Dead Sea Tourist Projects Threatened by Receding Waterline.

By Tzafrir Rinat

The hotels on the banks of the sea at the lowest point on earth will attract thousands of tourists, fascinated by the unique natural phenomenon. That was how the Israeli tourist industry once portrayed the future of the northern shore of the Dead Sea, which so far has

Recently, however, sources at the Geological Institute in Jerusalem are now warning that all plans for the development of new infrastructure and tourist attractions along the shores of the Dead Sea will need to be revamped, because of the side effects of the continued drop in the level of the water. The new hotels, experts say, will have to be constructed much further from the water than in the past.

The southern section of the Dead Sea has become, over the years, an area of industrial plants, while in the northern part, most of the water that flows from the Jordan River is used for agriculture or drinking water. As a result of both these processes, the water level of the Dead Sea is dropping by 3.9 feet every year. Over the next 50 years, the level will drop by a total of 211 feet.

Among the worrying side effects of the drop in the level of the Dead Sea is the sudden appearance of potholes in various locations close to the water. According to Dr. Amos Bain and Dr. Etai Gavrieli of the Geological Institute, over 1,000 such potholes have been counted in the region. With the drop in the sea level, the level of the groundwater also drops, allowing fresh water to a penetrate, dissolving the salt deposits. As a result, a subterranean vacuum is created, which, eventually, collapses inward. According to Bain and Gavrieli, the largest concentrations of potholes are located close to the proposed new tourist area south of Ein Gedi.

The sea's retreat also effects the large streams that are fed by floodwater in the winter. These streams have begin flowing even deeper, threatening the foundations of Route 90, which runs from north to south, parallel to the Dead

Sea. Two years ago, a bridge over the Arugot stream collapsed.

The receding waterline has also created large areas of boggy mud, which not only makes life difficult for hikers, but also cuts off access to significant areas of the sea itself. The springs on the edges of the Dead Sea, which have become attractions for tourists and hikers alike, are also under serious threat. Because of the changes to the groundwater level, it is feared that their large springs will dry up completely, leaving only smaller, localized springs, and altering the entire ecological balance. Eventually, experts warn, this could lead to the complete evaporation of the few oases that remain. As a result of this fear, the Geological Institute has begun to monitor Ein Fascha, one of the most popular sites in the region.