Water in the Middle East: A Geography of Peace

Hussein A. Amery, Aaron T. Wolf

University of Texas Press, 2000 - Business & Economics - 293 pages

Finding "streams in the desert" has never been more urgent for the peoples of the Middle East. Rapid population growth and a rising standard of living are driving water demand inexorably upward, while the natural supply has not increased since Biblical times. Ensuring a fair and adequate distribution of water in the region is vitally important for building a lasting peace among the nations of the Middle East.

Addressing water needs from a geographical perspective, the contributors to this book analyze and assess the impact of scarce water resources in the Jordan River basin countries and territories (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria) as these long-time antagonists work toward peace. After geographical and historical overviews, the authors envision the future-what the water issues may be when Israel and Syria begin negotiating, the "hydro-security" needs of each nation, and the difficulties of planning for uncertainty. Without proposing any one ideal scheme, they discuss the possibilities for cooperative sharing of water resources, while honestly acknowledging the political constraints that may limit such projects. The final essay speaks to the needs of the one party so rarely represented at the negotiating table—the Jordan River itself.

Contents

• A Study of Water: 19
• 1 The Basin of the River Jordan: 20
• 2 The National Water Carrier of Israel: 30

About the author

Hussein A. Amery is Associate Director of the Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies at the Colorado School of Mines; he formerly taught in the school's Department of Geography. Aaron T. Wolf is Professor of Geography in the Department of Geosciences at Oregon State University.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Water in the Middle East: A Geography of Peace; Issue 1 of Peter T. Flawn Series in Natural Resource Management and Conservation
• Editors: Hussein A. Amery, Aaron T. Wolf
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: University of Texas Press, 2000
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: Dec 22, 2009
• ISBN: 0292704941, 9780292704947
• Length: 293 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / International / Economics & Trade; History / Middle East / General; Nature / Natural Resources; Nature / Water Supply; Political Science / General; Political Science / International Relations / General; Social Science / Human Geography; Technology & Engineering / Environmental / Water Supply