Why is the Dead Sea shrinking?
Student task:
1. Cut out the cards.
2. Read the cards carefully.
3. Sort the cards into the following categories:
general background information
causes
consequences
4. Working in pairs/groups, use the cards to discuss the answer to the question: ‘Why is the
Dead Sea shrinking?’
Extended writing task:
Using the cards write an answer to the question: ‘Why is the Dead Sea shrinking?’
Include evidence from the cards to support the points and explanations you provide.
Helpful definitions:
Underground aquifer:
An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated
materials (gravel, sand, or silt).
Evaporation ponds:
Artificial ponds with very large surface areas that are designed to efficiently evaporate water by
sunlight and exposure to the ambient temperatures.
Potash:
A nutrient form of potassium used in agriculture and horticulture as fertiliser.
Irrigation:
The supply of water to land or crops to help growth, typically by means of channels.
Cash crops:
A crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower.
© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2018 32750 Page 1 of 2
Why is the Dead Sea shrinking?
Population growth in all
The River Jordan flows into
The area is extremely arid three nations – Israel,
the Dead Sea, but there is
with less than 100mm of Jordan and Palestine. Their
less and less input from the
rainfall a year populations have nearly
river each year
tripled since 1970
Average temperatures are
Water diversions, storage over 30⁰c, day time
and management decrease temperatures are over 40⁰c The sea is filled in two
the flow of the River ways, by the River Jordan
Jordan from 1300 million from the north and by the
mᶟ a year in 1960 to 20 underground aquifers and
million mᶟ a year. 98% drop Evaporation ponds are used springs
in flow to harvest salt and
manufacture potash
Over 400 million mᶟ of
Israel’s population was
The southern section of the water is needed to
three million in 1970 and
Dead Sea is used for two manufacture potash. Only
was over eight million in
metre-deep evaporation half of the water is
2014
ponds. These ponds have returned to the sea
been responsible for over
30% of the water that has The Wehda Dam and
Agriculture provides jobs
been lost reservoir was built on the
and 50% of local incomes
River Yarmouk
Israel and Jordan have These countries have
In 1965 the Israeli
experienced increasing become important food
government built the
personal wealth. In Jordan producers for European
National Water Carrier to
income has risen from $1000 nations, particular for out
transport water from the
a year in 1970 to over $6000 of season fruit and
River Jordan to Israel
by 2012 vegetables
In 1966 the Jordanian
Water for irrigation is
government established
There is significant industry essential, major cash crops
the East Ghor Canal using
found along the banks of the include olives and dates for
the Yarmouk River, a
River Jordan both international and
tributary of the River
home markets
Jordan
Irrigation leads to mass
The Dead Sea has been cut
The sea has lost over 20 removal of fresh water
in half and reduced in
million mᶟ and has lost a before it reaches the Dead
length from 75km to 55km.
third of its surface area in Sea, alongside poor
Current reduction is 1m
80 years irrigation techniques and
per year
inefficient use of water
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