From Degraded Slopes to Stable Watersheds: Catchment Restoration

Water security
Ethiopia

The BURQAA Initiative, a partnership between Acacia Water, World Vision Ethiopia, and HEINEKEN Breweries, was launched to improve catchment conditions and promote sustainable water use. Phase I (2020–2023) implemented soil and water conservation, livelihood support, and monitoring measures. Phase II (2023–2027) focuses on scaling effective practices, strengthening local ownership, and expanding monitoring systems, while linking technical interventions with institutional and socio-economic dimensions of catchment management.

Photo: Acacia Water

Key Takeaways

  • When technical expertise is combined with community participation, restoration measures are more sustainable and deliver stronger results in water retention and land rehabilitation.
  • Measurable hydrological improvements: water retention targets were largely met in Upper Dabena and exceeded in Hakim Gara, showing that well-targeted interventions can restore catchment functions in both highland and semi-arid settings.
  • The combination of manual measurements with telemetric sensors, supported by a real-time dashboard, provided reliable data and improved access to monitoring results for decision-making.
  • Mapping and baseline assessments made it possible to identify hotspot areas and direct interventions to locations with the highest need and suitability, strengthening the effectiveness of restoration.
  • Lessons and evidence from Phase I are carried into Phase II, where expanded monitoring, refined planning tools, and institutional integration are guiding the scaling of interventions and long-term impact tracking.

Project Details

Started: July 2023 – To be completed: June 2027 (Phase II)
Started: February 2020 – Completed: December 2022 (Phase I)

Ref: 221330 (Phase II) | Status: Ongoing
Ref: 201105 (Phase I) | Status: Completed

Project title: BURQAA Initiative – Dabena and Hakim Gara Integrated Water Balancing and Livelihood Improvement

Background

In Ethiopia, land degradation, irregular rainfall, and limited water storage continue to affect agricultural production and rural livelihoods. These pressures are especially visible in catchment areas, where deforestation, overgrazing, and hillside cultivation reduce infiltration, increase erosion, and limit reliable access to water.

The BURQAA Initiative (“burqaa” meaning “spring” in Oromifa) was launched in 2020 with funding from HEINEKEN Breweries S.C. and is implemented by Acacia Water and World Vision Ethiopia. The initiative links upstream catchment restoration with downstream water use, aiming to offset the breweries’ water footprint while also improving local water security and supporting community development. Activities are focused in the Upper Dabena catchment (Illubabore Zone, Oromia Region) and the Hakim Gara catchment (Harari Region).

Phase I (2020–2023) combined soil and water conservation measures, livelihood support, and a monitoring system to restore degraded land and improve water availability. The program achieved measurable outcomes, including 86,190 m³/year of additional water retention in Upper Dabena and 45,600 m³/year in Hakim Gara. Livelihood support activities complemented these interventions by strengthening the link between natural resource management and household well-being. Lessons from this phase also emphasized the need for stronger coordination, greater community involvement, and practical planning tools—priorities carried into the next phase.

Phase II (2023–2027) builds on these results with a broader focus on scaling effective practices, strengthening institutions, and linking restoration with wider benefits such as carbon sequestration and improved livelihoods. Monitoring has been expanded to combine real-time telemetry with manual field measurements of soil moisture, precipitation, water levels, and discharge, providing a stronger basis for adaptive planning. Additional elements include the development and validation of Catchment Management Guidelines (CMGs), the preparation of 3R (Retention, Recharge, Reuse) suitability maps, and the integration of socio-economic and governance considerations into catchment planning.

Through this partnership, the BURQAA Initiative is contributing to lasting improvements in water balance, land stability, carbon storage, and community resilience across its target catchments.

Activities

Baseline assessments
Comprehensive baseline studies were carried out at the start of the initiative, covering biophysical, socio-economic, and governance indicators. The results provided a solid foundation for identifying hotspot areas, prioritizing restoration zones, and tailoring interventions to the specific conditions and capacities of each catchment. These assessments continue to guide the design and targeting of interventions.

Catchment management planning and tools
To support planning, Acacia Water developed 3R (Retention, Recharge, and Reuse) potential maps for both catchments. By combining these with socio-economic and environmental data, priority areas for intervention were identified. The planning tools are now used to direct restoration activities in new sub-catchments, helping to focus measures where they are most effective.

Capacity development
Capacity development was an integral part of the initiative. Acacia Water trained local experts on hydrology, water balance assessment, and monitoring methods, while World Vision supported community engagement and practical implementation skills. These efforts have helped build technical capacity at woreda level and strengthen local ownership of catchment management.

Catchment Management Guidelines (CMGs)
Catchment Management Guidelines were developed for Upper Dabena and Hakim Gara to provide step-by-step instructions for planning and implementing restoration. The guidelines include assessments of catchment conditions, recommended SWC measures, and clearly defined roles for communities and local authorities. They were validated through a multi-stakeholder workshop in January 2025. To support use at the local level, a simplified three-page version was prepared in Afaan Oromo, focusing on the practical aspects of how to implement SWC measures in the field.

