Jordan River Rehabilitation Project March 22 nd /6/20151

Jordan water consumption for the year 2007 was estimated as 148 m 3. Jordan is considered as the fourth poorest country in the world in terms of freshwater resources per capita. Definition of Water Scarcity

Water Demand and Supply by Sector

Water Deficit by Sector Water Deficit 2007 Demand MCM Supply MCM Deficit MCM % of Supply versus Demand Municipal % Tourism % Industrial % Irrigation % Total The average economic return per m 3 of agriculture – just JD Tourism earns a modest JD 25 per m 3, it generates 12 times more jobs than agriculture per m 3. The average economic return per unit of water consumed across all industry is JD 40 per m 3. Source: Responding to Water Crisis in Jordan (USAID)

95% of the Jordan River’s flow is diverted by Israel, Syria and partially Jordan. Resulting in ecological devastation of Jordan River- Dead Sea systems by 50%. Loss of potential tourism revenue from cultural/ natural heritage sites of regional and world significance. River Jordan Conditions 8/6/20155

Average annual flows diverted by each country Israel: 46.47% Syria: 25.24% Jordan: 23.24% Palestine: 5.05% This figures are based on a 1953 survey of Jordan River streams + Allocations decided upon in the 1994 Jordanian-Israeli Peace Treaty 8/6/20156

Establishment of National and Regional Advisory Committee Brings together leading experts and government representatives from Israel, Jordan and Palestine Only forum of its kind that brings together stakeholders to advance a shared solution for the Jordan River 8/6/20157

Project outputs: 1.Barriers to National Water Reforms: Conduct rapid assessments of the existing barriers to national water policies, including review of the economic, social, historical and environmental factors. 2.Environmental Flow Study (EF): Regional study to propose the range of environmental flows necessary to rehabilitate the Lower Jordan River ecosystem 3.Trans-boundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA): National level cost- efficiency studies Identify existing and potential opportunities to transfer fresh water resources to the Jordan River from all sectors of the water economies. Use of the “wedges“ concept to highlight policy options to allow water to flow back into the Lower Jordan. 8/6/20158

Project outputs: 4. Develop and implement a strategic action plan: targeting decision makers that would advance the implementation of each wedge identified (Policy paper). Lobbying decision makers through local community representatives. 8/6/20159

Environmental Flows Project Goal Determine how much and what quality of water resources are necessary to rehabilitate the Lower Jordan River Propose regional rehabilitation goal 8/6/201510

Environmental Flow Study Methodology Historical Data vs. Contemporary Data Contemporary Data vs. Reference Sites Development of Rehabilitation Scenarios Discussion of Scenarios at National and Regional Advisory Committee meetings 8/6/201511

Regional Rehabilitation Goal: mcm annually, one minor flood Salinity level less than 750 ppm; primarily fresh water with only the highest quality of effluents allowed up to 25% of the LJR's base flow This strategy would remove most of the disturbances, restore the river's structure and function, allow biodiversity to recover and achieve a fair to high ecosystem integrity and health. 8/6/201512

Study Findings The evaluation of potential “wedges” primarily addresses water demand management, and non seawater desalination water supply augmentation. These “wedges” vary greatly in terms of cost per cubic meter of water conserved, and in terms of their political feasibility Feasibility has been defined as a function of economic costs, likely opposition by negatively affected stakeholders, and of the technological ease of implementation.

Study Findings The proposed water took into consideration several factors: behavioral changes – including raising public awareness on the economics of water consumption; technological improvements and innovations that significantly reduce water consumption; changes in cropping patterns in agriculture; reallocation of water to the sectors with the higher economic returns; improvements in conservation of the available water resources; political and socio-economic factors.

Identified Wedges: Jordan

Identified Wedges: Total Identified Wedges: Palestine 92 MCM Identified Wedges: Israel 480 MCM Identified Wedges: Jordan 244 MCM

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Summary and Conclusions A simple summation of presently feasible water conservation options provided in this study produces potential water savings of nearly 1000 MCM per year close to the historical natural flow of the Lower Jordan River.. The economic feasibility of the options shown was based on current prices. Changes in future prices of technologies, commodities, and externalities are likely to change the relative profitability of water saving options. By necessity this study had to limit its focus to options for which available data was available. As such, it should be seen as an initial estimate, which can be the basis for future studies. Future studies may identify additional cost- effective methods for reducing water demand and/or augmenting supplies.