Israel Launches World-First Project to Refill Sea of Galilee With Desalinated Seawater

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – In a historic and unprecedented step, Israel has begun pumping desalinated Mediterranean water into the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret), marking the first time anywhere in the world that processed seawater is being used to replenish a natural freshwater lake. The initiative comes as the iconic biblical lake continues to suffer from years of drought, falling rainfall, and declining spring flow.

The Water Authority quietly activated the system on October 23, channeling desalinated water into the Kinneret through the seasonal Tsalmon (Zalmon) Stream at the Ein Ravid spring, several kilometers northwest of Israel’s emergency drinking-water intake. The move immediately revived a once-dry streambed, turning it into a flowing attraction for hikers and visitors.

Firas Talhami, who oversees northern water-source rehabilitation for the Water Authority, said the inflow should raise the lake’s water level by roughly 0.5 centimeters per month. Currently, the Kinneret sits at 213.33 meters below sea level—only 13 inches above the lower red line, the point at which pumping risks ecological damage.

For now, one pipe is operating, pumping around 1,000 cubic meters per hour. A second, larger line may be activated depending on rainfall and available desalinated supply. Officials say capacity could rise to 1,500–2,000 cubic meters per hour if needed.

The project, dubbed the Reverse Carrier, mirrors the National Water Carrier built in the 1960s but in reverse: instead of sending Galilee water south, desalinated Mediterranean water is now pumped north into the lake. Construction began in 2018 and was fully commissioned this year at a cost of roughly NIS 900 million ($269 million). According to Water Authority Director General Yechezkel Lifshitz, full-scale pumping began only now because Israel just experienced the driest winter in a century.

“Israel does not have many natural water sources, so the Kinneret is of tremendous strategic importance,” Lifshitz said. “The lake reached red-line levels—we were not willing to go lower.”

Scientists report no significant ecological harm from the desalinated inflow, though some experts note concerns about altering the lake’s salinity balance. Israel now produces enough desalinated water to supply most of the country and several regional partners, dramatically reducing pressure on the Kinneret and aquifers.

But drought conditions remain severe. Since early November, the lake has dropped another 4.5 centimeters and sits 4.5 meters below full capacity. Many beaches have visibly receded, with sand and rock that were long underwater now fully exposed. The Israel Meteorological Service expects only 80% of average rainfall this coming winter.

The water shortage has already forced over 30,000–50,000 dunams (7,400–12,000 acres) of agricultural fields in the Galilee to be left dry, with estimated losses exceeding NIS 65 million. A Knesset session on the drought crisis this week ended without relief for farmers.

As part of conservation measures, Israel will draw only 20 million cubic meters from the lake this year—just a tenth of the usual amount routed through the National Water Carrier.

Despite the challenges, officials say the Reverse Carrier marks a turning point in national water security. While the initial flow cannot alone restore the lake, it provides a year-round stabilizing supply and ensures the Kinneret remains a viable strategic reservoir even during prolonged drought.

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