Hydrology in the Lower Jordan River Basin: About actual water resources and new water sources - an analysis based on the TRAIN-ZIN model

Abstract

Different water balance components of the lower Jordan River basin (LJRB) were estimated and maped for the wet extreme season 1991/92, the drought season 1998/99 and the average rainfall season 2002/03. Based on regionalized and calibrated precorrected rainfall radar data a map on rainfall (mm/a) was produced. Through the application of the TRAIN-ZIN model, maps with the following parameters were produced for all the three seasons as well with the mean values of the three seasons: evapotranspiration (mm/a), percolation (mm/a), overland flow (mm/a), wadi runoff (mm/a). TRAIN-ZIN simulations were also used to estimate the potentials for rural rainwater harvesting (R-RWH) during the drought season 1998/99 and average rainfall season 2002/03. Based on rainfall radar data maximum potentials for urban rainwater harvesting (U-RWH) as well as areas suitable for rainfed agriculture were caluclated. Apart, the potential for managed aquifer recharge via surface infiltration was simulated.