Essay On Jordan River

The Jordan River is an important resource to the Middle East, both as a water resource and as an important historical landmark to the realms of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This Biblical river is threatened by overpopulation and overexploitation due to the influx of refugees and mismanagement of the water. However, the environmental issues are difficult to address because of the politics of the region and the location of the river and its tributaries between Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian territories. The river is important for many reasons, but if things do not change, there may be little hope for restoration of the once mighty river.

First off, the Jordan River touches four countries, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, and the territories of the Palestinian Authority. One major environmental concern of the Jordan River and the other bodies of water connected to it is drought. The region has experienced seven years of severe drought, but water resources have been depleted for the last few decades (Schwartzstein). Water levels are so low that there has been an increase in grass fires (). In the case of Israel, which has historically drawn groundwater from Lake Hula and diverted water from the river’s flow as it passes through the Sea of Galilee, there has been a serious reduction in consumption, due to the recent years of drought and significantly lower water levels (Schwartzstein). Current water usage in the region exceeds renewable supply. One example is the oasis at Azraq in Jordan, which is a popular tourist destination. The oasis began to dry out in 1990, with its water table dropping from four meters above the surface to twenty meters below, where it stands today (Schwartzstein). Although Jordan...

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...as building sewage treatment plants outside of major Palestinian cities (Schwartzstein). Rehabilitation of the Jordan River will be difficult if a decades long political conflict is going to be an obstacle.

Another social issue is the failure of the multiple governments to effectively manage water and address the degradation. As there are still tensions between the different countries bordering the Jordan River, agreements between them regarding water are not easily made. One issue that has faced these governments is that of unequal water allocation. It is believed by the other nations, such as Jordan, that Israel receives an unfair amount of water, and not enough is distributed to the other riparians (“Jordan-Geography and Environment”). Israel plans to release 300 mcm of water back into the river, but this is not nearly enough to aid the river’s rehabilitation.