| Kulfo River | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• location | Lake Chamo |
• coordinates | 5°55′37″N 37°33′07″E / 5.927°N 37.552°E |
• elevation | 1,109 m (3,638 ft) |
The Kulfo River is a river in southern Ethiopia that rises in the western escarpment of the Main Ethiopian Rift in the Guge mountains.
It flows through Arba Minch and then through the Nechisar National Park on the isthmus between Lake Chamo and Lake Abaya. It usually drains into Lake Chamo but can also drain into Lake Abaya after heavy rains through a bifurcation located directly southwest of Arba Minch Airport.
The lower reaches of the Kulfo River act as the spillway for Lake Abaya into Lake Chamo in case of high lake levels. The overflow point is directly below an alluvial fan at an elevation of 1,190 m (at 6°00′39″N 37°35′07″E / 6.0109°N 37.5854°E). The riverbed then discharges the excess lake water into Lake Chamo.[1]
An important bridge over the river was restored in 2006. The river has dried out considerably in recent years.