World Bank Recommends Better Red Sea Than Dead Sea
B. McPherson The Dead Sea may be a memory by 2050 The World Bank has given its seal of approval to a scheme to transport Red Sea Water via pipeline to the Dead Sea. At a cost of approximately $10 billion, the scheme would theoretically save the dying Dead Sea from obliteration. The Dead Sea is caught in the Great Rift Valley of Israel. It is formed in a depression 414 metres below sea level. The main source of water for this salty inland sea is the River Jordan. But in this very dry area of the Middle East, fresh water is at a premium and the countries of Syria, Israel and Jordan remove most of the water for drinking, industry and agriculture. Raw sewage makes up a large part of the river’s flow now. At the same time, the hot climate encourages evaporation, the result is the sea is drying up. In Biblical times fish were caught in the lake, but due to the increasing salinity only small isopods can now live there. The Dead Sea is a prime tourist attraction for its unique ...