsic attributes and ecological functions .... 14 Table 4. 1 Typical loss of wetland areas in Tana Sub- basin .............................................. 31 v Acronyms ABA Abbay Basin Authority BCM Billion Cubic Meter BoEPLAU Bureau of Environmental Protection Land Administration and Use CBOs Community Based Organizations EPA Environmental Protection Authority EWNRA Ethiopian Wetlands and natural resources Association EWRP Ethiopian Wetland Research Programme FAO Food and Agriculture organization FDRE Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia GIS Geographical Information System GPS