Restoring Israel's Rivers

Israel's River System

With the exception of the upper Jordan River and its tributaries, the prognosis for Israel's rivers has long been gloomy: a slow and painful death. Whether as a result of industrial discharge, municipal sewage, overpumping or general abuse - rivers have either dried up or become sewage conduits. Tel Aviv's Yarkon, Haifa's Kishon, Ashdod's Lachish, Emek Hefer's Alexander, Lod's Ayalon, Jerusalem's Soreq - these and other rivers are plagued by the same disease: pollution.

The search for a cure which would transform the country's rivers from channels of death into sources of life is not a recent development. For years, the Nature and National Parks Protection Authority, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Water Commission have monitored Israel's ailing streams, collecting data on water quality, identifying sources of pollution, and compiling information on flow rates, water sources and flora and fauna. Concomitantly, efforts and resources were invested in sewage treatment, effluent reuse in agriculture and groundwater recharge. Where possible, cleanups were initiated and riverbanks developed for recreational purposes, especially in the congested central region of the country.

These and other individual efforts culminated in the establishment of the National River Administration in November 1993. Initiated and headed by the Ministry of the Environment and the Jewish National Fund, the NRA serves as a coordinating body between the numerous agencies which deal with rivers in Israel and oversees the restoration of the country's rivers and the preservation and renovation of natural and historic sites along river sides. It includes representatives from the Interior, Tourism and Agriculture Ministries, the Water Commission, and Environment Ministries, the Nature and National Parks Protection Authority, and local authorities adjacent to the rivers.

The NRA is dedicated to fulfilling the following aims:

• rehabilitation of the country's rivers through cleanups and restoration of water quantity and quality;
• preservation and rehabilitation of landscapes, ecosystems, and fauna and flora in the rivers and their watershed basins;
• development of rivers on the basis of existing and potential nature and landscape values for purposes of recreation, tourism, education and research;
• promotion of the ability of rivers to serve as drainage channels for flood prevention.

In order to attain these goals, the NRA has committed itself to:

• formulate an integrated national policy for the protection, cultivation and development of Israel's rivers, taking into account consumer needs and the unique features of each river;
• prepare a national master plan for river rehabilitation;
• classify Israel's rivers according to a scale of priorities for rehabilitation;
• encourage the establishment of regional river authorities and river administrations for Israel's major rivers, and transfer responsibility for river rehabilitation and management to these bodies;
• encourage, guide and aid local and municipal bodies and other entrepreneurs to undertake measures which can help achieve the NRAs goals;
• collect and compile information in order to establish a data base on natural resources, sites and landscapes in rivers;
• formulate and supervise the implementation of professional criteria for river rehabilitation;
• catalyze the planning and implementation of river rehabilitation projects and the development of landscape parks and riverside trails in accordance with set criteria and priorities;
• increase public awareness and participation in river rehabilitation and landscape protection.

The NRA has already achieved several accomplishments. It has formulated a model for river rehabilitation and established priority criteria for river rehabilitation (e.g. magnitude of the nuisance, potential for tourism and recreation, natural and landscape resources, land and water availability, feasibility, availability of funding). In addition, ecological and environmental surveys have been initiated or completed for most of the rivers earmarked for priority action. Within the framework of these surveys, data are collected on water and pollution sources along the river (including plans for solving pollution problems), hydrology (including plans for the regulation and stabilization of river banks), water quality (physio-chemical monitoring and hydrobiology), land, flora and fauna (including mapping of protected or rare species and unique ecosystems), historical and archaeological sites, landscape sites, walking paths, land uses and environmental nuisances (such as quarries and waste sites). The data are then summarized and mapped to serve as a basis for assessing the rehabilitation potential of the river.

