LAWRENCE NEMEH 2014 DEAD SEA DESICCATION

 One of the saltiest seas in the world  Lowest elevation of the world, deepest salt lake in the world  Virtually impossible to host life = DEAD  Density, the floating effect  Vital interest for the region DEAD SEA BASICS

 Rapid recession of the Dead Sea’s surface level  Surface level from -395m to -418m between  20m total, or 1m/year IDENTIFYING DESICCATION

 Rising populations  Expanding agricultural sectors  Dams  Major industrial activities  Dead Sea Works processing potash from the man made evaporation ponds in the southern part of the sea LINKS & CAUSES

 Sinkhole phenomenon  Desiccation, groundwater level recedes, allows freshwater to invade underground layers, displacing brines, dissolving salt layers, creating new cavities until ground surface collapses  Impacts the integrity of the land, commercial interests (hotels, restaurants) and lives IMPACTS

 Agreement between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority  Mission: transporting water north from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea  Desalination facility to purify half the water for Jordanians and Palestinians and for Israel’s use in the Arava and Eilat  Plans began in 2009, aiming for production in 2017 RED SEA-DEAD SEA CANAL

 ~100,000 years ago: Dead Sea almost dried up  Geologists from the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University  Drilled a core to analyze about 250,000 of sediment history  Discovered 45-meter salt layer within the core SECOND TIMES THE CHARM?