May Sho'ate

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Coordinates: 13°38′38″N 39°11′38″E / 13.644°N 39.194°E / 13.644; 39.194
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May Sho’ate
Dogu’a Tembien
Physical characteristics
SourceMay Ntebteb
 • locationZenaqo in Ayninbirkekin municipality
 • elevation2,500 m (8,200 ft)
MouthMay Zegzeg River
 • location
May Addi Abagie, at the border of Mika'el Abiy and Haddinnet municipalities
 • coordinates
13°38′38″N 39°11′38″E / 13.644°N 39.194°E / 13.644; 39.194
 • elevation
2,270 m (7,450 ft)
Length1.9 km (1.2 mi)
Width 
 • average5 m (16 ft)
Basin features
River systemSeasonal/permanent river
LandmarksIlias’ Stone
WaterfallsMay Ntebteb
TopographyMountains and deep gorges

The May Sho’ate (also called Argak'a) is a river of the

Dogu’a Tembien in northern Ethiopia, it flows southward to empty finally in Giba and Tekezé River.[1]

The river in the radial drainage network of Dogu’a Tembien

Characteristics

It is a confined ephemeral river with an average slope gradient of 121 metres per kilometre. With its tributaries, the river has cut a deep gorge.[2]

May Zegzeg Integrated Catchment Management Project

As part of outreach accompanying research in

catchment management in the district.[3] The results of the implementation of site-specific conservation techniques aimed at increasing water infiltration and conserving soil were particularly monitored in the headwaters at May Sho'ate: dry masonry stone bunds,[4] check dams in gullies,[5] and the set-aside of degraded rangelands which resulted in exclosures.[6]

Flash floods and flood buffering

Runoff mostly happens in the form of high runoff discharge events that occur in a very short period (called

flash floods). These are related to the steep topography, often little vegetation cover and intense convective rainfall. The peaks of such flash floods have often a 50 to 100 times larger discharge than the preceding baseflow.[2]

May Sho’ate catchment

The magnitude of floods in this river has however been decreased due to interventions in the catchment by the May Zegzeg project, and other community activities. On the steep slopes, exclosures have been established; the dense vegetation largely contributes to enhanced infiltration, less flooding and better baseflow.[7] Physical conservation structures such as stone bunds[8][9] and check dams also intercept runoff.[5][10]

Irrigated agriculture

May Sho’ate dam

Besides springs and reservoirs, irrigation is strongly dependent on the river's baseflow. Such irrigated agriculture is important in meeting the demands for food security and poverty reduction.[2] Irrigated lands near springs that became strong after conservation activities:[1]

  • Zenaqo in the upper catchment
  • May Addi Abagiè, near the confluence of May Sho’ate and May Harena
Irrigation near the confluence of May Sho’ate and May Harena

Boulders and pebbles in the river bed

Boulders and pebbles encountered in the river bed can originate from any location higher up in the catchment. In the uppermost stretches of the river, only rock fragments of the upper lithological units will be present in the river bed, whereas more downstream one may find a more comprehensive mix of all lithologies crossed by the river. From upstream to downstream, the following lithological units occur in the catchment.[11]

Research catchment

Given its representativeness for the wider northern Ethiopian Highlands and the proximity to Hagere Selam town, various research undertakings took place along May Sho’ate and in its catchment. These studies were particularly related to:

Natural boundary

During its course, this river constitutes the borders between Ayninbirkekin and Mika'el Abiy municipalities|.[1]

Trekking along the river

Ilias’ stone along May Sho’ate river bed

Trekking routes have been established across and along this river.[36] The tracks are not marked on the ground but can be followed using downloaded .GPX files.[37]

  • Trek 12, across the river and its upper catchment near
    Addi Qolqwal
    village
  • Trek 12V, across the river and its lower catchment near
    Harena
    villages

See also

  • List of Ethiopian rivers

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6
    .
  2. ^
    S2CID 199099067
    .
  3. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6
    .
  4. hdl:1854/LU-378900
    .
  5. ^
    S2CID 98547102
    .
  6. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2005.04.027
    .
  7. hdl:1854/LU-378900
    .
  8. hdl:1854/LU-378900
    .
  9. doi:10.1127/zfg/2015/0166
    .
  10. hdl:1854/LU-8518957
    .
  11. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6
    .
  12. doi:10.1016/S0167-1987(00)00138-0
    .
  13. S2CID 98532199
    .
  14. doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00192-7
    .
  15. S2CID 140691299
    .
  16. doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(01)00096-4
    .
  17. hdl:1854/LU-378900
    .
  18. S2CID 95931760
    .
  19. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2004.12.016
    .
  20. doi:10.1016/j.still.2005.08.004
    .
  21. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.04.021
    .
  22. S2CID 128492271
    .
  23. S2CID 53650704
    .
  24. S2CID 129123841
    .
  25. S2CID 129417175
    .
  26. S2CID 129902936
    .
  27. S2CID 9697107
    .
  28. S2CID 85663297
    .
  29. S2CID 53556757
    .
  30. hdl:1854/LU-3080411
    .
  31. S2CID 98508952
    .
  32. doi:10.1016/j.still.2008.05.021
    .
  33. ^ Effects of land use and land cover on sheet and rill erosion rates in the Tigray highlands, Ethiopia
  34. S2CID 53414457
    .
  35. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2013.10.016
    .
  36. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6
    .
  37. ^ Public GPS traces tagged with nyssen-jacob-frankl | OpenStreetMap
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