What is the Jordan River?
Q: What is the Jordan River?
A: The Jordan River is a river in Southwest Asia that flows through the Great Rift Valley into the Dead Sea. It is 251 kilometres (156 mi) long and many people think it is one of the world's most sacred rivers.
Q: What are some of its tributaries?
A: The Jordan River has several tributaries, including the Hasbani (Hebrew: שנירsenir, Arabic: الحاصباني hasbani), which flows from Lebanon; The Banias (Hebrew: חרמון hermon, Arabic: بانياس banias), which comes from a spring at Banias at the foot of Mount Hermon; The Dan (Hebrew: דן dan, Arabic: اللدان leddan), with its source at the foot of Mount Hermon; and The Ayoun (Hebrew: עיון ayoun, Arabic: عيون ayoun), which also flows from Lebanon.
Q: Where does it join together?
A: All these tributaries join to form the Jordan in northern Israel, near kibbutz Sede Nehemya.
Q:What happens to it after this point?
A:The Jordan then drops quickly in a 75 kilometer run to Lake Hula, which is a little below sea level in the Galilee sea. Then it drops much more in about 25 kilometers to reach the Sea of Galilee before twisting and entering into Dead Sea, which is about 400 meters below sea level and has no outlet. Two major tributaries enter this last section from east - Yarmouk River and Jabbok River.
Q:How have humans impacted on its water resources?
A:In 1964, Israel began operating a dam that takes water from Sea of Galilee for national water carrier while Jordan built channel that takes water from Yarmouk River - main tributary of Jordan river causing great damage to ecosystem. Syria also built reservoirs that catch Yarmouk's waters leading to 70% - 90% human usage resulting in smaller flow & high evaporation rate shrinking Dead Sea & draining shallow waters making them salt flats now.
Q:Why does this resource cause conflict between countries ?
A:The water from Jordan river being an important resource for dry lands causes conflict between Lebanon , Syria ,Jordan ,Israel & Palestine as each country wants access to it .
