# May Selelo

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River in the Tembien highlands of Ethiopia

May Selelo The May Selelo River at Dasarawat May Selelo River in Dogu’a Tembien and Abergele Location Country Ethiopia Region Tigray Region District (woreda) Dogu’a Tembien Physical characteristics Source Gunfan • location Mennewe in Simret municipality • elevation 2,200 m (7,200 ft) Mouth Giba River • location Just upstream from Giba bridge in Abergele district • coordinates 13°27′47″N 39°01′41″E / 13.463°N 39.028°E / 13.463; 39.028 • elevation 1,370 m (4,490 ft) Length 19.5 km (12.1 mi) Width • average 18 m (59 ft) Basin features Progression Giba→ Tekezé→ Atbarah→ Nile→ Mediterranean Sea River system Seasonal/permanent river Landmarks Mennawe monastery and birthplace of Ras Alula Topography Mountains and deep gorges

The **May Selelo** is a river of the [Nile](/source/Nile) basin. Rising in the mountains of [Dogu’a Tembien](/source/Degua_Tembien) in northern [Ethiopia](/source/Ethiopia), it flows southward to empty in the [Giba](/source/Giba_River) and [Tekezé River](/source/Tekez%C3%A9_River).[1]

The river in the [radial drainage network](/source/Drainage_system_(geomorphology)#Radial_drainage_pattern) of Dogu’a Tembien

## Characteristics

It is a confined ephemeral river, locally [meandering](/source/Meander) in its narrow alluvial plain, with an average slope gradient of 43 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](/source/Flash_floods)). These are related to the steep topography, often little vegetation cover and intense convective rainfall. The peaks of such flash floods have often a 50 to 100 times larger discharge than the preceding [baseflow](/source/Baseflow).[2]

Affluent to May Selelo at [Adenna](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adenna&action=edit&redlink=1)

The magnitude of floods in this river has been decreased due to interventions in the catchment. On some steep slopes, [exclosures](/source/Exclosure) have been established; the dense vegetation largely contributes to enhanced [infiltration](/source/Infiltration_(hydrology)), less flooding and better [baseflow](/source/Baseflow).[3] Physical conservation structures such as [stone bunds](/source/Terrace_(earthworks))[4][5] and [check dams](/source/Check_dam) also intercept runoff.[6][7]

## Transhumance towards the gorge

[Transhumance](/source/Transhumance_in_Ethiopia) takes place in the summer rainy season, when the lands near the villages are occupied by crops. Young shepherds will take the village cattle down to the gorge and overnight in small caves. The gorges are particularly attractive as a transhumance destination zone, because there is water and good growth of semi-natural vegetation.[8]

## Boulders and pebbles in the river bed

Boulders and pebbles encountered in the river bed can originate from any location higher up in the catchment. In the uppermost stretches of the river, only rock fragments of the upper lithological units will be present in the river bed, whereas more downstream one may find a more comprehensive mix of all lithologies crossed by the river. From upstream to downstream, the following lithological units occur in the catchment.[9]

- [Upper basalt](/source/Alaji_Basalts)

- [Interbedded lacustrine deposits](/source/Intra-volcanic_sedimentary_rock_in_North_Ethiopia)

- [Lower basalt](/source/Ashangi_Basalts)

- [Amba Aradam Formation](/source/Amba_Aradam_Formation)

- [Antalo Limestone](/source/Antalo_Limestone)

- [Quaternary](/source/Quaternary) freshwater [tufa](/source/Tufa)[10]

- [Adigrat Sandstone](/source/Adigrat_Sandstone)

## Two districts

May Selelo headwaters

Along its course, this river passes through two woredas: [Dogu’a Tembien](/source/Degua_Tembien) for the headwaters, and [Abergele](/source/Abergele) for the larger part of its course.[1]

Trek **S2** crosses May Selelo in [Dasarawat](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dasarawat&action=edit&redlink=1)

## Trekking along the river

Trekking routes have been established across and along this river.[11] The tracks are not marked on the ground but can be followed using downloaded .GPX files.[12]

- Trek **8**, across the river in [Kalazban](/source/Kalazban) village

- Trek **S2**, across the river in [Dasarawat](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dasarawat&action=edit&redlink=1) village

In the rainy season, flash floods may occur and it is advised not to follow the river bed. At times it may be impossible to cross the river in the rainy season.[13]

