Pumping of Lake Kinneret to continue despite drought

The red line is a statutory mark below which the level should not be allowed to fall for fear that it will cause irreparable damage to the lake's ecosystem and water quality.

Lake Kinneret has not reached the red line in recent history, although the remains of an ancient village that have been exposed on its western shores have provided evidence that it has been that low in antiquity.

The water level is dropping at the rate of around 0.2 inches per day and is expected to reach the red line early next week.

Ben-Meir said any additional pumping would be closely supervised and the effect on the lake monitored. Even so, it would be limited to ensure that the drop in the level below the red line would be minimal.

The water commissioner was scheduled to meet National Infrastructure Minister Eli Suissa on Wednesday to discuss the country's water resources.

Ben-Meir said he would be submit plans for dealing with a variety of scenarios, including the possibility of the drought continuing this winter.

"In the event of only average rainfall this winter, it will still be necessary to reduce water quotas to agriculture by 40 percent next year, as was done this year," Ben-Meir said.

"The second scenario is that of a continuing drought, which occurs on average once every 10 years." In such a case, water allocations to farmers would have to be cut by a total of 60 percent, compared to normal years.

"There is also a 2 percent chance that we might get the kind of drought that occurs, according to the statistics, once every 50 years," he added.

"If, God forbid, that were to happen, water quotas for agriculture would have to be cut by 80 percent, which would almost certainly result in the elimination of farming."

As an alternative to eliminating farming, he said, there would still be the possibility of continuing to pump from the Kinneret, even far below the red line.