沙漠研究 24-1, 253-256 (2014)
Ἃ₍◊✲ 24-1, 253 - 256 (2014)
Journal of Arid Land Studies
Journal of Arid Land Studies－ DT11 Refereed Paper －㸫DT11 Refereed Paper㸫

A Study on Effective Use of Surface Runoff for Irrigation in Djibouti- Watershed Analysis using GIS and Trial on Runoff Parameters Estimation Hiromichi TOYODA*1), Sawahiko SHIMADA1), Tatsuya HIROKANE2), Tabarek M. ISMAEL4) ,Tomoki HOTTA3) and Michimasa MENJO3)
Abstract: Djibouti is located in the Northeastern part of Africa and most of the land is covered by desert area. To secure irrigationwater in Djibouti, we evaluated how to use surface runoff water effectively. We selected the Kourtimalei reservoir watershed as thetarget area of this study. Using satellite data (Aster GDEM) we derived the reservoir’s watershed area employing GIS, andsupplemented detail data through a field survey.
To start, we observed the weather data in this area, and at the same time we also began to collect water level data from theKourtimalei reservoir. According to our observations, the water level dropped 42 mm/day in August, 2012. Moreover, toinvestigate runoff parameters, we set up rain gauges and pressure type water gauges at three points within this watershed area fordelineation of precipitation and temporal surface water distribution. From these results, we proceeded to develop a method for aneffective use of surface runoff caused by occasional rainfall in this arid land.
Key Words: GIS, Reservoir, Runoff parameters, Surface runoff, Watershed analysis

1. Introduction
Djibouti is located in the Northeastern part of Africa, withmost of the land covered by desert with annual rainfall of ca.
100-200 mm. There is only small amount of crops
cultivation (wadi agriculture), and hence the self-sufficient
ratio of food is only 3%. Though there is little rainfall, therainfall intensity is high and therefore runoff water sometimes
causes damage to the facilities in Djibouti.
On the other hand, when large amounts of rain fall in aclosed watershed such as the BARA desert, rainfall water
accumulates and ponding areas stay for several months.
Without utilization, however, ponded water is lost by
evaporation and infiltration to ground in a few months later.
To secure irrigation water in Djibouti, we studied how to
use the surface runoff water effectively. We propose aconsecutive water reservoirs system to preserve effective water.
To apply this system, we tried to search the optimal reservoir
position using GIS, and tried to get run-off parameters of ourtarget watershed in Djibouti.
In order to carry out a specific study, we selected a part of
the Grand Bara desert watershed located in the southern part ofDjibouti. We selected the Kourtimalei reservoir watershed as
the target area of this study. The Kourtimalei reservoir islocated near the Grand BARA desert in the southern part ofDjibouti (N 11° 18’, E 42° 40’, Fig. 1). The reservoir was* Corresponding Author: h1toyoda@nodai.ac.jp

Djibouti city

Fig. 1. Location of target area in Djibouti.

constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery, andLivestock in charge of Marine Resources, Djibouti (Fig. 2).
We constructed an experimental farm adjacent to this reservoirand implemented a cultivation trial using storage water. It
was therefore important for us to analyze the water catchment
area. As we could not get a detailed elevation map ofDjibouti, we used satellite data (Aster GDEM) and we derived
the reservoir’s watershed area by using GIS (Spatial Analyst ofthe ArcGIS expansion software) and supplemented detail datawith a field survey. We have been trying to clarify the runoff
characteristics of rainwater in this watershed. From these㸦Received, September 23rd, 2013; Accepted, January 6th, 2014㸧

1-1-1, Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan1) Faculty of Regional Environment Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan3) Engineering Division, NTC INTERNATIONAL Co., Ltd., Japan

2) Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan

4) Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Livestock in Charge of Marine Resources, Djibouti

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Fig. 2. The conditions of Kourtimalei reservoir. Dried up condition(4 Mar. 2013); Filled up condition (1 Aug. 2013).
Table 1. Rainfall characteristics in Djibouti (Djibouti airport).

maxmumannual rainfall
year
monthly(mm)rainfall (mm)
2000
143.8
48.0
2001
48.2
48.2
2002
200.2
48.2
2003
90.7
29.4
2004
207.6
108.1
2005
96.2
22.2
2006
182.5
58.5
2007
33.815.6
2008
66.5
55.5
2009
33.5
24.6
2010
58.3
44.7
2011
88.8
38.5

j( jp )
maxmumoccurreddaily rainfall
month(mm)May
34.9
August42.1
January
36.4
December
14.6
April
92.9
May
17.9
August
58.2
July
14.3
November
46.3
January
19.6
August27
October
37.6

results, we are attempting to develop a method for an effective
use of rainfall. Specifically, we make the selection of suitablesites for ponds from the topographical information bywatershed analysis using GIS. Because rainfall is assumed tohave a large variation in each region, we installed the waterlevel gauge and rain gauge to retrieve the runoff characteristics
in Kourtimalei region.

