The Dead Sea is positioned between Israel, Jordan and the West Bank at the lowest point on earth and the world’s saltiest water body. The Dead Sea waters, rich in a wide variety of minerals, are famous for their therapeutic qualities and the wetlands surrounding the Sea are blessed with unique flora and fauna.
The Dead Sea region is internationally known for its unique geographical, biological, and historical value.
Nevertheless, the Dead Sea is drying up at an alarming rate.
The Dead Sea is shrinking, and as its waters vanish at a rate of more than one meter a year, hundreds of sinkholes, some the size of a basketball court, some two stories deep, are devouring land where the shoreline once stood.
Over the years, the Dead Sea has already lost more than 1/3 of its surface area the water level is currently dropping by over one metre. Every year, it’s shoreline is expected to draw from 411 meters to 430 meters below sea level by 2020.
Traditionally the Jordan River is the Dead Sea’s inflow source; however, 50 years ago much of its water was diverted to cities, reducing the inflow level to the Dead Sea to just five percent of its original volume.
The hot and dry climate of the region also makes it difficult for the Dead Sea to restore itself
As a result, the salinity of the lake has increased.
The Dead Sea is also threatened by cosmetic companies that extract mineral water from the region to make beauty products. The mineral extraction activities of the Dead Sea Works and the Arab Potash Company operating at the southern end of the Dead Sea also contributed to the demise of the Dead Sea, with industrial solar evaporation ponds being responsible for 30-40% of the depletion of the Dead Sea.
Hotels and attractions built along the shoreline also release untreated sewage into the Dead Sea.
Although the Dead Sea is not home to any wildlife itself, the region around is known for supporting several endangered species, such as Ibexes, leopards and the indigenous Dead Sea sparrow.
Currently, Israeli field researchers estimate 5000 – 6000 sinkholes in the region. It is “An impact of human-induced shrinkage of a terminal lake”, as the researchers of the Geology Survey of Israel claim.
