Israel: Drought declared as five dry winters take their toll
Israel's
agriculture and finance ministries formally declared a drought in large
parts of the south on 2 June, a move which will trigger compensation
payments to farmers.
However, Hila Be'eri, the
Agriculture Ministry’s assistant spokesperson, said the decision would
not affect prices of fresh produce or the water rations allocated to
farming for 2010. The drought-stricken areas in the south produce
mainly wheat, according to the Ministry.
After five consecutive dry winters, Israel's main fresh water source,
Lake Tiberias (also known as Lake Kinneret and the Sea of Galilee, and
which is fed by the River Tiberias, in turn fed by the River Jordan and
several other small streams from the Golan Heights), is at a
dangerously low level.
According to water authority data, only 80-85 percent of the average
annual rainfall was recorded in 2009 in the Lake Tiberias area. In
January the lake’s water level fell to a record low, and as of 3 June
it was only 0.34 metres above the level at which pumping must be
stopped.
According to a recent report
entitled Rising Temperatures, Rising Tensions: Climate change and the
risk of violent conflict in the Middle East, by the International
Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the River Jordan could
shrink by up to 80 percent by the end of the century. It warned that
water supplies may “severely decrease”, falling by 60 percent of 2000
levels by 2100.
Israel has launched a national water
saving campaign, which has included restrictions on the watering of
private gardens, and in recent years some Israeli farmers have switched
to using treated sewage water instead of fresh water, according to the
Israeli water authority.
Desalination plants
Israel has three desalination plants - in Eilat, Ashkelon and Palmakhim
- supplying some 150 million cubic metres of drinking water per year.
Six further plants are planned to be operational by 2012, supplying 300
million cubic meters, nearly half of all current household consumption.
However, in May 2008 the Environmental Protection Ministry warned that
desalination plans were insufficient and that other measures should be
considered.
Some experts see desalination plants as the only viable solution in a
country severely lacking in fresh water sources and with a current
population of 7.37 million.
Others have pointed to the negative environmental impact of such plants.
The IISD report predicted that by 2020 water shortages would be the
norm, with water requirements projected to be 130 percent of renewable
supplies for Israelis.
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Related article: Israel's water crisis
Contact information | n/a |
---|---|
News type | Inbrief |
File link |
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?Reportid=84715 |
Source of information | Irin News - © IRIN 2009. |
Keyword(s) | drought, desalination |
Subject(s) | AGRICULTURE , DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION : COMMON PROCESSES OF PURIFICATION AND TREATMENT , ENERGY , FINANCE-ECONOMY , HYDRAULICS - HYDROLOGY , INFRASTRUCTURES , POLICY-WATER POLICY AND WATER MANAGEMENT , RISKS AND CLIMATOLOGY , SANITATION -STRICT PURIFICATION PROCESSES , SLUDGES , WATER DEMAND , WATER QUALITY |
Relation | http://www.semide.net/countries/fol749974/country725681 |
Geographical coverage | Israel |
News date | 22/06/2009 |
Working language(s) | ENGLISH |