Although deserts make up a large part of Israel’s environment, the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee also play a significant role in the lives of the people living in Israel. While being surrounded by many bodies of water is beneficial, it also presents a special problem for Israelis. Engineering must be used to make these water sources available to everyone in Israel.
One of the most challenging aspects of living in a dry country like Israel is maintaining the water supply. Rain falls mostly during the winter, which makes it very difficult to maintain a steady water supply throughout the summer. Not only does it not rain as frequently during the summer, but the weather is also very warm during this time. Therefore, water becomes even more valuable throughout the summertime, when people, plants and animals all still need clean water.
Although Israel is surrounded by bodies of water, not all of them are safe for human use or consumption. Recently, many organizations have been working to build large machines that filter a large amount of salt from seawater. Such a process is called desalination. Another way in which Israelis work to ensure that clean and safe water is available for use is through directing water from major water reservoirs. The Sea of Galilee is a major water source for the entire country of Israel. However, retrieving water from this freshwater lake presents a problem. Since the lake is located in Northern Israel, a major project focuses on directing the water throughout the entire country.
