The renaissance of an ancient technique: rain water harvesting potentials in the lower Jordan River Basin (Briefing 2.10)

Abstract

Two thousand years ago, the Nabateans used rainwater harvesting (RWH) for water supply. They collected water for domestic purposes (urban RWH) and used surface runoff for agriculture (rural RWH). Both types of RWH have ained interest among modern-day water resources planners seeking methods to alleviate present-day water scarcity in the Lower Jordan River Basin (LJRB). Results showed that urban and rural rainwater harvesting offers significant potential for contributing to decentralized water supply in the Lower Jordan River Basin. The degree to which water resources accessed via rainwater harvesting can contribute to the region’s overall water supply is dramatically reduced during drought periods. When incorporating rainwater harvesting into a water management strategy, downstream impacts and the high temporal variability of available water must be considered. Due to population growth and increasing urbanization of land in the Lower Jordan River Basin, opportunities for urban rainwater harvesting will increase.