Kinneret Water Levels Hit Record Low Amid Desalination Crisis

Israel's Water Authority is warning of a continuous decline in the Sea of Galilee's water levels, exacerbated by the desalination crisis. A report from the Hydrological Service indicates that the accumulated available water in the Kinneret from the start of the last rainy season until the end of April reached approximately 142 million cubic meters. When combined with the 2024/25 drought season, the total available water for both seasons stands at about 208 million cubic meters, the lowest figure recorded in a century.

The 2025/26 rainy season, from October 2025 to April 2026, saw national rainfall at 95% of the multi-year average. However, the Kinneret basin received only 90% of its average, and the Western Galilee received 85%. While the north experienced a deficit, the south saw an unusual number of flash floods.

Despite an improvement from the extreme drought of 2024/25, the impact of the previous year's severe shortage is still evident in natural water sources, particularly in the north and around the Kinneret. "Even when rainfall approaches the average, water sources continue to bear the impact of the previous drought year," stated Water Authority Director Yechiel Lipschitz. He also noted the exceptional number and intensity of floods in the south, emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring, forecasting, long-term planning, and flexible water resource management.

The Kinneret's water level began the year at 213.08 meters below sea level. It reached its seasonal low of 213.45 meters in mid-December and rose 94 centimeters to a seasonal high of 212.51 meters below sea level by early May. This level is 3.71 meters below the upper red line and 49 centimeters above the lower red line.

Flows in northern streams and springs also reflect the situation. By late April, the Jordan River's flow was 11.4 cubic meters per second, about 80% of the multi-year average. The Dan spring had a flow of 7.6 cubic meters per second (94% of average), and the Banias spring had 2.7 cubic meters per second (90% of average). Flows at the Crocodile River springs were 0.64 cubic meters per second, about 80% of average.

Conversely, the south and east experienced unusually heavy rainfall and flash floods. On April 27, 2026, an event in the Judean Desert and northeastern Negev saw over 50 millimeters of rain in about 90 minutes, causing significant flash floods. Tsalim Stream recorded a record flow of 570 cubic meters per second, its highest ever, with water levels rising four meters in half an hour. This season was marked by an exceptional number of such flood events in the south and east.

The Dead Sea also showed an unusual trend, with its level dropping 18 centimeters from the start of the season until the end of April. This rate of decline is more than a third slower than the 63-centimeter drop recorded during the same period last year.