2. Materials and Methods
Our overall goal is to find a way to effectively use the large
amounts of surface runoff water, resulting from temporary
heavy rains, for irrigation. The characteristic of the rainfall inDjibouti is that there are few rain events and little rainfall (30 210 mm/yr) for the past 10 years (Table 1). In addition, daily
precipitation often exceeds a half of the annual rainfall.
We plan to apply a consecutive reservoir system (Kitanakaet al, 2008) with the aim to efficiently use the reservoir water.
For this reason, it is necessary to understand the distribution
and characteristics of depression areas in the basin, and toidentify suitable pond locations. On this basis, we tried toclarify the rainfall runoff characteristics of the target basin andidentify the basin parameters for reservoir storage and use ofthis water for irrigation.

Fig. 3. Installation position of rain-gage and water-level pressure
sensor and the location of road crossing concrete culvert.

The Grand Bara desert watershed is a closed basin andrainfall runoff gathers in the Grand Bara desert. However, theregion is in a state of non-flooded condition most of the year
due to minimal rainfall. It is only when there is a large
amount of rain that water flows from the surrounding hills
towards the Grand Bara desert, and this whole area becomes
flooded temporarily with shallow water depth, with this waterbasin sometimes remaining flooded for several months. TheKourtimalei reservoir is a facility of damming runoff waterflowing into the Grand Bara desert by embankment. Thereservoir does not hold water very deep, but it is very wide inrange, since the location is in a very flat area near the Grand
Bara Desert. Because of this status, it is not efficient enoughin terms of water storage, but availability of stored water isgreater than letting it flow into the Grand Bara Desert.
As the digital map for Djibouti is not complete, to identify
the watershed we used global elevation data observed bysatellites using Aster GDEM (resolution 30 m). We estimatedthe watershed boundary using GIS software. We used Spatial
Analyst which is the extension software of ArcGIS10.1 (ESRIInc.)
We installed weather observation equipment (temperature,relative humidity, solar radiation, wind speed and direction,rainfall) in the observed experimental field adjacent to theembankment and started recording measurements in August2012 (Fig. 3). A pressure gauge (HOBO, U-20) was installedin the reservoir to observe the pond water level. In addition,
we installed rain gauge (HOBO, RG3-M) and water levelsensors (HOBO, U20) in three spots (cf. Fig. 3) within thebasin on June 2013, and tried to identify the rainfall runoff
characteristics (Fig. 4).
Regarding the setting of the water level sensors, these wereinstalled inside perforated steel pipes (3 inch diameter), toprotect them from debris flowing with rain outflows. We
fixed the base of the pipes with concrete (Figs. 4 and 5).

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Fig. 4. Water- level pressure sensor installed in perforated steel pipe
for protection in the watershed of Kourtimalei reservoir.

Fig. 5. Rain-gage and water-stage recorder installed in wire-meshand perforated steel pipe for protection in the watershed ofthe Kourtimalei reservoir.

Fig. 6. Watershed of Kourtimalei reservoir. The natural watershed isthe area in darker blue, whereas the area in light blue is the added
watershed after the constructed watershed.

Fig. 7. Concrete culvert crossing the main road. Box culvert on left
and pipe culvert on right.
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3.1. Analysis of Kourtimalei reservoir basin using GIS
Based on information from an existing map and the resultsof basin analysis using GIS under natural conditions, thecatchment area in the reservoir installation point is estimated to
be about 18 km2. The reservoir embankment, however, islong enough to catch runoff water from the west adjacent basin.
Therefore, subsequent investigation is needed to clearlydelineate the areas contributing to the watershed reservoir. In
this watershed area, if the Kourtimalei embankment did notexist, rainfall runoff flows directly toward the Grand Bara
Desert under natural conditions. The total watershed area
was calculated to be about 40 km2 (Fig. 6). In addition, wecould confirm 13 large and small culverts (3 box culverts and10 pipe culverts) crossing a main road located upstream on theright bank of the Kourtimalei reservoir (Figs. 3 and 7).
3.2. Situation of flooding in Kourtimalei reservoir
We carried out simple surveying around the reservoir andthe outskirts, and made a cross section of a bank body and thereservoir. As a result, we characterized the relationshipbetween reservoir water level and total reservoir storage (Fig. 8).
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Fig. 8. Relationship between water level and water storage volumeon Kourtimalei reservoir.

