Saving the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is one of the most unique bodies of water in the world. It is the lowest spot on Earth and home to rich, therapeutic minerals. However, each year, its water level drops about four feet, causing the lake to recede and the surrounding landscape to change dramatically. As the water continues to dry up, beautiful, yet eerie, salt formations are left at the shore. These salt deposits create huge sinkholes that swallow up beaches, parking lots, and basil and watermelon farms surrounding the lake.

While climate change seems to be exacerbating the receding water, the progressive decline of the Dead Sea is primarily caused by another manmade issue. Fresh water that used to flow from the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River into the Dead Sea is being diverted for drinking water and irrigation in Israel, Jordan and Syria. Additionally, Israeli and Jordanian companies consistently evaporate Dead Sea water to harvest its minerals. Potential solutions to save this world beauty include building a canal from the Red Sea and boosting the Jordan River's flow into to the Dead Sea. A lack of significant action to desalinate the lake may lead to the loss of this historical site.