Hydrological data collection and analysis
A monitoring system was established using telemetric sensors, soil moisture loggers, and discharge measurement tools, supported by field observations. In Phase II, this system is being expanded by increasing the number of monitoring sites in new project areas. Combined with satellite imagery and remote sensing data, the network provides consistent information on seasonal variations in water flow, groundwater levels, and soil moisture, supporting the impact analysis of the initiative in the project areas.

Data dashboard
A data dashboard was established to visualize real-time information collected from telemetric sensors. It allows rainfall, water levels, soil moisture, and discharge data to be accessed directly from the office, providing near real-time updates alongside stored historical records.

Findings

  • Water retention results:
    • Upper Dabena: 86,190 m³/year, equal to 96% of the annual water-balance target.
    • Hakim Gara: 45,600 m³/year, nearly double the 24,000 m³/year target.
  • Hydrological effect of measures: Field evidence indicates improved infiltration, reduced runoff, and stabilization of degraded slopes in treated areas.

Monitoring approach and reliability: Combining manual field measurements with telemetric data produced more dependable time series than either method alone.

Real-time access to data: Telemetric sensors feed a dashboard that allows staff to view near–real-time readings (rainfall, water levels, soil moisture, discharge) from the office and compare them with historical records, supporting timely analysis and decisions.

Targeting interventions: Baseline assessments and 3R potential mapping were used to identify hotspot areas and prioritize sites, helping direct measures to locations with the highest need and suitability.

Looking ahead: Phase II is expanding the monitoring network to track long-term trends in flow, groundwater levels, and soil moisture. Evidence from Phase I has informed refinements to planning tools (e.g., CMGs, 3R maps), which are available to guide work in new sub-catchments.

Project Areas

The Upper Dabena Catchment is located in a high rainfall zone (1,400–2,200 mm/year) with steep terrain, erodible soils, and diverse land use patterns. Coffee is the dominant cash crop, while cereals and vegetables are cultivated for household consumption. The area has experienced extensive land degradation due to hillside cultivation, deforestation, and overgrazing. Restoration efforts in this catchment have focused on slope stabilization, gully rehabilitation, vegetative regeneration, and water retention structures.

Situated in Ethiopia’s eastern highlands, the Hakim Gara Catchment receives moderate rainfall (600–900 mm/year) and suffers from shallow soils, low infiltration, and limited groundwater storage. Local livelihoods depend primarily on rainfed agriculture and livestock. High rates of soil erosion and land degradation have impacted both agricultural productivity and water availability. Restoration activities have emphasized spring protection, hillside bund construction, and improved rainwater harvesting techniques.

Both catchments are now supported by validated CMGs that provide clear, locally tailored guidance to promote sustainable land and water management across the intervention areas.

Geographic scope: Catchment

Downloads and Links

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Annual Report 2024-2025 221330

Download

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Flyer Nature-based Solutions in Oromifa language 221330

Download

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Case Study Bedele Gole Seka 221330

Download

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Case Study Awumer 221330

Download

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Catchment Guideline Upper Dabena Bedele 221330

Download

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Catchment Guideline Hakim Gara Harar 221330

Download

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Baseline Report JULY 2024 221330

Download

Acacia Water Burqaa Initiative Monitoring Impact Analysis Report 201105

Download

In Cooperation With

Commissioned by:

World Vision Ethiopia

Funded by:

Heineken

Project partners:

Acacia Water World Vision Ethiopia

Contact

Kalkidan Mulugeta

Hydrologist

+31 6 14 97 77 90
kalkidan.mulugeta@acaciawater.com
kalkidanmulugeta

Related topics

Catchment management, Nature-based solutions (NbS), Water compensation

Projects

Hydrological Modelling for Informed Water Resource Planning and Investments

, , , , , , ,
Yemen faces declining agricultural productivity and rising malnutrition of people due to an extreme pressure on water resources. A basin-wide SWAT model (Soil Water Assessment Tool) was developed and provides a first estimate of the water balance and key hydrological processes.

Reducing CO2 Emissions: Model Study of Innovative Peatland Rewetting

,
In a feasibility study, Acacia Water surveyed the extent to which a drip infiltration system (DIS) can contribute to the rewetting of peat soils and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This modeling study shows the effect of different DIS variants on groundwater levels, soil moisture, temperature, and emissions.

Thriving Rangeland Ecosystems and Water Availability in (Semi)-Arid Landscapes

, , ,
Resilient water and rangeland service delivery, in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), is the focus of the Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development Plus (Kenya RAPID+). The program builds on over five-years of learning from the original Kenya RAPID program.
Is Sustainable Extraction from Small Freshwater Lenses Possible?Zoete Toekomst TexelUnderground Water Storage: From Feasibility Testing to a Freshwater Coopera...