The Dead Sea Water Level Lowering - Hazards, Economic and Social Consequences, and Proposed Protection Strategy
Abstract: The Dead Sea region is undergoing massive rapid economic development coupled with environmental hazards and degradation. Six decades of accelerated lowering of the Dead Sea water level resulted in more than the geologically expected consequences and hazards. The lowering water level average rate is exceeding an average of 1 m/yr. during the last decade up to 2022. This is more than 10,000 times the average rate of sea water level fluctuations deemed without environmental consequences. The deformations are affecting infrastructures, buildings, beaches, bridges, highways, touristic, agricultural and industrial activities, normal life and activities in this very important economic pole of the Jordanian development as far as Jordan is concerned. We have been monitoring the evolution of deformations along the sensitive parts of the Jordanian Dead Sea shore. We succeeded through sustained monitoring using space techniques, geophysics, and field campaigns in pointing out several future degradations and collapse areas through detecting the precursory characteristic deformations, years before the occurrence of collapses. With the increasing hazards of subsidence and sinkholes on the Dead Sea shore, coupled with the rising interest in investing in the area (more than 20 billion US $) it is becoming more and more urgent to protect these and future investments against those hazards. In this work we rapidly expose the extent of the economically affected activities and projects along with our research work towards a radar interferometry-based Early Warning approach to mainly help protecting the extended new investments and the future users and activities in this unique part of the earth which was always a source of civilizations and inspirations in our planet.
Biography: Dr. Abou Karaki is a Seismologist - Professor of Geophysics- Dean of the faculty of Sciences at the University of Jordan, Former (President of l-Hussein bin Talal University 3/2018-9/2020, Director of the Center of Consultations, former Chairman of the Central Tenders Committee and of the Dept. of Applied and Environmental Geology (DAEG) / University of Jordan. Member of the financial committee of the University of Jordan. Member of the Board of Trusties of the Princess Sumaya University 2009-2017, Chairman of the Academic Committee of the Board, former member of the Board of Trusties of Al-Zaytouna University (2002-2006). Chief Judge for the Arab World Intel Science and Engineering competition 2013, Grand Judge for the Intel Isef International Science and Engineering fair, Los Angeles, California. 2011. Member of the Judges committee for the Shoman and Hisham Tillawi Awards. General Secretary of the Jordanian Children’s Rights Society. Member of the Board of the Center for Modeling and Simulation of Crises & disaster management – Al Al-Bayt University.