Gishmei Brachah: Kinneret Edges Steadily Higher
The Kinneret has been rising slowly but steadily over the past month from a low-point of 210.78 meters below sea level in mid-December, due to the gishmei brachah thus far this winter. The Kinneret was at 210.585 meters below sea level earlier this week, according to the Kinneret Authority.
The lake is now 1.785 meters from its maximum level of 208.80 meters below sea level, according to the Kinneret Authority. Much rain must still fall for the Kinneret to reach its maximum level this winter, and compel the Water Authority to open the Deganya dam at the southern end of the lake to prevent flooding. The dam, which allows water to flow down the southern section of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea, has not been opened since 1992.
This time last year, the Kinneret was already less than 1 meter from its maximum level but ultimately fell well short after it was relatively dry in February, March and April. But heavy rains and snow in the hills this week are expected to boost precipitation in Israel so far this year.
This season, the Upper Galilee has had 411 millimeters of rain out of an annual average of 718 millimeters and Haifa has had 350 millimeters of rain out of an average 500 millimeters, 440 millimeters in Tel Aviv (out of average of 560), 234 millimeters in Yerushalayim (582) and 69 millimeters in Be’er Sheva (205).
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