# Mediterranean-Dead Sea Canal **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 31, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765 "2000-01-31T20:56:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/1 "2000-01-31T20:56:00Z")
What happened to this project? Many years ago, I read a book called “ENGINEER’S DREAMS”, by a man named Willie Ley. This book described civil engineering projects which, at the time the book was written (early 1950’s), were looked upon as impossible. One of the proposals was one that I found interesting – a proposal to build a canal linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Dead Sea. This would yield two major benefits-considerable electric power could be generated by the flow of water, into the mile-deep Dead Sea depression. Second, the Dead Sea is now shrinking due to evaporation, so the water would restore it as well. There is also the intimation that evaporation from the enlarged Dead Sea would increase the rainfall in Israel and Jordan. So why hasn’t it been done? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2000, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/2 "2000-01-31T21:25:00Z")
Probably because of cost. The web page below [http://www.foeme.org/data/deadsea.htm](http://www.foeme.org/data/deadsea.htm) has the following to say: > [@](#): > > Massive energy projects have been proposed, such as the famous “Med-Dead” and “Red-Dead” canals, which are supposed to bring water from the Mediterranean or the Red Seas to the Dead Sea. The canals would ostensibly take advantage of the dropin elevation to the Dead Sea to desalinate water and/or produce energy. > The canals, however, would also entail: > [ul][li]massive disruption of open spaces natural landscapes,[/li][li]transport of saline sea-water over areas containing fresh water aquifers (including, in the case of a Med-Dead Canal, Israel and possibly the West Bank’s most important sources of fresh water,[/li][li]a disruption of the natural qualities of the Sea, which make it such an attraction for tourists and upon which the industries depend[/ul][/li]For the meantime, the financial attractiveness of such mega-schemes is limited, as they carry price-tags in the billions of US$. They continue to be touted, however, as potential "solutions’ to the crisis of the Dead Sea. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/3 "2000-01-31T22:16:00Z")
To anyone contemplating such a canal, I simply say: Salton Sea. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2000, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/4 "2000-02-01T23:50:00Z")
The same sort of idea has been around for quite a while, for several places. The site below mentions a few, with emphasis on the Qatar Depression in the eastern Sahara. [http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80858e/80858E0a.htm](http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80858e/80858E0a.htm) * * * Bob the Random Expert “If we don’t have the answer, we’ll make one up.” ---
**Author:** ![mipsman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mipsman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mipsman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2000, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/5 "2000-02-02T01:01:00Z")
dsyoungesq, as far back as 1941, there was a proposal to dredge a canal from Mexicali to the Gulf to ease shipping into and out of the Imperial Valley. It was shelved because, among many reasons, the Imperial Valley growers did not want Gulf waters hanging over their heads. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2000, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/6 "2000-02-02T04:55:00Z")
A related question. The Medeterranian is at sea level and the Dead Sea is 420m below that, how high must a canal climb? In other words, what is the minimum height that one obtains in traveling between the two bodies of water? If the height is considerable, what would be the source of water for the canal at it’s highest point? Perhaps that’s the stumbling block. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2000, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/7 "2000-02-02T14:40:00Z")
There’s a large chain of mountains to the west of the Dead Sea. I don’t see a canal being built through them. Also, the Dead Sea is mostly in Jordan, not Israel. Seeing as it’d probably be Israel benefitting from the can and Jordan suffering the ecological consequences, I don’t see it being made. * * * Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2000, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/8 "2000-02-02T16:00:00Z")
If the only reason for moving the water would be movement of water, then canals aren’t needed, only aqueducts. As the Los Angeles Aqueduct proved, mountains aren’t an obstacle. I agree that a canal through a significant mountain range is a bit more formidible. Still, all we are talking about is pumping water, after all. 🙂 The REAL trouble with the proposal is understanding how the engineers would make certain that the flow of water from sea level to 1200 feet below is kept under control… ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/9 "2000-02-03T06:30:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by DSYoungEsq: > \*\*If the only reason for moving the water would be movement of water, then canals aren’t needed, only aqueducts. As the Los Angeles Aqueduct proved, mountains aren’t an obstacle. > > I agree that a canal through a significant mountain range is a bit more formidible. Still, all we are talking about is pumping water, after all. 🙂 > > The REAL trouble with the proposal is understanding how the engineers would make certain that the flow of water from sea level to 1200 feet below is kept under control…\*\* Seems like you’d only need the pump once. The wonderful world of siphons. Who pulled the plug on the sea ? ---
**Author:** ![frolix8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@frolix8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frolix8)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2000, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/10 "2000-02-02T23:20:00Z")
Even the best siphon can only lift about 31 feet, not enough to help much in this case. You would need a generator on the low side driving a pump on the high (sea level) side. That approach would have the added advantage that it couldn’t get out of control. It would be **expensive** though. To DSYoungEsq.- Are you refering only to the original accident or to the plan being pushed by the late Sonny Bono for a sea-level canal to bring more water to the Salton. The current pollution situation with selenium, etc. seems to be getting worse. ---
**Author:** ![torq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@torq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torq)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/11 "2000-02-03T02:23:00Z")
I live near… well, relatively near… the Salton Sea, and I know almost nothing about it other than that it’s there and that you can see it pretty easily on most flights to San Diego from points east. What exactly is wrong with it? ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/12 "2000-02-03T16:44:00Z")
More than you ever wanted to know about the Salton Sea [http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/Salton%20Sea%20Description.html](http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/Salton%20Sea%20Description.html) * * * “Drink your coffee! Remember, there are people sleeping in China.” [dennis@mountaindiver.com](mailto:dennis@mountaindiver.com) [www.mountaindiver.com](http://www.mountaindiver.com) ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/13 "2000-02-04T06:26:00Z")
As with the Kesterson Marshes in Central California, I always have to laugh a little at the irony of protecting environmental disasters from becoming worse environmental disasters. GOD it can be difficult keeping track of the worms! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2001, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediterranean-dead-sea-canal/6765/14 "2001-07-16T07:57:59Z")
There is a good article about this here: [http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2001/04/29/Features/Features.25267.html](http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2001/04/29/Features/Features.25267.html)