Bilate River

The Bilate^[1] is a river of south-central Ethiopia. It rises on the southwestern slopes of Mount Gurage near 6°2′N 38°7′E, flowing south along the western side of the Great Rift Valley, to empty into Lake Abaya at 6°37′54″N 37°59′6″E. It is the longest river flowing into Lake Abaya and also the one with the highest discharge. The 250 km long river is not navigable and has no notable tributaries. Along the middle of its course, the Bilate flows past the Bilate River volcanic field and its most territory covered by Halaba Zone.^[2]

Bilate River
Location
Country	Ethiopia
Physical characteristics
Source
• elevation	3,382 m (11,096 ft)
Mouth
• coordinates	6°37′54″N 37°59′6″E
• elevation	1,175 m (3,855 ft)
Length	~250 km (160 mi)
Basin size	5,754 km2 (2,222 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	16.6 m3/s (590 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Cities	Dimtu
Tributaries
• right	Badessa river Charake river

David Buxton recorded its importance as defining the boundary between the Sidamo district on the eastern side, and the Wolaita district on the western; he also described finding a weekly market beside a ford named Dimtu.^[3]

See also

• List of rivers of Ethiopia