Researchers published maps in Scientific Reports showing how saline water from the Dead Sea seeps into nearby land. They traced underground paths where saltwater travels through ravines and geological faults and enters the shallow aquifer.
The team carried out 195 field measurements across 12 square kilometres in Ghor Al-Haditha on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea in Jordan. They recorded saline water reaching depths of about 100 metres and extending up to 1.75 kilometres inland. The most severe salinity intrusion was in Wadi Bin Hammad, northwest of Karak, where sinkholes have swallowed agricultural land and cut roads.
Local farmers report dying trees, lower yields and salty well water. A university lecturer warned that small changes between Dead Sea saltwater and fresh groundwater can have dramatic consequences, and he said official data on well salinity are unclear. Experts advised adding chemical analyses and drilling monitoring wells to improve accuracy and reduce risks. The maps can act as an early warning and help protect drinking water sources.
Difficult words
- decline — A decrease in amount or quality.
- seepage — The process of liquid slowly passing through something.seeping
- formation — The action of creating or building something.
- impact — The effect or influence of one thing on another.impacting
- abandoning — To leave something behind or give up.
- resources — Materials or supplies that are useful.
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Discussion questions
- What solutions could farmers consider to adapt to the salt intrusion?
- How do sinkholes affect the local economy?
- Why is accurate mapping of salt intrusion important for communities?
