The misuse of water and a few home-(and away-) myths

Somewhere between Tel-Aviv and Eilat, October 2007


Amira Hass

"It's not enough to talk about the amount of rainfall. You have to talk about how it is stored, too. In Israel, there is excellent water beneath our feet, thanks to three elements that contribute to the rapid filling of the mountain aquifer: rain that is concentrated in the winter season when there is little evaporation; karstic topography; and a thin layer of soil. Karst is soluble bedrock that enables the rain to percolate quickly to a subterranean level and not settle in small depressions, but in cracks and fissures and caves, beyond the range of tree and plant roots. In the summer, when you see bare, rocky slopes in the West Bank and the Galilee, it's easy to get the impression that the region is arid. But it's actually an indication of just the opposite, and is hiding the fact that, out of view, there is really a lot of water."

And for your pleasure, a couple of extra photos to complete this water-related post:


Satellite picture of Almeria Province, Spain, 1974

Satellite picture of Almeria Province, Spain, 2004