Betqua

Betqua
Betqua
Coordinates	13.32473607°N 39.33529336°E / 13.32473607; 39.33529336
Type	Freshwater artificial lake
Basin countries	Ethiopia
Surface area	0.137 km^2 (0.053 sq mi)
Water volume	0.666×10^^6 m^3 (540 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation	2,270 m (7,450 ft)
Settlements	Hintalo

Betqua is a reservoir located in the Hintalo Wajirat woreda of the Tigray Region in Ethiopia. The earthen dam that holds the reservoir was built in 1997 by SAERT.[1]

Dam characteristics

• Dam height: 16 metres
• Dam crest length: 284 metres
• Spillway width: 20 metres

Capacity

• Original capacity: 666 337 m³
• Dead storage: 133 267 m³
• Reservoir area: 13.7 ha

In 2002, the life expectancy of the reservoir (the duration before it is filled with sediment) was estimated at 23 years.[1]

Irrigation

• Designed irrigated area: 70 ha
• Actual irrigated area in 2002: 25 ha

Environment

The catchment of the reservoir is 1.52 km² large, with a perimeter of 4.82 km and a length of 1520 metres. The reservoir suffers from rapid siltation.[2] The lithology of the catchment is Agula Shale and Mekelle Dolerite[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]

References

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.