The landscape surveys and evaluations provide planners with the necessary background information to ensure that development will not destroy the ecosystem, wildlife and landscape features of the river. The integration of such considerations as the sensitivity and vulnerability of rivers or sections of rivers to development is expected to help secure biodiversity and to preserve visual resources. In areas in which unique natural resources may be irreversibly damaged by development, conservation or minimal development is called for. In less sensitive spots, more intensive development may be possible. In addition to such essential considerations as water quality and quantity, the planning process endeavours to make the river more prominent in the landscape, to designate areas for recreation and tourism, and to establish walking paths alongside the rivers, with signposts to direct hikers to significant or picturesque sites along the way. Once completed, the master plan for rehabilitation of the river and its corridor is presented to the relevant planning commission for statutory approval.

The goal of the NRA is to entrust actual restoration work to local bodies while serving as a catalyst, coordinator and professional guide. Therefore, major efforts are invested in setting up regional river administrations, parallel in their aims and composition to the NRA, but with a local focus. The regional administration is comprised of representatives of local authorities, drainage authorities, relevant regional organizations, representatives of national green bodies and the NRA.

So far, regional river administrations have been set up for the following rivers: Lachish, Zippori, Ayalon, Taninim, Hadera, Alexander, Soreq, Harod Na'aman, Besor, Beersheba and the Lower and Southern Jordan. These are in addition to the statutory administrations which already exist for the Yarkon and Kishon Rivers. Masterplans have been prepared or are in the process of being prepared for these rivers, and parks have been developed around the Lachish, Harod, Hadera, Kishon, Alexander and Taninim Rivers.

A computerized databank on pollution sources in several of these rivers has been prepared by the Ministry of the Environment. Polluters of these rivers are subject to strict inspection and supervision resulting in warnings, hearings, and legal action. Over the past three years, enforcement has been targeted at 200 polluters, dozens of investigations were initiated and 25 convictions ensued.

Israel's river rehabilitation program has been given a boost within the framework of the LIFE programme of the European Union which provides aid for environmental projects. One of the projects currently being financed is river rehabilitation. The project is intended to help the Ministry of the Environment to prepare a comprehensive national masterplan for the restoration of Israel's coastal rivers. This will include a survey of all major sources of pollution, surveys of the ecology and natural and cultural resources of lands adjacent to rivers, guidelines for water quantities and qualities needed for restoration of streams, river-specific masterplans, and economic justification for river rehabilitation.

Flowing through the country's most populated area, the Yarkon - the country's second longest river, after the Jordan - has been a central target for rehabilitation efforts for over a decade and a half. Stretching some 28 kms from Tel Afek, near Rosh Ha'ayin, to the sea, it meanders through the jurisdiction of several local authorities.

Damage to the Yarkon began in 1955 when the river's waters were diverted to the Negev via the National Water Carrier for irrigation purposes. As sewage replaced the natural flow of fresh water, habitats were destroyed and flora and fauna began to disappear.

Recognition of the urgent need to rehabilitate the Yarkon culminated in the establishment of the Yarkon River Authority in 1988 - the first concerted effort in Israel to provide for river rehabilitation. This body is dedicated to revitalizing the river and to developing several segments for sailing, fishing, swimming and recreation. Hundreds of tons of garbage have been removed from the river to restore its original depth and to facilitate its natural flow. River banks were reinforced and raised, riverbeds widened, hiking and bicycling paths established, trees and vegetation thinned, dams rehabilitated and picnic and fishing areas established. Major efforts are going into monitoring and pest control, based on environment-friendly pest and biological control methods.

At both ends of the river, parks are already in existence. Upstream, the recently-inaugurated Mekorot Hayarkon ("Yarkon Sources"), has historic sites, picnic grounds, playground equipment, fishing docks and riverbank vegetation with visitor access. The water in this segment of the river is clear, pure and rich in vegetation and fish. Downstream, the Ganei Yehoshua or Yarkon Park, serves as a green lung for some two million inhabitants of the Dan metropolitan region.

