Dead Sea canal

The Dead Sea canal is a proposed project of building a canal from either the Mediterranean Sea (MDSC) or the Red Sea to the Dead Sea (RSDSC), taking advantage of the 400-meter difference in water levels between the seas. The water flowing through the canal may help redress the drop in the level of the Dead Sea observed in recent years. The canal can also be used to generate hydroelectric power because of surface difference and maybe by salinity gradient power, and desalinate water by reverse osmosis. [ [http://www.deadseapower.com/project_review/#/ Dead Sea Power Project] Quote: "...Outflow of Med seawater from the turbines would be released in such a way as to accomplish laminar flow at very low velocities to prevent mixing with the Dead Sea water...", Main page: [http://www.deadseapower.com/ Dead Sea Power Project] Quote: "...Desalination plants can be placed on the Jordanian and Israeli sides of the Dead Sea...The environmental and other needs are urgent. DSPP can be planned within two years, and constructed within seven years...".]

History

The idea was first proposed by William Allen (admiral) in 1855 in an oeuvre called 'The Dead Sea - A new route to India'. At that time it was not yet known that the Dead Sea lies below sea level, and Allen proposed this canal as an alternative to the Suez Canal. Later, many engineers and politicians picked up on the idea, also Theodor Herzl in his 1902 novel "Altneuland". [In the Hebrew translation by Nahum Sokolow, Book 4, chapter III [http://www.benyehuda.org/herzl/tel_aviv.html] : "האדיר במפעליו, התעלה המחברת את הים התיכון עם ים המלח, עם ההשתמשות בהבדל רום השטח, כבר היה מוצע לפני אז"] Most of the early proposals used the East bank of the Jordan River, but a modified form, using the West bank, was proposed after the separation of Transjordan from the Palestine Mandate. The idea was discussed at some length by Willy Ley in "Engineers' Dreams", but it was then politically impractical; even the route west of Jordan would have to cross the 1949 armistice line twice.

The idea was revived during the 1980s for the purpose of power generation following the 1973 oil crisis. The Mediterranean-Dead Sea Company studied various alternatives and recommended a route from the Gaza Strip to Masada. However, the project did not commence due to financial doubts. The idea was brought up again during the 1990s due to a water crisis. In addition to the Gaza Strip-Masada route, two other alternatives were considered, namely a Red Sea-Dead Sea canal and a northern route from the Mediterranean to the Bet She'an Valley, which was found to be the cheapest of the three. At present, the Red Sea route is endorsed as a Jordanian project with Israeli and Palestinian support. Unfortunately, the Red/Dead route, in addition to being the least worthwhile in economic terms, may prove to be impractical due to chemical incompatibility of Red sea and Dead sea water.Fact|date=December 2007

ee also

*Two Seas Canal

References

*In Hebrew: רון שפיגל, תעלת הימים בראי התקשורת 1994-1987 ISBN 9659002769

External links

* [http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Eleven_firms_qualify_for_Dead_Sea_R_06252007.html June 25, 2007, rawstory.com: Eleven firms qualify for Dead Sea-Red Sea canal: Jordan] Quote: "...Once the proposals are in hand, representatives from Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority will meet in Paris with the World Bank to examine the offers and announce two winners, he said..."
* [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/8/The%20Red%20Sea%20and%20the%20Mediterranean%20Dead%20Sea%20canals Information from Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
* [http://www.american.edu/ted/deadsea.htm American University project information]
* [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1150885986651&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull The Jerusalem Post- The Med-Dead/Red-Dead headache]