| Geography of Water Resources Coastal Aquifer Table of Water Resources and Use The Jordan River Valley stretches from Mount Hermon in the north to the Dead Sea in the south and includes Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Eighty percent of the basin, however, is in Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank, which do not have other significant surface water sources, and have only limited groundwater sources. Jordan relies on the surface waters of the basin for 75% of its water needs, while Israel relies on the surface waters for only 30% of its water consumption because it has larger aquifers from which to draw water. Syria relies on the basin minimally, for the Euphrates River and other smaller basins fall within its borders. Israel and Palestine have an combined 1.4 BCM/yr of renewable water resources, with an additional 450 MCM/yr captured by Israeli water reuse and rainwater collection for a total of about 2 BCM/yr. Already a deficit of water exists between what is used and what is available in the environment. In 1994, Israel and the Palestinian territories used approximately 2.1 BCM of water. Map of the Regional Drainage Basins The Sea of Galilee is the principal aboveground storage reservoir in the basin with a surface area of 170 square kilometers and a volume of approximately 4000 MCM. Its water derives from three sources: the Hasbani, Dan and Banias River, which merge at a point six kilometers within IsraelÂs northern border. At present, the water level in the Sea of Galilee has fallen more than 213 meters below sea level and is now no more than 4 to 6 meters deep at any point. This low quantity of water threatens water quality, including the toxic algae and lowers the water pressure that keeps out the salt water springs flowing into the bottom of the lake. | |
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