Why did the Jordan River’s flow into the Dead Sea decrease?

The flow of the Jordan River into the Dead Sea has significantly decreased primarily due to human intervention that began in the 1960s.12

The reduction is attributed to the following factors:

• Water Diversion: Both Israel and Jordan have diverted large quantities of the river’s water for irrigation and commercial use. For example, Israel pumps water to the center and south of the country, while Jordan utilizes the King Abdullah Canal to support agriculture.12
• Damming: The construction of dams to control the river's flow for agricultural and industrial purposes has reduced the volume of water reaching the Dead Sea. Specifically, the contribution of the Yarmuk River—a major tributary—was substantially diminished due to upstream damming.23
• Increased Consumption: The expansion of agricultural communities and industrial activities along the river valley has led to a higher demand for water, leaving only a small fraction of the river's historical flow to reach the lake.23

These activities have been the primary cause of the dramatic drop in the Dead Sea's water level over the past several decades.13