Kinneret edges steadily higher

The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has been rising steadily but slowly over the past month from a low-point of 210.78 meters below sea level in mid-December. The Kinneret has risen one centimeter over the past 24 hours, and is now at 210.585 meters below sea level, according to the Kinneret Authority.

The lake is now 1.785 meters from its maximum level of 208.80 meters below sea level. Much rain must still fall for the Kinneret to reach its maximum level this winter, and compel the Israel Water Authority to open the Deganya dam at the southern end of the lake to prevent flooding. The dam, which allows water to flow down the southern section of the River Jordan to the Dead Sea, has not been opened since 1992.

This time last year the Kinneret was already less than 1 meter from its maximum level but ultimately fell well short after it was relatively dry in February, March and April. But heavy rains and snow in the hills this week are expected to boost precipitation in Israel so far this year.

This season, the Upper Galilee has had 411 millimeters of rain out of an annual average of 718 millimeters and Haifa has had 350 millimeters of rain out of an average 500 millimeters, 440 millimeters in Tel Aviv (560), 234 millimeters in Jerusalem (582) and 69 millimeters in Beersheva (205).

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on January 23, 2022.

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