Journal of Earth & Environmental Waste Management
- ISSN: 3065-8799
Bedasa Abrahim Mummed and Yilma Seleshi
Land use change has a vital role in disturbing the hydrological response and assessing the LULC change and its impacts on the hydrological response is required for efficient water resource planning. The extent of LULC changes at the local level was uncertain and how the hydrological conditions were affected by LULC changes locally was a challenge. This study focused to assess the LULC change and its impacts on the hydrological components in the upper Erer sub basin using SWAT model from 2001 to 2020. The LULC change indicated that agricultural lands (3.97%) forest lands (3.99 %), and water bodies (0.60 %) were decreased and settlements (2.30%), shrub land (3.07%) and bare land (3.19) were increased. The model was calibrated and validated using monthly flow data indicates the performance was within satisfactory range of PBIAS ≤ (±25%), R2 > 0.8 and NSE > 0.5. The surface runoff, ground water flow, and water yields were increased by 6.03, 8.22, and 10.39 %, respectively. While, evapotranspiration was decreased by 3.34%. In this study, the change in LULC has significantly affected the hydrological component of the sub basin. This implies the implementation of adaptation strategies for sustainable water resource management in the region.