When you take the bus from Jerusalem westward to my village, this is what you see from the window.
Click to enlarge this March 2008 photo and some blue will appear at the center.
That is water in the reservoir near Beit Zayit
The large reservoir is dry in the summer and dry in some winters too.
But the phenomenon which happened over the last few days is something the old-time residents here have not witnessed for many many years.
It rained so hard in the Jerusalem Hills from Thursday to Sunday that the water started flowing over the dam!
It flowed through the dry watercourse of Nahal Soreq like a mighty stream.
From up on the western side of our hilltop moshav I could actually hear the rush of the water and even see part of the river down in the valley. This was a first for me. An exciting first!
It even made the TV evening news.
For four straight days we had torrential rains, thunder and lightning, and even hailstorms.
The Jerusalem Hills got several times more than any other part of Israel, well over 200 mm (more than 8 inches).
This is equal to one third of the normal rainfall for an entire winter!
The reservoir collected rain as well as water from Motza Spring, Halilim Spring, Nahal Halilim, and other streams that fill up with winter rains.
The water captured in the reservoir will help to recharge the thirsty aquifer.
But the rains of last week came down too fast and furious with no time to percolate and mostly they became run-off.
The water over the dam made its way through Nahal Soreq clear across the country, discharging into the Mediterranean Sea at Palmahim.
On a personal note, for a few hours it rained so hard that for a short time part of my yard became a pool. My poor little house must have been sitting in it because water started to trickle in from between the ceramic tiles at the base of the kitchen wall.
The owner said that in all the house's 60 years standing, that had never happened.
I fought bravely to stem the tide on the kitchen floor, but I never want to do that again.
It is very unsettling.
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Thanks for listening. Here is a gift for you. The traditional mishloach manot, the food goodies that you give to friends on Purim.Today Jerusalem celebrated the holiday of Shushan Purim.
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Happy Purim to all who come for this edition of That's My World Tuesday!
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Really appreciate yo sharing your world
ReplyDeleteThank for the update on the water situation, I was a bit out of sync.
ReplyDeleteHope everything is OK now and that they could find a good use for all that water.
Hag sameach my friend, I'm glad you were able to stem the tide. Hopefully we won't see such violent storms again for a while!
ReplyDeleteHmm - and to see, that there are people, who still believe that all the talk about Global Climate Chance is pure fantasy.
ReplyDeleteHope you soon will see spring in all it's glory!
Although I prefer sunshine and dry days, we are still grateful when it rains.
ReplyDeleteTo see water leaking into your home must be frightening, to say the least. I hope all is well now. That is a beautiful scene through the bus window.
ReplyDeleteHi Dina! March has arrived and maybe this awful winter will be gone... Too much rain here...
ReplyDeleteAnd it seems, too much rain there also...
Thanks for the gift!!
Meanwhile, Blogtrotter 2 is still in Haiti, now at Malfini Beach. Hope you enjoy and have a great week!!
That fickle weather. I too am glad you were able to stem the tide. These storms are madness. Like Klaus, these things concern me.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a joyous feast and got as many goodies as you could want! I love the story of Queen Esther.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, as well, that the reservoir filled up. I'm sure that will be a help later.
Move over everyone in the comment box the champion arrives-IM FROM CANADA!!!!
ReplyDeleteha ha ha.
Oh Dina it has been so much fun celebrating the olympics here.It was not really about winning-beyond that we are so many beautiful nationalities and cultures but we wanted to get together and celebrate as canadians.
Congratulations on your rejuvenating streams of water!
Thanks for the virtual gift, Dina! I'll virtually taste those delicious sweets! ;-)
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day!
«Louis» would be unsettled, too, had the water come seeping into Chez la Vache!
ReplyDeleteHe hopes the walls dry quickly and don't mildew!
chag sameach dina, wish i was there instead of in london, who knows maybe one day...
ReplyDeleteHappy Purim to you! I would be upset about water flooding into my kitchen too!! I hope you can get that sealed up - if water can get through, then little insects likely can too!!! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteHappy Purim. I hope there are a few with apricot too!
ReplyDeleteHappy Purim to you, too! Hope your kitchen has dried out by now!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a lot of rain! Hope there was no lasting damage to your kitchen floor.
ReplyDeleteHappy Purim to you, Dina!
The hard rain sounds like a great thing for the land (though it chocked your house a bit). I home everything is oke with your home now, Dina, and the water collected will be useful for everyone. Here, I think we've had more than enough rain this rainy season that there have been floods and landslides. Sigh. Thanks for your comment on my Cikapundung River Bank post.
ReplyDeleteSo that is were the rain has gone. We have had the driest February ever recorded - and all of it snow.
ReplyDeletePS Thank you for the comment - it is from an Aquarium.
I am sure the water was an unsettling experience. I am glad you are okay, though, other than the mess and emotional aspect.
ReplyDeleteIt seems everywhere there's a lot of water or snow! Some people must have been praying for rain...:) Is it Purim already?? Time flies!
ReplyDeleteDina how wonderful to have the dam filled in such a short time! It gives the whole area a modicum of security. I hope not too much erosion was caused with it coming down cats, dogs and small elephants. The water is a blessing but the loss of topsoil quite a detriment.
ReplyDeleteSorry you had geysers in your kitchen.
Hugs Arija
Oh my goodness, Dina! That is scary. I'm glad you were OK. How strange that as I read this, it's been raining all day over here, too. It's been so dry and now this constant rain. But four days of torrential rains? Wow! I hope things get back to normal quickly.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm.... that looks mighty delicious!