Nicholas O’Dwyer Limited are delighted to announce that on July 17, 2025, they signed a contract for the Consultancy Service for the Feasibility Study, Detailed Design, and Tender Document Preparation of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Awash River Flood Risk Reduction Investment Project with the Ministry for Water & Energy, Ethiopia.
The contract was formally signed by His Excellency Minister Habtamu Itefa and Mr. Barry Dunphy, Operations Director at Nicholas O’Dwyer, during a ceremony attended by senior officials from the Ministry as well as delegates from Nicholas O’Dwyer’s local partners, MS Consultancy, Addis Ababa. This contract is a key part of a nationally significant initiative aimed at improving flood resilience in one of Ethiopia’s most vital regions.
The Awash River Basin is the most intensively developed and economically significant river basin in Ethiopia, supporting a substantial share of the country’s agriculture, industry, and population. However, the basin remains highly vulnerable to frequent and severe flooding. These flood events, intensified by riverbank encroachment, morphological changes, and increasing climate variability, have caused widespread damage, displaced communities, and disrupted livelihoods, most notably in August 2020 when over 130,000 people were displaced by severe flooding.
Aligned with the Ministry’s emergency response efforts, a more integrated and sustainable approach is urgently needed with a key strategic shift towards long-term flood resilience and improved water security across the basin.
This assignment covers detailed hydrological and hydraulic modelling, floodplain mapping, and the design of critical structural interventions including embankments, flood diversion canals, river training works, and multi-purpose retention systems. It also integrates water resource management strategies to ensure reliable, year-round irrigation supply supporting broader socio-economic development across the region.
Nicholas O’Dwyer, supported by MS Consultancy, brings local knowledge and technical expertise in flood risk management, environmental safeguards, and infrastructure design to deliver a project that not only protects lives and assets, but also strengthens Ethiopia’s long-term climate resilience, sustainable water management and adaptive capacity.
