After years of decline… 300 million cubic meters of rainwater raise the level of the Dead Sea

Arab Weather - The Dead Sea witnessed a relative rise in its water level in the northern and southern parts during the past few days, as a result of the heavy rains that fell on the Kingdom during the recent series of depressions, which pushed large quantities of water through the valleys towards the sea.

The head of the Friends of the Dead Sea Association, Saad Abu Hamour, estimated that the amount of water that entered the Dead Sea during the recent depression amounted to at least 300 million cubic meters. Scientific estimates indicate that this volume, despite its importance in temporarily mitigating the ongoing decline, remains less than the annual amount required to maintain the sea level at its natural level, which is estimated at about 700 million cubic meters annually.

Reasons for the continued decline of the Dead Sea

For decades, the Dead Sea has been suffering from an annual decline of approximately one meter in its level, reaching about 432 meters below sea level, the lowest level recorded in modern times. This is due to several key factors:

• Large quantities of water are being drawn from the Jordan River for agricultural and domestic use.
• Higher temperatures and increased rates of natural water evaporation.
• Mining and extraction operations of phosphate and potash that affect the ecological balance of water.

The shrinking of the area and its environmental impacts

The data indicates that the area of the Dead Sea has decreased over fifty years from 930 square kilometers to about 620 square kilometers, a loss of about 310 square kilometers, which leaves clear environmental and geological effects, including the formation of sinkholes and a change in the nature of the ecosystem in the region.

Rainfall and temporary solutions

Seasonal rainfall is currently the main source of replenishment for the Dead Sea, contributing to a temporary rise in its water level, but it is not a permanent solution. Experts emphasize the need for sustainable strategies that include:

• Maintaining the flow of water from the Jordan River to the Dead Sea.
• Reusing treated water and pumping it towards the sea.
• Artificial recharge projects to ensure the long-term survival of the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea as a sensitive environmental indicator

The Dead Sea is a sensitive indicator of climatic and geographical changes in the region, and its continued decline reflects growing environmental challenges that call for local and regional attention to preserve this unique natural resource, which is considered the lowest point on Earth and the most globally distinctive.