Do you want to know about the Awash River? If yes, then this article is for you. After reading this article you will be able to know everything about the Awash River. In this article, I have explained the geography, dimensions, course, history, the Awash national park, and many more about the Awash River.
So without further waiting, let’s get into the details of the river.
Geography, Dimensions, and Course of the Awash River
The Awash River is located in eastern Ethiopia, Africa. Earlier local people used to call it Hawash but now its name is Awash. It is also spelled as Awaash. Its length is about 1200 kilometers. The source of the river is Addis Alem and the mouth is Lake Abhe. It is a major river in Ethiopia. The course of the Awash River totally comes within the Ethiopian’s boundaries and ends in lakes that are interconnected in the form chain.
The chain of lakes starts from Lake Gargori and finishes in Lake Abbe –also famous as Abhe Bad, which is situated on Djibouti’s border. The chain is about 60-70 miles or 100 kilometers away from the Gulf of Tadjoura’s head.
History of the Awash River
The Issa people and the Afar people are the early settlers and the native of The Awash Valley– downstream at about 9 degrees north. The Awash Valley includes part of the Ifat, Shewa, and Fatagar.
Wilfred Thesiger who belonged to Europe was the first in Europe who identified the Awash course to the end in Aussa Oasis, in 1933-34. The Wilfred started from the Awash city, went through the river’s path and reached the end which is in Lake Abhebad, and proceeded towards the east of Tadjoura.
The Koka Dam on the Awash River
The Koka dam was almost completed on the river Awash, in 1960. The dam exists about 75km from Addis Ababa. It is the main hydroelectric power generator for the region. The reservoir which is associated with the dam is known as Lake Gelila. The water of the lake is fresh and it is famous as the Koka Reservoir. The area of the lake is approximately one hundred and eighty square kilometers.
The Awash National Park
The awash national Park locates in the Valley of Rift. The park has many types of land animals. Also, there are various birds that are available to watch. Approximately, 400 species of birds are there.
The area of the park is about 756 square kilometers. The area is almost covered by grassland and acacia. In the park’s open space, you can watch Zebra, Oryx, Soemmerring’s gazelle, etc. Besides the river you can see baboons, colobus, monkeys, etc. dik-dik in the acacia thorn’s shade, and cheetahs, leopards, lions, etc among others are also available to spot in the park. The dangerous animals are hard to spot and also can be seen occasionally.
So, it is the best place to visit. Here you can enjoy your free time and have fun with family and friends. There you will find a large variety of birds and animals.
Conclusion
The Awash River situates in eastern Ethiopia, Africa. The total length of the river is about 1200 kilometers. It is the major river of Ethiopia. There is a Koka dam on the river which supplies hydroelectric power to the region. The reservoirs come into existence due to the dam with name of Koka Reservoir.
Also, there is a huge tourist spot that is the Awash national park, where you can see a large number of animals and birds. If you visit the place you will be able to find many species of birds and animals that can possibly be your first experience. So, I hope you enjoyed the article and got some knowledge about the Awash River.