Apr 19, 1995 - western Galilee mountains with average historical dis- ... the Jordan River which flows southward through Lake. Tiberias to the Dead Sea.
Environmental Geology (1996) 27:80-81
9 Springer-Verlag 1996
U. Kafri
Main karstic springs of Israel
Received: 19 April 1995 / Accepted:2 August 1995
Abstract A series of karstic springs in Israel belongs either to the western (Mediterranean) or eastern (Rift Valley) watersheds. Most of them are presently managed or diverted. Salinities range from very fresh through brackish to very saline waters. Key words Karstic springs 9Watershed 9Israel
Taninim springs Draining the Cenomanian-Turonian aquifer of the Samaria and Carmel mountains, the average discharge is approximately 25 x 106 m 3 yr -1. The waters are brackish and the chlorinity is up to 1000 mg 1-z, due to the mixture of fresh waters with seawater and/or deep-seated brines.
Afeq springs
Introduction The main karstic springs of Israel drain karstic, hard carbonate aquifers of Jurassic to Eocene age. Among these, the largest regional aquifer is that of the CenomanianTuronian aquifer which builds the mountain crest of Israel. The different springs belong either to the western watershed, issuing along the foothills, or to the eastern watershed, in connection with the Rift Valley base level. The discharge of most of the big springs has been diminished and is presently managed by nearby exploitation wells or by diversion canals. The data given here are therefore historical, prior to the management of the springs.
They drain the Cenomanian Turonian aquifer of western Galilee mountains with average historical discharges of approximately 50 x 106 m 3 yr -1. The average chlorinity, several hundred milligrams per liter, is a result of mixtures between fresh water and intruding seawater.
Kabri springs They drain the Cenomanian-Turonian aquifer of the western Galilee mountains with average historical discharges of approximately 10 • 106 m 3 yr -I. Due to the low chlorinity, below 20 mg 1-~, they were used in the past to manufacture bottled mineral waters.
Western watershed Rosh Ha'ayin springs
Eastern watershed
These springs used to drain a large watershed of the Cenomanian-Turonian aquifer of central Israel, the average discharge being over 200 x 106 m 3 yr -~. Average chlorinity of the waters is about 200 mg 1-1.
Jordan River sources
U. Kafri State of Israel, Geological Survey,30 Malkhe Israel St., Jerusalem 95501, Israel
These include the three big springs, namely the Banias, Dan, and Hazbani springs, with a cumulative average discharge of approximately 500 x 10 6 m 3 yr -~. These springs drain the large Jurassic karstic aquifer of Mt. Hermon to the Jordan River which flows southward through Lake Tiberias to the Dead Sea. The chlorinity of waters is very low, about 20 mg 1-2.
81 'Einan springs
Bet Shean Valley spring
They drain the western Galilee Cenomanian-Turonian aquifer at a historical average discharge of approximately 20 x 106 m 3 yr -1, with a chlorinity of a few tens of milligrams per liter. At present, the waters are managed and pushed upward to the mountain area.
This drains the Cenomanian-Turonian and Eocene aquifers to the Rift base level. The cumulative average discharge is approximately 85 x 106 m 3 yr -1, and the chlorinities range from a few hundred to 1000 mg 1-1 due to a mixture with saline end-members.
Lake Tiberias saline springs
Dead Sea saline springs
They drain the eastern Galilee Cenomanian-Turonian and Eocene aquifers, along the western shores of Lake Tiberias and at the bottom of the lake, some of which are thermal. The onshore known cumulative average discharges are approximately 30 x 10 6 m 3 yr -1, with chlorinities ranging between those of fresh waters to those of Mediterranean waters. Salinity is attributed to the mixture of fresh water with either deep-seated brines, and/or seawater that emerges along the Rift Valley border faults. The brackish waters are presently diverted to prevent salination of the lake waters.
A few springs along the western fault escarpment of the Dead Sea drain the Cenomanian-Turonian aquifer, with average discharge of a few million cubic meters per year. These waters are partly mineral and thermal and are used as spas. The chlorinity, up to a few thousand milligrams per liter, is a result of mixture of fresh water with Ca chloride concentrated brines.
