The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has risen by over 10 centimeters in the aftermath of this weekend’s storm. The news is a kernel of good tidings after the brutal barrage of bad weather, which saw thousands stranded and without power from Thursday evening until early Sunday in the Jerusalem and Judea/Samaria areas.
Since the beginning of the storm, the water level rose 10 centimeters from a height of -211.4 measured last Wednesday. Now, the water level is at -211.3 meters – 1.7 meters above the lower red line and 2.5 meters below the upper red line, according to the Kinneret’s website.
The lowest water level ever recorded since measurements began was on 25 November 2001, when the water level was -214.87 meters. The Kinneret was the most full on January 30, 1969, when the water level was -208.3 meters.
In the coming days the water level is expected to continue to rise, due to melting snow from the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee.
Tzfat, in particular, saw an influx of snow over the weekend, closing off the city over Saturday due to snow buildup.
After decades of drought warnings for the Kinneret, which is one of Israel’s few natural water sources, the Water Authority warned earlier this year that rising water levels would present a multitude of new problems.
Concerns included calls for a new desalination plant in the event of a rapid rise in water levels, and discussion on how such a change would affect water prices across the country.