Preserving Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) as a Strategic Regional Water Resource in a Changing Climate
Time: June 16, 2017, 12:00p–1:15 pm
Place: Sol Resnick Meeting Room, 350 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson
Speaker: Doron Markel, Israeli Water Authority
Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) is the only freshwater lake in Israel, supplying about 20% of the country’s potable water. Israel also supplies 50 million cubic meters per year (MCM/y) from the Lake to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. There are plans to increase the supply to Jordan to100 MCM/y by 2020, according to recent agreement between the countries related to the Red Sea-Dead Sea project. The Lake also sustains commercial fishery and serves as a touristic attraction. According to long term climate forecast models, net inflows into Lake Kinneret will continue their downward trend. The presentation will discuss the challenges of managing Lake Kinneret and the strategic management plan implemented by the Israel Water Authority. The plan includes increased removal of saline inflows, fisheries management, intensified prevention of pollution in the watershed, and increase water inflow and water exchange by various means.