Israel's Water Sources Face Complex and Worrying Situation

The Hydrological Service of the Governmental Water and Sewage Authority has released its summary report for the 2025/26 rainy season, revealing a complex and concerning picture of Israel's natural water resources. Nationally, cumulative rainfall reached approximately 95% of the multi-year average. While coastal and Yarkon-Taninim basins saw about 100% of the average, the Sea of Galilee basin received only 90%, and the Western Galilee received just 85%.

Water Authority officials emphasized that the national average doesn't reflect the reality on the ground, as northern water sources are still suffering from the severe impact of the extreme drought in 2024/25. The Sea of Galilee is particularly affected, with available water volume from the start of the season until the end of April totaling about 142 million cubic meters. Combined with the previous drought year, the total available water over both seasons was only about 208 million cubic meters, the lowest figure in 100 years of measurements. The Sea of Galilee's water level began the hydrological year at -213.08 meters, reached a seasonal low of -213.45 meters in mid-December, and rose only 94 centimeters to a seasonal peak of -212.51 meters in early May. This is 3.71 meters below the upper red line and only 49 centimeters above the lower red line.

Stream and spring flows in the north also decreased significantly. The Jordan River recorded about 80% of its multi-year average flow, the Dan spring 94%, and Banias 90%. In contrast, southern and eastern Israel experienced an unusual abundance of intense rainfall events and flash floods. A particularly extreme event in late April in the Judean Desert and northeastern Negev saw over 50 millimeters of rain in about 1.5 hours, an event classified by the Israel Meteorological Service as having a return period of approximately 200 years.

This heavy rainfall led to severe flooding in some areas. Tsalim Stream recorded a historic peak flow of 570 cubic meters per second, the highest ever measured in the stream since records began, with its water level rising four meters in just half an hour. Meanwhile, the Dead Sea saw a moderation in its water level drop, decreasing by only 18 centimeters since the start of the season, a rate more than a third slower than the same period last year.

Water Authority Director Yechiel Lipschitz commented on the data, stating, "The past rainy season clearly illustrates the gap that can form between the national rainfall figure and the actual state of water sources. Even when rainfall approaches the average, water sources continue to bear the impact of the previous drought year. Simultaneously, in the south, we saw an exceptional season in the number and intensity of flood events. The data underscore the importance of continuous monitoring, forecasting, long-term planning, and flexible management of Israel's water resources."