Is the Red-Dead Sea Conveyance project the only option to restore the Dead Sea?

Published on by in Technology

The Dead Sea has been shrinking for the last 40 years by as much as 1m (3.3ft) a year. The Jordanian and Israeli governments along with the Palestinian Authority have designed and approved a project to transfer water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea in order to restore the Dead Sea to its old status. However, this project poses various environmental threats. So is there no other way to stop the Dead Sea from "dying"? 

Taxonomy

12 Answers

  2. Some great answers! In my opinion I think if both the Israeli and the Jordanian governments really want to restore the Dead Sea to its old self then they must reduce their extraction from the Jordan river. It's a shame to see its annual surface flow reduced from 1300 mcm to a mere 20-30 mcm a year today. The most sustainable solution is to allow the Jordan river more surface flow by decreasing water extraction and utilizing wastewater treatment to its full potential as a substitute.

  5. may I share 2 points, I dont recommend conveyance to the other areas else we are transferring the problem. point #1 >> Apply aeration , compressed air towards the body of water will help oxidize the BOD and COD. This cycle will make the water refreshing Point#2 >>As it is called dead sea, a lot of impurities are in it thus a need to filter it out. The Reverse Osmosis principle where impurities are removed and pure water is pumped back to the water body.

  6. The transfer of mass volumes of water from one sea to another can bear drastic consequences on the unique natural characteristics of each of the two seas, as well as the desert valley which separates them, the Arabah. Some of these characteristics, especially in the Dead Sea area, are unique on a global perspective, and therefore crucially important for conservation. The environmental group Friends of the Earth Middle East has protested against the allegedly premature approval of the project, without sufficient assessment of the project's impact on the natural environment of the area. The group lists several potential hazardous effects of the project on the unique natural systems of the Red Sea, the Dead Sea and the Arabah.[8] These effects include: Damage to the unique natural system of the Dead Sea, due to mixing its water with Red Sea water, or brines created from the process of desalinating Red Sea water which has a different chemical composition. This includes changes in water salinity, massive formation of gypsum, formation of volatile toxic compounds, change in water evaporation rates, changes in the composition of bacteria and algae which inhabit the sea surface, chemical changes in the rocks which surround the water, and loss of unique health benefits that account for much of the tourist attraction to the Dead Sea area. Damage to the coral reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba, due to water pumping. Damage to the natural landscape and ecosystem of the Arabah, due to the construction, and the increase in humidity caused by the open canal segments. Damage to the aquifer of the Arabah, due to contamination of groundwater with water from the Red Sea. The alluvial deposits in Wadi Araba contain important supplies of fresh water. In the event that the pipeline ruptures (as might happen in the case of an earthquake), these aquifers will be irreparably damaged. This can have fatal consequences to both the agriculture and ecosystem of the Arabah. Threats to archeological heritage. The pipeline will cross areas of important cultural heritage, such as Wadi Finan, where the earliest copper mining and extraction in the world took place. So, I think that the reestablishment of the Jordan River to its natural state was a better solution to the decline of the Dead Sea than the proposed canal.

  8. Is the Red-Dead Sea Conveyance project the only option to restore the Dead Sea?

    It seems to me that Red-Dead Sea Conveyance may be the only way to resolve the issue. I chased how to realize the Project twice; 30 years ago and 15 years ago but in vain. The agenda for the Project were primariliy; Finance, Israeli (including USA) Government's support and international project team that have technology. I think now we have cleared two except for Finance for the Project. You'd better ask the comment on this to Mr. Leon Awarbuch, President, Leading Edge Technology who also know Red-Dead Sea Project.

    Isao Takekoh

  9. No, there are many other options

    Dear Mr. Amir:

    The simple answer for your question is "NO". There are other 

    options for such a financially mega-, environmentally destructive-, 

    and politically controlling project by some parties in the region.

    For further information, please see the following Hyperlinks:

    http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9873:palestinian-ngo-statement-on-the-world-bank-sponsored-red-dead-sea-canal&catid=130:links-from-other-links&Itemid=228

    AND 

    http://www.academia.edu/Documents/in/Water_Conveyance_Mega_Project

    Kind regards,

    Prof. Dr. Hilmi S. Salem

     

  10. I am actually somewhat skeptical that the Red-Dead water conveyance will do much to "restore" the Dead Sea given the amounts of water planned to be desalinated and consumed along the way. The only alternative would be for the national communities sharing the Jordan Valley (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria) to sharply curtail their water consumption on the sources that feed into the Dead Sea and that doesn't appear at all likely.

  12. A Discussion on the Red Sea to Dead Sea Conveyance

    Hello Professor.:   I  understand the issue about water and it is important for any real development.  Water and Energy are two key inputs for Sustainable Development and water has been important in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of the United Nations.  The transition to longer term sustainable development is being considered today for 2015 and beyond.  Many of the sectors are included because goals are only partially met.   My questions that are related to the conveyance is more complex due to Global Climate Change.  Global Warming and extreme weather is expected to become worse.  I do wonder about the elevation of the sea levels around the world and there effects on Islands.  What effect can be anticipated to some lowland such as much of Bangladesh or coastal areas?  What will the future look like for the Seas near Israel and that region?  I am sure that corrections are needed now for water issues and more will exist in the future.   I saw a very interesting television presentation of a canal and aqueduct that was built for the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It would be important to see the desert bloom in some ways.  Population issues are an exception, but we can discuss desalination of the water too.   I am so old now, I can remember when the Dead Sea was only a little sick.   Best regard, Sidney Clouston Clouston Energy Research, LLC