May Ayni
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| May Ayni | |
|---|---|
  May Ayni River in Dogu’a Tembien | |
| Etymology | "Spring" in Tigrinya language |
| Location | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Region | Tigray Region |
| District (woreda) | Dogu’a Tembien |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Ra’isot in Ayninbirkekin municipality |
| • elevation | 2,298 m (7,539 ft) |
| Mouth | Afedena River |
• location | Near Afedena in Addi Azmera municipality |
• coordinates | 13°38′49″N 39°18′11″E / 13.647°N 39.303°E |
• elevation | 1,995 m (6,545 ft) |
| Length | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| Width | |
| • average | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Afedena→ Hurura→ Giba→ Tekezé→ Atbarah→ Nile→ Mediterranean Sea |
| River system | Seasonal river |
| Topography | Mountains and deep gorges |
The May Ayni is a river of the Nile basin. Rising in the mountains of Dogu’a Tembien in northern Ethiopia, it flows southwestward to empty finally in the Giba and Tekezé River.[1]
It is a confined ephemeral river, locally meandering in its narrow alluvial plain, with an average slope gradient of 51 metres per kilometre. With its tributaries, the river has cut a deep gorge.[2]
Flash floods and flood buffering
Runoff mostly happens in the form of high runoff discharge events that occur in a very short period (called flash floods). These are related to the steep topography, often little vegetation cover and intense convective rainfall. The peaks of such flash floods often have a 50 to 100 times larger discharge than the preceding baseflow.[2] The magnitude of floods in this river has, however, been decreased due to interventions in the catchment. On steep slopes, exclosures have been established; the dense vegetation largely contributes to enhanced infiltration, less flooding and better baseflow.[3] Physical conservation structures such as stone bunds[4][5] and check dams also intercept runoff.[6][7]