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How does the Jordan River supply water to the Dead Sea?

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Arid, rugged hills and winding roads in the Jordan Rift Valley, with the Jordan River and a small reservoir visible in the distance. — Jordan River Portion of the Jordan Valley, a rift valley that runs north-south along the Jordan River.

The Jordan River supplies water to the Dead Sea by flowing southward from its sources at the foot of Mount Hermon and through the Sea of Galilee before emptying into the lake through a gently sloping broad delta at its northern end.12

Historically, the river served as the primary source of water for the Dead Sea, with high-water periods occurring during the winter and spring. However, since the 1960s, the volume of water reaching the lake has been significantly reduced because Israel and Jordan have diverted much of the river's flow for irrigation and commercial use. This diversion, along with the damming of tributaries like the Yarmūk River, has been the principal cause of the dramatic drop in the Dead Sea's water level. Efforts are currently underway to promote greater conservation and bilateral cooperation to increase the freshwater discharge of the Jordan River into the lake.132