Will the Dead Sea Rise Again?:

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Will the Dead Sea Rise Again?
A Scientific Analysis of Methods for Restoring
Dropping Sea Levels
Web Design and Research Project By Spencer
Oberman, Constance Boozer, Kristiina Wells and
Karla Sosa
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The Problem

• The Dead Sea is sinking due to human activity in
  the area.
• In the past 40 years, the Dead Sea has dropped
  more than 80 feet.  
• Environmentalists say that industries extracting
  minerals from the sea could be responsible

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So what?

• The sinking water levels endanger the
  ecosystem. Professor Marcelo Sternberg, from Tel
  Aviv University's Department of Plant Sciences,
  stated "groundwater reservoirs and natural
  habitats are disappearing because of the lack of
  water (Waldocks, 2009). Retreating groundwater
  has created thousands of dangerous sinkholes that
  have already decimated beaches, nature reserves
  and agricultural fields in the area.

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Our Methodology

• Explore and compare currently proposed solutions
  for rehabilitation
• Proposed Solutions
• Rehabilitation of the Jordan River
• Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal
• Dead Sea- Mediterranean Sea Canal

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Jordan River Rehabilitation Project
Focuses on Rehabilitation and Sustainability

• the Lower Jordan River, specifically focusing in
  major changes in agriculture, capturing runoff
  and flood water, fertigation and drip
  irrigation)
• Gain political support from Palestinian, Israeli
  and Jordanian governments in order to effectively
  make that happen

• Backed by EcoPeace/ Friends of the Earth
  Middle East

• First must identify how water could
  potentially be transferred to

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Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal (RSDSC) Dead
Sea-Mediterranean Sea Canal (DSMSC)

• Although RSDSC and DSMSC are two separate
  canals, they are almost identical in the way they
  have been planned to operate.
• DSMSC has been designed to work along with the
  RSDSC canal.
• Purpose
• To compensate for the negative water balance of
  the Dead Sea
• To provide desalinated drinking water for the
  people in the area.

Location of the canals (Asmar, 2003).
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Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal

• A 112 mile pipeline transferring water from the
  Gulf of Aqaba to the Dead Sea (Sharp, 2008).
• The Canal would consist of "a combination of open
  canals, pipelines and tunnels. The length and
  alignment of these elements depend on the route
  adopted" (Asmar, 2002).
• Hydroelectricity generated by descending water is
  planned to power desalination plants.

Figure "Desalination arrangement", Asmar 2002
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Environmental Consequences

• Diverse ecosystems in delicate equilibrium
• Including wetlands, marshlands deserts
• Some of the major side effects

• Disruption of the water column
• Algal bloom
• Coral reefs in Gulf of Aqaba at risk

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Conclusion

• Degradation of the Dead Sea is due to human
  activity
• Through mining, agriculture, general consumption
• The best option for rehabilitation is to build
  both canals and restore the Jordan River
• There are various barriers
• Negative effects on ecosystem and economy
• Costs
• Political conflict in the Middle East
• But sustainability for the area would be gained

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