Posted on 10/10/2009 10:37:33 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Environmentalists concerned about the threat to its unique eco-system.
Water levels in the lowest and saltiest body of water on the planet are falling by more than four feet a year, giving rise to quips that the Dead Sea is dying.
The government in Amman has said it is planning to extract more than 10 billion cubic feet a year from the Red Sea 110 miles to the south, feed most of it into a desalination plant to create drinking water, and send the salty waste-water left over to the Dead Sea by tunnel.
Similar plans are already the subject of a two-year feasibility study agreed by the Jordanians, Israelis and Palestinians in a rare example of cross-border Middle East co-operation.
But the Jordanians have decided they cannot wait any longer. "Jordan will start with the first phase with the help of donor countries and private investors," its minister for water, General Maysoun Zu'bi, said this week.
But environmentalists said the two years allotted to the feasibility study were already too short for a proper assessment of the risks posed to the Dead Sea's unique ecology.
Environmentalists are concerned that the mixing of two different types of salt-water might have serious ecological consequences, including a build-up of algae.
There are allied plans to build up the Dead Sea's roads and hotels for tourism. There are also fears that increased salinity in the Red Sea might damage fish and coral.
"We know the plan's attractive to the Jordanian government because it will bring so much money circulating in the economy," said Munqeth Mehyar, director of Friends of the Earth in the Jordanian capital, Amman. "But the price is too high."
The study for the so-called "Red-Dead Water Conveyance Project", funded by seven donor nations and commissioned by the
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
that’s funny and we have “Salt Bar(s)” in the Bay Area. Always cool to see.
lol
lolz
And all I want is to rebuild the world using "Blazing Saddles" as a model. Can I have some more beans, Mr. Taggart?
/johnny
if Jordan decides to fill the Dead Sea up to
be at ocean level, how much
land does Israel lose?
Ocean level? That would flood from Akaba to Mt Hermon. Galilee, the Jordan River Valley, and part of the Samaria would be under water. Won’t ever happen.
who would lose more land?
Jordan, or Israel?
if everything below sea-level was flooded
When Helen Thomas was a child the Dead Sea was only sick.
Israel would lose more land, but it is immaterial, because the flooding would be greater than ever in recorded history. Inconceivable (and contrary to biblical accounts of the future of the Dead Sea area).
you’ve had enough
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
Is that a unicellular orgasm?
How could using the wastewater from a desalinization plant introduce foreign species?
I’m under the impression that the process of desalinization is sufficient enough to kill off the bacteria/algae/fish/etc that would be found in the raw seawater.
The government in Amman has said it is planning to extract more than 10 billion cubic feet a year from the Red Sea 110 miles to the south, feed most of it into a desalination plant to create drinking water, and send the salty waste-water left over to the Dead Sea by tunnel.Fascinating idea, since Jordan is landlocked.
I was pointing out the rise and fall of the Dead Sea over time. Your point of fault movement resulting from the weight of the water as well as the lubrication of the fault contact surfaces produces EQ’s is correct. Many of the EQ’s
are very local in nature but they do occur. The current flooding of the Yangze River Valley is an example.
There is some sort of near micro-scopic shrimp that lives in it, I think.
The solution is to run sea water to it in SHALLOW and SLOW canals. That lets the Sun bake it pretty good and increase the salinity.
FWIW, its great for one’s skin. Lots of eczema/psoriasis/back acne sufferers have found that getting a mild sunburn with this salt clear the condition right up.
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