Groundwater Recharge Estimation Models and Ethiopian Groundwater Potential

In Ethiopia ground water shares 70% of rural water supply. Even there are models like WetSpas and WetSpass that used to estimate groundwater potential and recharge but, in Ethiopia there has been a general misunderstanding about groundwater, where it comes from and where it is going to. Likewise the ground water potential of the country is under quoted. So, this seminar is conducted to receive some information about the groundwater recharge estimation models and Ethiopian groundwater potential from different literature.  Based on the information of many literatures the occurrence of groundwater in Ethiopia is mainly influenced by the country’s geology, geomorphology, tectonics and climate. With the understanding of the nature, distribution and the recharge classification of the country the groundwater potential distribution is not uniform throughout the country. 185 Bcm total groundwater reserve of the country is distributed in an area of 924,140km2. Most literatures show previous ground water usage potential of the country with value of 2.6Bcm3. This valve is underestimated relative to the present literature values and some regional area groundwater potential. As example literatures in one year different (2013 and 2014) shows different value (26Bcm and 30Bcm) respectively. Since different studies show different result about the total groundwater potential of the country through time to time, the result is under quoted. So, to study the ground water potential of Ethiopia proper investigation and organized groundwater study committee is required in the country starting from the lower to the highest governmental level.