Overview of Middle East Water Resources
Groundwater Basin Summaries
![[small map]](images/p18_loc.gif)
Eastern Mountain Basin
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Typical well construction is illustrated by well 18-15/006
in the central part of the basin. The 615-m
deep well withdraws water from the Lower Cenomanian
aquifer between depths of 362 and 615 m
with a water level of about 342 m, and an average
yield of about 17 L/s.
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The Eastern Mountain Basin covers an area of
about 3,080 km 2 and includes the eastern part of
the Mountain Belt and the steep Western Escarpment
of the Jordan Rift Valley. In this report, the
term Eastern Mountain Basin does not include the
Jordan Valley Floor Basin and the Northeastern
Basin, which are treated separately. The Eastern
Mountain Basin is underlain by a thick sequence of
layered limestone and dolomite of the Judea and
Mount Scopus Groups (geologic units Kj and Ks)
that are folded into north-south trending synclines
(lows) and anticlines (highs). The Jordan Rift Valley
forms the eastern boundary of the basin.
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Groundwater levels in parts of the basin have shown
long-term decline in response to pumpage. During
1981-91, water levels in well 14518901 declined
about 8 m in response to groundwater pumpage,
followed by a rise of about 10 m during 1992-93.
The rise was in response to a period of heavy precipitation
that resulted in increased recharge to the
aquifer. Chloride concentrations generally increased
during 1981-94, and may be related to water-level
fluctuations in the well.
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Groundwater is recharged by precipitation at an
average volume of 172 MCM/yr, and flows generally
in a southeastward direction toward the Jordan Rift
Valley. Groundwater is the principal source of fresh water
in the basin and is supplied to wells and
springs by three principal aquifers:
- The Turronian aquifer, consisting of
limestone and dolomite of the uppermost
part of geologic unit Kj;
- The Upper Cenomanian aquifer, consisting
of limestone and dolomite of the middle
part of geologic unit Kj; and
- The Lower Cenomanian aquifer, consisting
of limestone and dolomite of the lower
part of geologic unit Kj.
The Upper and Lower Cenomanain aquifers are the
most productive, and occur at depths greater than
250 m. Groundwater generally occurs in synclines
that are bounded by faults. Major springs, such as
Auja and Hammam Maleh, issue from fault zones
and deep seated fractures.
Groundwater in the basin is of excellent quality, with
low concentrations of dissolved chloride and nitrate.
In some areas, water quality is deteriorated by salts
and gypsum as water flows through lake sediments.
Water Data Banks Project,
Multilateral Working Group on Water Resources,
Middle East Peace Process
Overview of Middle East Water Resources
Information about this document.