The central part of the Yarkon is the most problematic. However, the inauguration of the Kfar Saba-Hod Hasharon sewage treatment plant in 1996, and the launching of the Ramat Hasharon plant in 1999, put an end to the discharge of some 25,000 cubic metres of effluents a day into the river from adjacent towns.

Major efforts are being invested in studying the river's hydrology, defining the quality and quantity of water quotas, and investigating natural processes, with the aim of determining the carrying capacity and sensitivity to development of each segment of the river, both individually, and as part of the overall ecosystem. At the same time, the Yarkon River has been chosen as a model for a countrywide educational programme on river restoration, and a teaching and research centre has been set up on its banks.

The Harod River, whose watershed basin encompasses 190 square kilometres, flows through the Jezreel and Beit She'an Valleys into the Jordan. The 32-kilometre-long river has several elements which combine to make it rich in economic and tourism potential: its geographic location at the crossroads of important road arteries and adjacent to the Jordanian border; its unique landscape; its picturesque springs and fish ponds; and the numerous historical sites which line its course. But the inherent potential of the river is hampered by severe pollution, deriving from domestic and industrial sewage discharge, agricultural drainage and fish pond waters.

The establishment of a regional river administration has resulted in an extensive ecological survey, in the preparation of a master plan for rehabilitation, and in the initiation of detailed planning for the rehabilitation of several sections of the river. The rehabilitation scheme integrates a wide variety of elements, including improved drainage, preservation of landscape resources, ecological rehabilitation, development for recreation and tourism, restoration of historic and archaeological sites, and sewage treatment.

Since the rehabilitation process began in 1994, several river sections have been cleaned up, a bridge dating back to the Mamluk period has been restored, and the first phase of the Beit She'an Park has been completed. An information kit, including suggested walking trails, was prepared together with a video describing the past, present and future of the river.

Special attention is paid to finding solutions to the serious problems of industrial and municipal sewage which plague the river, whose pollution and salinity levels gradually increase downstream and reach a peak in the Beit She'an region. While comprehensive solutions to all the problems have not yet been found, partial solutions aimed at limiting harmful discharges into the river are already being implemented. Treatment plants are being established for a number of local kibbutzim and moshavim, and enforcement efforts are concentrating on industrial effluents, especially those emanating from the food and textile industries in the area.

The Alexander, one of the longest rivers in central Israel, is another example of river rehabilitation in progress. Flowing in the southern part of the Alexander River National Park, the 32-kilometre river is a mere hour's ride for most of the country's residents. The wide open spaces still left alongside the river, in the midst of the densely populated central region of Israel, offer an unparalleled opportunity for recreation, leisure and nature protection activities. But while some 300,000 people live within seven kilometres of the river, few avail themselves of its potential attractions. The reason once again - pollution.

Some 25 different pollutants, including organic and industrial effluents, have been discharged into the river for the past 40 years. The continuous onslaught of pollutants has adversely affected water quality, destroyed the natural landscape and played havoc with the unique ecosystem. A 1973 survey of river vegetation and of the impact of pollution on the distribution and composition of species, revealed that of 81 different species of vegetation which once flourished along the Alexander and its tributaries, 18 had disappeared; another nine species have disappeared since the 1970s.

While a number of rehabilitation initiatives were undertaken in recent years, an integrated and comprehensive rehabilitation programme was only launched in 1995. As a result of effective coordination, cooperation and goodwill, real progress has already been achieved, including the completion of an eco-environmental survey and a comprehensive master plan. Recommendations relate to conservation and development options along the river, to monitoring requirements, and to the establishment of micro-reserves along the riverside which will serve as shelters for fauna and flora, especially during times of intensive tourism. Special attention is paid to the rare Nile soft-shell turtle (Trionyx triunguis) and to the preservation of its breeding sites along the river. With the exception of the Alexander River, this protected species has all but disappeared from Israel's coastlines as a result of deteriorating water quality and water scarcity. A demonstration project that involves scenic, ecological and drainage restoration along a 750-metre stetch of the river was launched in 1999. It features a park, picturesque walking paths, lush vegetation and, in the future, the first hanging bridge in Israel, to enable public access and viewing.

