Kinneret Water Levels Hit 100-Year Low Amid Drought

Israel's Water Authority reported on Tuesday that the amount of available water in the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has reached its lowest point in 100 years of measurements. The past two rainy seasons combined yielded approximately 208 million cubic meters, the lowest figure recorded. The Kinneret's water level began the hydrological year at 213.08 meters below sea level. It dropped to a seasonal low of 213.45 meters below sea level in mid-December before rising 94 centimeters to a seasonal peak of 212.51 meters below sea level by early May.

Flow rates in the Jordan River at the Jisr al-Ghazali station were recorded at 11.4 cubic meters per second in late April, about 80% of the long-term average for that time. The Dan spring had a flow rate of 7.6 cubic meters per second, approximately 94% of its average. The coastal and Yarkon basins received about 100% of their annual average, while the western Galilee received around 85%.

In contrast, southern and eastern Israel experienced unusually heavy rainfall events and flash floods. On April 27, 2026, the Judean Desert and northeastern Negev saw over 50 millimeters of rain in a concentrated area, much of it within about 90 minutes. Peak flow in Nahal Tzeelim reached 570 cubic meters per second, causing the water level in the stream to rise by approximately four meters in about half an hour.

Meanwhile, the Dead Sea level dropped by 18 centimeters from the start of the season until the end of April, a significant decrease compared to the 63 centimeters recorded in the same period last year. Water Authority Director Yechiel Lipschitz emphasized the need for continuous monitoring and flexible water resource management, noting that "even when the amount of rain approaches the average, water sources continue to bear the impact of the previous drought year."