Sea of Galilee rises 30 centimeters in five days

Israel’s recent five-day winter storm — replete with snow, rain, and wind — has brought a whirlwind of fun, hassles, and even danger in some cases.

One thing that kept coming down is the rain.

The water in the Sea of Galilee, Israel’s northern freshwater reservoir, has risen by 30 centimeters since Tuesday, bringing its water level to 3.37 meters below the high point of the upper red line and making the lake the fullest it has been in four years.

The lake’s water level has risen 1.5 meters since the beginning of winter — a sure indication that this is the wettest winter Israel has seen in recent years.

Experts, however, are still warning the public to be prudent and conserve water. Israel has often faced droughts before and is considered a world leader in desalination and other hi-tech processes that produce clean drinking water.

The Sea of Galilee’s upper red line is 208.9 meters below sea level. When water reaches that level the sluices are opened to let water run down into the Jordan River and thus prevent flooding in Tiberias, on the banks of the lake.