## See also

- [List of Ethiopian rivers](/source/List_of_Ethiopian_rivers)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-chapmap_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-chapmap_1-1) Jacob, M. and colleagues (2019). [*Geo-trekking map of Dogu'a Tembien (1:50,000). In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District*](https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030049546). SpringerNature. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-030-04954-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-030-04954-6).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-chapriver_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-chapriver_2-1) Amanuel Zenebe, and colleagues (2019). *The Giba, Tanqwa and Tsaliet rivers in the headwaters of the Tekezze basin. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District*. SpringerNature. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_14](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-030-04955-3_14). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-030-04954-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-030-04954-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Descheemaeker, K. and colleagues (2006). ["Runoff on slopes with restoring vegetation: A case study from the Tigray highlands, Ethiopia"](https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/378900/file/738003.pdf) (PDF). *Journal of Hydrology*. **331** (1–2): 219–241. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.still.2006.07.011](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.still.2006.07.011). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1854/LU-378900](https://hdl.handle.net/1854%2FLU-378900).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Nyssen, Jan; Poesen, Jean; Gebremichael, Desta; Vancampenhout, Karen; d'Aes, Margo; Yihdego, Gebremedhin; Govers, Gerard; Leirs, Herwig; Moeyersons, Jan; Naudts, Jozef; Haregeweyn, Nigussie; Haile, Mitiku; Deckers, Jozef (2007). ["Interdisciplinary on-site evaluation of stone bunds to control soil erosion on cropland in Northern Ethiopia"](https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/378900). *Soil and Tillage Research*. **94** (1): 151–163. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.still.2006.07.011](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.still.2006.07.011). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1854/LU-378900](https://hdl.handle.net/1854%2FLU-378900).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Gebeyehu Taye and colleagues (2015). "Evolution of the effectiveness of stone bunds and trenches in reducing runoff and soil loss in the semi-arid Ethiopian highlands". *Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie*. **59** (4): 477–493. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1127/zfg/2015/0166](https://doi.org/10.1127%2Fzfg%2F2015%2F0166).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Nyssen, J.; Veyret-Picot, M.; Poesen, J.; Moeyersons, J.; Haile, Mitiku; Deckers, J.; Govers, G. (2004). "The effectiveness of loose rock check dams for gully control in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia". *Soil Use and Management*. **20**: 55–64. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1475-2743.2004.tb00337.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1475-2743.2004.tb00337.x).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Etefa Guyassa and colleagues (2017). ["Effects of check dams on runoff characteristics along gully reaches, the case of Northern Ethiopia"](https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8518957). *Journal of Hydrology*. **545** (1): 299–309. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.12.019](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jhydrol.2016.12.019). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1854/LU-8518957](https://hdl.handle.net/1854%2FLU-8518957).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-trans_8-0)** Nyssen, Jan; Descheemaeker, Katrien; Zenebe, Amanuel; Poesen, Jean; Deckers, Jozef; Haile, Mitiku (2009). ["Transhumance in the Tigray highlands (Ethiopia)"](https://doi.org/10.1659%2Fmrd.00033). *Mountain Research and Development*. **29** (3): 255–264. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1659/mrd.00033](https://doi.org/10.1659%2Fmrd.00033). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1854/LU-854326](https://hdl.handle.net/1854%2FLU-854326).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Sembroni, A.; Molin, P.; Dramis, F. (2019). [*Regional geology of the Dogu'a Tembien massif. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains — The Dogu'a Tembien District*](https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030049546). SpringerNature. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-030-04954-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-030-04954-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Moeyersons, J. and colleagues (2006). "Age and backfill/overfill stratigraphy of two tufa dams, Tigray Highlands, Ethiopia: Evidence for Late Pleistocene and Holocene wet conditions". *Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology*. **230** (1–2): 162–178. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2006PPP...230..165M](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006PPP...230..165M). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.palaeo.2005.07.013](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.palaeo.2005.07.013).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-jnroutes_11-0)** [*Description of trekking routes in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District*](https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030049546). SpringerNature. 2019. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-030-04954-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-030-04954-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Public GPS traces tagged with nyssen-jacob-frankl | OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/traces/tag/nyssen-jacob-frankl)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Nyssen, Jan (2019). "Logistics for the Trekker in a Rural Mountain District of Northern Ethiopia". *Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains*. GeoGuide. Springer-Nature. pp. 537–556. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_37](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-030-04955-3_37). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-030-04954-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-030-04954-6).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [May Selelo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Selelo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Selelo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.