Why are perennial rivers rare in Israel?

Perennial rivers are rare in Israel primarily due to the country's climate and topography. Israel experiences two distinct seasons: a cool, rainy winter and a hot, dry summer. Because precipitation is limited to the rainy season and varies significantly by region—ranging from heavy rainfall in the north to extreme aridity in the south—most of the country's streams are ephemeral.12

These seasonal watercourses, known as wadis, remain dry for much of the year and only flow during or immediately following rainstorms. While the country does possess a principal drainage system—notably the Jordan River and Lake Tiberias—and a few other perennial rivers like the Yarqon and Qishon, the majority of the landscape is characterized by these transitory channels. This scarcity of year-round surface water contributes to Israel's chronic water shortage, necessitating the heavy utilization of spring-fed underground water tables to meet agricultural, industrial, and household needs.23