Spate Irrigation

"Floods are not always a hazard. They may also sustain aquatic life and riverine biodiversity, recharge aquifers, enrich soilds and in some of the world's poorest areas they are the main source of irrigation."

Global Water Partnership (2000) 'Toward water security: a framework for action'

News & Recent Additions

  • News
    • News from the Ethiopian Spate Network. Click here to read the article.
    • New on The WaterChannel: Earthen Diversion Bunds & Spillways in Spate Irrigation In this presentation Noman Sadozai takes us through a recent project that successfully restored spate irrigation structures which were at risk of being damaged by exessive runoff from rivers.
    • The Groundwater and Soil Conservation Project in Yemen has worked extensively on small scale spate irrigation systems in the highlands in Yemen. This website gives an overview of the work done. Click here to pay the website a visit.
    • New publication: Documentary study on Models of Traditional Irrigation Systems & Methods of Water Harvesting in Hadramout & Shabwah Governorates. A book in English and Arabic, readable from front to back and from back to front. This book gives many practical insights in the sophisticated traditional spate irrigation techniques in this part of Yemen - such as conical abutments and traditional bed stablizers. Limited hard copies are available on request. To receive one, send an email to info@spate irrigation.org. Or download the Arabic or English version.
  • Highlights
    • A new Overview Paper is available in the Spate Notes section of the Library: Flood Based Farming Practices in Ethiopia: Status and Potential. The Spate Notes are also going to be translated into Arabic. Some of the translations are finished and available, and more will follow. You can download them from the Spate Notes section in the Library.

THE SPATE IRRIGATION NETWORK

is a network of spate irrigation professionals and practitioners. The network stimulates the development of programmes of implementation that improve the livelihoods of those in spate irrigation areas, exchanges experiences and good practices, helps upgrade training, identify priority fields for improvement and research and development. Read more...