Hydro-‐political Baseline of the Upper Jordan River - Ibrahim Abd El Al

echarge from the Easter Lower Galilee), however, and so to be of relevance to this study,
must be ‘unpacked’.
Figure 3.8 Groundwater recharge rates of select aquifer basins in the Middle East, showing Kinneret
(Lake of Tiberias) Basin as by far the largest at about 550 MCM/y (EXACT 2005).
To identify the precipitation – stream flow relations that originate from the karstic region of
Mount Hermon, Rimmer and Salingar (2008) employ a system approach grouping the
available data of precipitation, evaporation and surface flow. The authors attributed the
higher responsiveness of the Hasbani and Banias springs to their much larger surface
catchment areas, as well as to differences in elevation between the springs; the hydraulic
head at the spring is accordingly larger and longer lasting. 8 The authors further suggest that
the springs are outlets from the same or hydraulically connected aquifer(s) originating in
Mount Hermon.
Hydro-­‐chemical and water isotope analysis serves to further differentiate the behaviour of
these springs. Brielmann (2008: 108) confirms earlier research that suggests that “the Sion-­‐
Rachaya fault divides the southern Hermon into an eastern and western recharge area”
respectively feeding the Banias on one side and the Liddan and Hasbani on the other.
8 The authors highlight a number of limitations with their analysis (related mainly with incomplete
information due to lack of data availability and data sharing), and affirm the previously-­‐discussed disconnect
between basin size and river flow: “Finally, the location of different aquifers in the region, and the recharge
area of the three main tributaries of the Jordan River are unknown. Moreover, from the ratios of surface to
baseflow, it is clear that these recharge areas are not correlated with the size of the geographic surface
water catchments” (Rimmer and Salingar 2006: 526).
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