Chini (reservoir)

Chini
Chini
	Chini
Coordinates	13°39′20″N 39°07′30″E / 13.655626°N 39.124926°E / 13.655626; 39.124926
Type	Freshwater artificial lake
Basin countries	Ethiopia
Surface elevation	2,580 m (8,460 ft)
Settlements	Melfa

Chini is a small reservoir located in Melfa (Dogu’a Tembien woreda, Tigray Region, Ethiopia). The 151-metres long earthen dam that holds the reservoir was built in 1993 by the Relief Society of Tigray.^[1] It was mainly constructed for purpose of livestock watering. The catchment of the reservoir is 1.86 km² large, with a perimeter of 5.15 km and a length of 1800 metres. The reservoir suffers from rapid siltation.^[2] The lithology of the catchment is composed of Ashangi Basalts.^[1] Part of the water that could be used for irrigation is lost through seepage; the positive side-effect is that this contributes to groundwater recharge.^[3] Actually, in the wider surrounding of the reservoir, both upstream and downstream the level of the watertable has strongly raised, and the area has become remarkably greener.

References

^ a b De Wit, Joke (2003). Stuwmeren in Tigray (Noord-Ethiopië): kenmerken, sedimentatie en sediment-bronnen. Unpub. M.Sc. thesis. Department of Geography, K.U.Leuven.
^ Nigussie Haregeweyn, and colleagues (2006). "Reservoirs in Tigray: characteristics and sediment deposition problems". Land Degradation and Development. 17: 211–230. doi:10.1002/ldr.698. S2CID 129834993.
^ Nigussie Haregeweyn, and colleagues (2008). "Sediment yield variability in Northern Ethiopia: A quantitative analysis of its controlling factors". Catena. 75 (1): 65–76. Bibcode:2008Caten..75...65H. doi:10.1016/j.catena.2008.04.011.

[joke-1] De Wit, Joke (2003). Stuwmeren in Tigray (Noord-Ethiopië): kenmerken, sedimentatie en sediment-bronnen. Unpub. M.Sc. thesis. Department of Geography, K.U.Leuven.

[2] Nigussie Haregeweyn, and colleagues (2006). "Reservoirs in Tigray: characteristics and sediment deposition problems". Land Degradation and Development. 17: 211–230. doi:10.1002/ldr.698. S2CID 129834993.

[3] Nigussie Haregeweyn, and colleagues (2008). "Sediment yield variability in Northern Ethiopia: A quantitative analysis of its controlling factors". Catena. 75 (1): 65–76. Bibcode:2008Caten..75...65H. doi:10.1016/j.catena.2008.04.011.