Human-induced geological hazards along the Dead Sea coast

D. Closson, N. Abou Karaki

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Dead Sea is a terminal lake whose level is currently dropping at a rate of about 1 m per year due to the over exploitation of all its tributaries. The lowering started about four decades ago but geological hazards appeared more and more frequently from the end of the 1980s. The water level lowering is matched by a parallel groundwater level drop, which results in an increasing intensity of underground and surface water flow. The diagonal interface between the Dead Sea brine and the fresh groundwater is pushed downwards and seawards. Nowadays, sinkholes, subsidence, landslides and reactivated salt-karsts affect wide coastal segments. Until now, mainly infrastructures were damaged and few people/animals were injured, but the ongoing development of tourism in this very attractive situation will increase the risk if precautionary measures are not included in the development plans. This paper discusses the main observations made all around the Dead Sea and shed a light on the differences between the geological hazards of the western shore (Israel, Palestinian Authority) and the eastern shore (Jordan). It is the first attempt to bring together an overview of the human-induced geological hazards encountered along the Dead Sea coast.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)371-380
Number of pages10
JournalEnvironmental Geology
Volume58
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

Keywords

  • Dead Sea
  • Landslides
  • Sinkholes
  • Subsidence

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