Lowest Place on Earth Gets a Little Leverage

Good news for the Dead Sea. The lowest place on Earth, which in previous years has been suffering from dehydration due to lack of rains, has just gotten a little boost to its sea level–and morale.

For the past 13 years, the sea level of the Dead Sea has been rapidly decreasing. Lack of rains, population growth and industry use have led to a sheer drop in the amount of water flowing into the dead sea through the Jordan River. Add to that equation the desert sun, which, this past summer caused an evaporation of 10 inches, and you have an environmental problem on your hands.

While the first obvious impact of the water shortage means that beachfront hotel guests have to walk a little farther to bathe in the salty waters, this water shortage has drastic effects on the ecosystem. Lack of water means that the land previously imbued is now dry, causing land slides and sinkholes, which can injure people and cause substantial infrastructure damages.

But the past winter has made environmentalists a little more optimistic, with the Dead Sea gaining three inches, at 423 meters below sea level (- 1387 feet). The current sea level is 33 inches lower that that of last year and almost 30 feet lower than a decade ago.

While this is a drop in the bucket, there is still hope that the waters that have been drunk by men will be returned by men. Over the past few years, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Jordan have embarked on a project that may serve as a life line to the salty sea.

According to the plan, a 100 mile long pipe will be laid between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, pulling water upstream as a means to maintain a consistent level of water that will revive the Dead Sea.

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