The success of the rehabilitation scheme for the Alexander River, as for most of the rivers slated for priority treatment, will be dependent on the success of sewage treatment in the area. Netanya's new sewage treatment plant and plans for effluent treatment and disposal facilities in industrial plants in the Emek Hefer region should bring about the hoped-for improvements. Furthermore, a collaborative process has been initiated between the mayor of the Emek Hefer Regional Council and the governor of Tulkarem in the Palestinian Authority area which should see the construction of a joint wastewater purification plant and joint use of the treated water for agricultural purposes.

The Lachish River, an ancient mooring point for traders, is yet another site earmarked for rehabilitation. At least three kilometres of the 70 kilometre river, which rises in the Hebron foothills and flows through Kiryat Gat and Ashdod before emptying into the sea, have been transformed from a sewage canal into a source of pleasure and recreation. The joint project, initiated in 1991 by the Jewish National Fund, the Ashdod Municipality, the Israel Electric Corporation and the Environment Ministry, resulted in the inauguration of the Lachish-Ashdod Park in 1996. The park runs through the town of Ashdod along the banks of the Lachish River and comprises lawns, a 2.5 kilometre promenade, shady alcoves, observation points and picnic sites.

Today, efforts are also concentrated on the preparation of a masterplan for the Lachish River and its watershed - some 1,000 square kilometres. Within the framework of the masterplan, numerous surveys have already been prepared - on nature, landscape and culture, water, tourism, transportation and land uses. A demonstration project on riverbank stabilization using different types of vegetation that are well-integrated with the landscape was successfully implemented.

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing river rehabilitation is the Kishon River, reputedly Israel's most polluted waterway. The 70-kilometre long Kishon, which drains an area of 1,100 square kilometres, starts in the Jezreel Valley and empties into the sea at Haifa. As it flows through the largest industrial centre in the country, the river is transformed into a receptacle for toxic pollutants deriving from Haifa's oil refineries, petro-chemical and pesticide plants, sewage treatment plants, and agricultural runoff. Analyses carried out on sediments in the river have revealed high concentrations of heavy metals originating in the industrial effluents which have been discharged into the river for decades, which, it appears post factum, also endangered the health of naval commandos who trained in these waters.

The deteriorating state of the Kishon River was first raised for discussion in the Knesset in 1978. While the call for a rehabilitation scheme and for stringent measures to stop the discharge of pollutants into the river may be traced back to that year, substantial progress has not been made in the intervening time. Efforts have largely focused on increasing supervision, inspection and enforcement attempts, and on compiling up-to-date information on effluent discharges. In recent years, shallow tunnels were dug out along the banks of the Kishon River and covered with sealed polyethylene sheets in order to store temporarily the large quantities of sludge which were removed from the river, until a more permanent solution for sludge disposal and treatment can be found. Upstream, before the Kishon enters the Haifa industrial zone, a three-kilometre stretch has been transformed into a beauty spot. Here, in the Tivon area, nestled between the Jezreel and Zebulun Valleys, a neglected section of the riverbank has been transformed into an aesthetic public park.

Due to the complexity of the rehabilitation process, an essential prerequisite is a clearer understanding of the Kishon River-Haifa Bay ecosystem. For this purpose, the Haifa Association of Towns for the Environment, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, initiated a research study on the carrying capacity of Haifa Bay and the Kishon River. The study, which was funded by the European Investment Bank and implemented by a consortium of Israeli and Danish companies, developed an integrative approach to effluent discharge in the area which takes account not only of the quantity and quality of sewage and industrial effluents, but of the fate of these pollutants in the marine environment. On the basis of the research, it will be possible to develop new standards for sewage and effluent discharge into the Haifa Bay area.

