The paper tries to evaluate the impact of integrated soil and water conservation measures on water availability in Mendae catchment (10.37 km 2 ), which is located in the northeastern Tigray. Historical background of the catchment with respect to its land use was obtained from the local Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development office. The hydrology of the area was characterized based on its land use, soil, slope, rainfall, temperature, evapotranspiration, and runoff. Thornthwaite method and Thornthwaite soil-water balance model were used to determine potential and actual evapotranspiration, respectively. The mean annual runoff from the catchment was computed using runoff coefficient method. Before the intervention, the area was severely degraded and known with scarcity of water. Integrated soil and water conservation (physical and biological measures) was introduced to the area since 1993. The catchment is characterized by two rainy season and three dry seasons during the year. The rainy seasons in total have four months whereas the dry seasons comprises of eight months. The mean annual rainfall of the catchment is 565.8 mm, out of which rainy season accounts for 86.13% and the dry season for 13.87%. The rain that occurs with a very high concentration accounts 73.20 % of the mean annual rainfall of the catchment and this occur only in two months (July and August).The mean annual potential and actual evapotranspiration was found to be 832.67 mm and 405.61mm, respectively. The volume of runoff before and after the intervention was found to be 26.88 % and 17.19 % of the mean annual rainfall of the catchment, respectively. The groundwater recharge before and after the intervention was found to be 1.43 % and 19.04% of the mean annual rainfall of the catchment, respectively. The availability of groundwater has increased more than 10 times since 1993. Though the groundwater is being used for both complimentary and supplementary irrigation during the dry and rainy season, respectively, construction of additional physical conservation structures is suggested to further improve the groundwater availability in the area.

Possible long term effects on soil salinity and crop production due to the quality of water and irrigation practices is assessed in an area in Gergera Watershed in Atsbi-Wonberta, Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Ten water samples collected from hand-dug wells and small household ponds, and thirty soil samples from different depths up to ~100cm were tested for various parameters such as TDS, pH, anions and cations.Data indicate that both water and soil in terms of quality are acceptable for irrigation purposes. However, at present the soil salinity is not a serious issue but the data suggests its possible increase with time as indicated by two samples. Some of the issues such as use of sprinklers, organic manure, blending, seasonal crops are discussed in the light of maintaining the required quality, proper utilization of soil and water resources, and for sustainable development.

The study area Hewane is situated in the southern zone of Tigray Regional State, Hintalo Wajirat wereda. It is geographically located between 1444000 to 1454000m N and 550000 to 558000m E with an aerial extent of 47.66 sq. km. The study was conducted having an objective of assessing suitability of groundwater quality for drinking purposes through geographic information system (GIS) and water quality index (WQI). Ten groundwater samples were collected from the study area and 13 physicochemical parameters such as TDS, TH, Alkalinity, pH, EC, Temperature, Na , and TDS. The WQI estimated for the groundwater samples of the study area ranges from 86.1 to 180.5 at groundwater samples GWS_2 and GWS_5, respectively. Based on the analysis, most of the area under study falls 70% in poor water class and 30% in good water class. Hence, the result revealed that 70% of the groundwater samples of the study area are hardly suitable for drinking purposes without water quality management activities.

The paper assesses groundwater quality and productivity in Haromaya watershed, eastern Ethiopia. Continuous pumping test data, collected from seven boreholes was used to determine productivity of the aquifers. 14 water samples were tested for water quality. The aquifers on the basis of permeability, potential and extent of aquifers, are categorized into i) extended and shallow aquifers with intergranular porosity and permeability, and with moderate to high potential (alluvial and lacustrine sediments); ii) limited and shallow aquifers with fracture and/or karstic porosity and permeability, and with moderate potential (sandstone and limestone); and iii) limited and shallow aquifers with intergranular and fracture porosity and permeability, and with low potential (granite). On the basis of chemical data, the water is fresh except in lacustrine and swampy areas.

Awareness of the knowledge of farmers on the productivity of water in agriculture (PWA) is the basis for all irrigation activities. This paper assesses the current knowledge level of farmers towards PWA in the Debre Kidane watershed which is located in eastern Tigray. It also identifies obstacles regarding the spread of knowledge of PWA and indicates the best knowledge-disseminating strategies and tools for raising awareness about PWA. Data for the study was obtained from a formal household questionnaire survey, key informant discussion and direct observations of farmers' fields. In the study area, the concept of PWA is new. All the farmers measure the crop harvested but not the volume of water used to produce it. Almost none of the irrigators know when their crop needs water and when to stop irrigating their crop. However, farmers are keen to discover methods which could help them to produce more crops per drops of water. Consequently, farmers indicated that training is the most suitable knowledge-sharing strategy for creating awareness about PWA, and its absence is the barrier that hinders them from recording PWA. Furthermore, they pointed out that training given through demonstration is their method of preference. Most of the farmers irrigate their farmland by checking the availability of the water in their shallow wells and irrigating their crop until the furrow holds up water. For better utilization of the groundwater resources in the area, the farmers have to be introduced to the concept of PWA.