ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an historical overview of the Jordan River basin and some of the water resource problems and solutions that have been proposed, including the Johnston Plan. In the Jordan River basin, the scarcity of water has weighed upon the region’s day-to-day life since prehistoric times. Because of these water shortages, equitable apportionment among the riparian countries in the basin has always been difficult. Geopolitics in the Jordan River basin is linked very closely to the physical and geographic characteristics of the area. Jordan developed the East Ghor Main Canal in the Jordan Valley for irrigation, using Yarmuk River water. It also built the King Talal Dam on the Zarqa River to store water for irrigation use. The only remaining surface water flow in the basin that has not been controlled is the Yarmuk River, and opportunities still exist that could increase the availability of water for Jordan and the West Bank.
