The first states of a ten to fifteen year project to conserve the waters of the Jordan for use in the parched southern areas of Israel have been completed with the finishing of a 500-yard long dam across the Beit Natufa Valley in Galilee, the New York Times has separated from Tel Aviv.
The dam, an earth-rock structure which is now only 36 feet high, will be enlarged annually until it eventually is 120 feel tall, 222 feet thick at the base and 15 feet wide at the top, the dispatch said. It added that in 10 to 15 yard the continuously flowing waters of the Jordan will create a lake 20 miles in area and impounding an estimated 263,000,000,000 gallons of water for use in the All-Israel Water Scheme.
The rapid completion of the first stage of the giant project, which will change the historical topography of the land, won the praise of Dr. Walter C. Lowdermilk, American engineer and soil conservationist, who is advising Israel on its water conservation project. The dam is being built by the Hamahbish Construction Corporation under contract from the government’s Israel Water Planning Company.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
