GIS-based Irrigation Land Suitability Assessment and Mapping: The Case of Fogera Catchment, South Gondar - Tapa blanda

Irrigation land suitability assessment and mapping play an imperative role for sustainable utilization of scarce physical land resources. The study was conducted at Fogera catchment, South Gonder. Soil and water sampling spots were selected based on free and grid survey techniques and their locations were taken using Global Positioning System (GPS). Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques were used to develop irrigation land suitability map of the study area. Attributes of parameters were collected and used for suitability assessment. Attributes used as criteria for irrigation suitability analysis were ECe, ESP, soil depth, texture, PH, top and sub soil stoniness, water table depth, flood hazard, ground water quality (SAR and EC) and slope. On the basis of stoniness, soil salinity, soil alkalinity, soil depth and groundwater quality it was concluded that 72% of the study area is potentially suitable for irrigation and 28% was classified as unsuitable (N) due to drainage limitation, flood hazard, texture and slope factors. Of the potentially suitable land, 1% was highly suitable (S1), 28% was moderately suitable (S2), and 43% is marginally suitable (S3).

Dagnenet Sultan was born in Ethiopia, BSc (Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization) & MSc (Irrigation Engineering) from Hawassa and Haramaya University respectively. Mr Dagnenet is now a lecturer in Bahirdar University, college of Agricultural and Environmental science department of Water Resource and Irrigation Management, Ethiopia.