March and August 2013. At these times the Kourtimalei
reservoir was filled with runoff water.
The amount of water in Kourtimalei reservoir wasestimated roughly at 550,000 m3 on August 2012. Under theconditions of withdrawing small amounts of irrigation waterfor experimental fields, storage water remained in the reservoir
for about four months without additional rainfall in 2012.
According to our observations, the water level in thereservoir dropped 42 mm/day in August, 2012, while theamount of decrease was 35 mm/day during September-October.
The area of the experimental fields is about 2 hectares withsome vegetables, NERICA rice, trees for windbreak and othercultivated crops. The water of the reservoir was pumped up

256reaching a maximum of 35 cm in about two hours after the rainstarted. After cessation of rainfall, the water level wasreduced rapidly in half in about 3 hours. Thereafter, adrawdown occurred slowly. We suppose the slow drawdown
was due to clogging of the perforated holes of the steel pipewith sediment and debris during the storm event.

4. Recommendations

Fig. 9. Rainfall at Kourtimalei and runoff water level at the W3 point.

and used for basin irrigation.
By observing the water level changes, we clarified thecharacteristics of the water volume changes. We tried toreflect this outcome including estimation of the amount ofwater used for irrigation.
3.3. Rainfall runoff characteristics
The characteristics of precipitation in southern Djibouti
include sparse rainfall, high rainfall intensity and large regionalvariations (Takahashi et al., 1994). These concur with thetypical rainfall characteristics of drylands. Therefore, in orderto know exactly the runoff characteristics of the Kourtimalei
basin, rainfall observations in the field are required.
To investigate runoff parameters, we set up rain gauges andpressure type water gauges at three points within theKourtimalei reservoir watershed area (Fig. 4) in June, 2013.
These allowed for delineation of precipitation and temporalsurface water distribution.
In August 2013, a relatively heavy rainfall was observed
around the reservoir, and it was filled with runoff water. This
precipitation event alone was equivalent to about half of theannual average rainfall for the region. This information isuseful to clarify the degree of non-uniform distribution ofrainfall and its localization.
On the midnight of August 4, a heavy rainfall event
occurred at the measurement point W3, which recorded 40 mm
in 3 hours. The peak rainfall intensity was 25 mm/hour (Fig.
9). Wadi water level at this same point suddenly rose,

According to the rainfall data at the Kourtimalei reservoir
basin, runoff water begins to flow shortly after the onset ofrainfall. In the future we will collect and accumulate more
rainfall data and runoff amounts, and estimate an outflow rateof the basin. Based on the watershed analysis using satellite
data and GIS, we will try to find a suitable reservoir setting site
and the reservoir capacity of this basin. From these results,
we are planning on getting an effective use of runoff waterusing a consecutive irrigation reservoir system.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Prof. Fumio Watanabe, Dr.
Ryuichi Tachibana, Dr. Atsushi Sanada and Dr. Sinji Suzuki ofTokyo University of Agriculture, Mr. Ikutaro Ito and Mr.
Takashi Kotegawa of NTC International for their usefulsupport to this research and collecting data in the field.

References
Kitanaka M., Hotta T., Nishimaki R., Suzuki S., Shimada S.,
Takahashi S. (2008): Consecutive Irrigation Reservoir
System with Water- harvesting for NERICA in Semi-arid
Area. Journal of Arid Land Studies, 18(3): 81-89 (inJapanese).
Takahashi S., Takahashi H., Yokoyama S. (1994): TheCharacteristics of Rainfall of the Southern District in theRepublic of Djibouti. Journal of Agricultural Science, 39(3):149-158 (in Japanese).
Takahashi S., Watanabe F. (1995): Physical Properties andErodibility of Soil in the Southern District of the Republic ofDjibouti. Journal of Agricultural Science, 40(1): 32-45.