Rising global temperatures promote prolonged droughts and flash flooding, thereby reducing crop yields. Rising populations make increasing demands on water for domestic consumption. In mid-latitude regions like the semi-arid Middle East, water availability is severely limited by a high evaporation/precipitation ratio. This paper addresses innovative techniques deployed by Israel to increase the supply of freshwater for both irrigated agriculture and domestic needs. Foremost in improving water management in agriculture is the need to implement sustainable irrigation techniques. These include:1) drip irrigation which minimizes water loss; 2) the recycling of purified sewage water for replenishing groundwater, and its storage in sealed reservoirs to prevent evaporation and contamination; 3) desalination of both sea water and brackish water that preserves membranes and is less energy intensive; and 4) the collection of storm water directed to existing water supplies, thereby minimizing runoff.  This paper also describes anthropogenic pollution of aquifers and recent Israeli research findings that long term over-extraction in non-coastal aquifers, leads to salinization of groundwater from upflow of deep seated pressurized brines. Mechanisms for such geogenic pollution are unknown and the emerging world challenge will be described. International cooperation with Jordan to build a conduit from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, a project funded by the World Bank, is intended to augment desalinated water in both countries and provide a means of revitalizing the Dead Sea.

Optimizing water resources: An Israeli approach

249th National Meeting (2015)

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