Why does the Jordan River carry large amounts of silt?

The Jordan River carries a considerable load of silt primarily due to the nature of its physical environment and flow characteristics. The river flows through a structural depression known as the Jordan Valley, which is part of the East African Rift System. The valley walls are steep, sheer, and bare, and they are broken by the gorges of tributary wadis (seasonal watercourses) that feed into the river.1

The river's current is relatively swift, which enables it to transport this significant sediment load. During the spring, the muddy color of the water—resulting from this silt—is visible as the river empties into the Dead Sea. While the river's flow is influenced by seasonal fluctuations and high-water periods from January to March, the transport of sediment is a characteristic feature of its journey through the arid landscape.12