Assessing Seepage Dynamics of the GERD for Enhanced Nile Basin Water Management
- 1School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA (karem.abdelmohsen@asu.edu)
- 2Western Michigan University, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States of America (mohamed.sultan@wmich.edu)
- 3Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA (eyan@anl.gov)
- 4Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA (save@csr.utexas.edu)
- 5Western Michigan University, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA (mustafakemal.emil@wmich.edu)
- 6School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA (james.famiglietti@gmail.com)
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has become a key focus for hydrological research due to its influence on the Nile Basin. Previous studies have revealed that seepage losses from the GERD reservoir, facilitated by fault networks in the fractured terrain, are underestimated. This study builds on earlier findings by analyzing seepage from the GERD's fourth filling, completed on September 28, 2023, reaching 39.8 km³. By June 18, 2024, the reservoir's volume decreased to 30.2 km³, with a total seepage of 9.6 km³. The analysis suggests that as the reservoir area expands, more fractures and faults are accessed, increasing seepage. These results highlight the necessity of integrating seepage analysis into hydrological models to support sustainable water management and informed decision-making in the Nile Basin. Failure to address these factors could lead to inaccurate hydrological predictions and impede regional cooperation.
How to cite: Abdelmohsen, K., Sultan, M., Yan, E., Save, H., Emil, M., and Famiglietti, J. S.: Assessing Seepage Dynamics of the GERD for Enhanced Nile Basin Water Management, GRACE/GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting, Potsdam, Germany, 8–10 Oct 2024, GSTM2024-86, https://doi.org/10.5194/gstm2024-86, 2024.
