GLOWA Jordan River

GLOWA Jordan River is an interdisciplinaryproject addressing the vulnerability of water resources in the JordanRiver Basin under global change. An integrated approach providesscientific support for sustainable and cooperative managementpractices. The project addresses conventional as well asnon-conventional methods of water management and their ecological andsocio-economic implications. Results from GLOWA JR should betransferable to other arid and Mediterranean regions with transboundarywater resources.

The multitude ofstakeholders calls for a multilateral research consortium. Researchinstitutions from Israel, the Palestinian Autonomy, Jordan, and Germanycontribute scientific knowledge from a range of sources, such as insituand remote sensing measurements, monitoring and manipulativeexperiments, socio-economic data, and modelling. A modelling frameworkis developed to integrate data and methods from various disciplines. Acontinuous and iterative dialogue with regional stakeholders is heldfor producing information which is relevant for water management.

GLOWAJR is structured into different subprojects dealing with global changeprocesses, water resources, ecosystems, agriculture, and integrationand stakeholder participation.

The first phase of GLOWA JR was from 2001-2005. Since September 2005 GLOWA JR is in its second phase.

Background

TheGLOWA Jordan River project focuses on one of the most critical regionsof water scarcity. The region has one of the lowest per capita wateravailabilities worldwide, ranging well below the typical absolutescarcity threshold of 500 m³ to 1000 m³ per capita and year. Theseamounts do not allow self sufficiency.

Waterdemand is increasing rapidly due to high population growth rates andeconomic development. Furthermore, climate projections for the easternMediterranean indicate future aridification. Temperature increases andprolonged drought periods over the past decades which have reducedsurface and groundwater resources to record lows may be firstindications of this trend.

Figure from EXACT 1998: http://exact-me.org/overview/p03.htm

Fourbiogeographical regions meet in the Jordan River basin making it amajor biodiversity hotspot of global conservation concern. Ecosystemsin the region are extremely diverse, ranging from sub-humidMediterranean environments to arid climates across very smalldistances. This makes these ecosystems highly vulnerable to changes inclimate and land use.

Irrigationconsumes about two thirds of the region’s surface and ground water("blue water") resources. Most of the surface water is located in theupper basin of the Jordan River, from where large amounts of water areexported to the south and beyond the basin.

Whileblue water resources are fully exploited or even over-exploited, thereis potential to increase water productivity of the region’s "greenwater" (i.e. soil water from precipitation), for the benefits of humansand ecosystems.

The region'savailable surface and groundwater resources are largely transboundary,and their distribution adds conflict potential. Strategies forsustainable water management must be based on collaboration between thevarious regional stakeholders and on sound scientific knowledge.

The first phase of GLOWA JR was from 2001-2005. The second phase was from September 2005-2008. Since January 2009 GLOWA JR is in its third phase. 

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Website of the project