Feeling under the weather…?
And I do mean that literally, by the way. I wouldn't blame you if you were. We've had a LOT of weather to be under this winter so far. The great news is that water levels in the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) are on their way back up to where they're supposed to be, which is one measure of how relatively water-secure this country is.
[QUICK ASIDE FOR ISRAEL WATER LESSON!]
The Kinneret was once Israel’s main source of fresh water. Today, thanks to desalination, it is apparently only responsible for 10%. Still a considerable chunk. Water level in the Kinneret is measured against 3 lines:
- UPPER RED = Full. The level hasn’t reached this point since about 2002.
- LOWER RED = Lowest “normal” level. Below this point will have environmental consequences.
- BLACK = Serious drought / environmental crisis. The line dipped down below this round about October following 5 years of drought and insufficient winter rain.
(check a live version of this graph)
Oh, yeah, and because the whole lake is below sea level, the numbers run down – a “bigger,” i.e., more negative, number is WORSE, not better.
As you can see from this graph, we’re back above the black line thanks to this winter’s prodigious rain, but not all the way back up to that slightly more comfy lower red line.
[END OF LESSON]
But while we're feeling flush (ahem) when it comes to water, we're also being deluged in a desert country that's ill-prepared to deal with an excess of water. When it’s raining, the streets flood, programs and trips get cancelled, and it can be very dangerous to be out on the roads.
All of which means, it’s a lot better to stay home if you possibly can. (Even though, without central heating, surrounded by dank concrete walls, it can get pretty miserable inside the house as well…)
So I wanted to share two things that I really