Can these efforts assure the rehabilitation of the badly-polluted Kishon? The best hope lies with the Kishon River Authority, established in September, 1994. This statutory authority has dedicated itself to rehabilitating the river and transforming it into a regional attraction. The rehabilitation scheme calls for a stop to all sewage discharge, sludge removal and treatment, riverside landscaping, flood protection, and development of recreation, sports and tourism facilities. The first park in the lower reaches of the Kishon was inaugurated in 2001 adjacent to a fishing harbour. Additional sections will be added in the future and will eventually form a single park along the entire length of the riverbank. Thus far, a comprehensive ecological survey of the Kishon and a master plan have been completed. Haifa's wastewater treatment plant has been upgraded and an interministerial committee to determine water quality and to establish effluent emission standards presented its recommendations. Plans have also been drawn up to stop the discharge of industrial effluents into the river once and for all by the end of 2001. Hopefully, past efforts will combine with present efforts to afford this river too a new lease of life.

Despite the headway made in recent years, the fate of Israel's river rehabilitation programme is clearly dependent on the implementation of solutions to this country's ever-increasing effluent quantities. Growing urbanization and population density along the entire coastal region of Israel, from Nahariya to Ashkelon, has resulted in surplus effluents, which exceed the amount required for agricultural reuse in the region.

Various options for environmentally-safe effluent disposal and utilization are currently being considered. One calls for the controlled release of high-quality effluents into rivers within the framework of the river rehabilitation programme.

Until 1991, all of the bodies involved in river rehabilitation were convinced that the prerequisites for river rehabilitation were elimination of all effluents and introduction of fresh water only. However, successive years of drought have shown that the realities of water scarcity in Israel threaten to leave Israel's rivers dry if other means are not taken to replace or supplement fresh water supply. Successive years of drought have exacerbated the poor state of Israel's rivers. Scarcity of water dried up the natural water sources of the country's streams - reducing or stopping water flow, degrading water quality and adversely impacting on the ecosystem.

Following a comprehensive review by the Ministry of the Environment, a policy which banned effluent discharge into rivers, no matter what the quality, was replaced by a policy which allows the discharge of high-quality effluents into riverbeds in cases when fresh water allocations are unavailable. The discharge of highly-treated effluents is meant to ensure water flow, the subsistence of ecosystems, and the development of recreation and leisure activities. On the other hand, the discharge of effluents is contingent on strict control measures which would prohibit any discharge if the effluents are expected to generate aesthetic or sanitary nuisances, to threaten groundwater quality, to pollute beaches near the point of discharge or to lead to mosquito breeding. In all cases, effluent discharge to river sections designated for drawing off water, bathing or fishing is prohibited.

Political goodwill, wide-scale cooperation, and available funds have helped make substantive progress in a number of Israel's rivers. Local river administrations have been set up, eco-environmental surveys have been completed, comprehensive and detailed planning has been initiated and rehabilitation work has begun. In the Taninim, Na'aman and Ayalon Rivers, a process for integrating river rehabilitation considerations in river drainage schemes has been established in conjunction with the Water Commission.

The carrot and stick approach has led to important breakthroughs in the establishment or expansion of sewage treatment plants throughout the country. Spurred by a court ruling, the cities of Lod and Ramle have stopped discharging their sewage into the Ayalon River and have begun preparations for a modern sewage treatment plant to serve the area. The heavily-polluted Soreq River, victim of some 15 million cubic metres of Jerusalem's sewage per year, should be transformed into a vital river once more with the operation of Jerusalem's new treatment plant. The completion of the Hadera treatment plant should bring about major progress in the rehabilitation of the Hadera River. And the list goes on and on.

River rehabilitation in Israel is no longer a dream; it is a reality. With the right doses of research, planning and resource allocations, Israel's ailing rivers can be cured and restored to their former glory.