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Imagine an engineering project so grand that it literally made the desert bloom. A megaproject that not only brought water to Israel’s most arid regions, but also redefined the country’s water infrastructure, addressing geographic and climatic challenges on an epic scale. The “National Water Carrier” is the project that not only changed Israel’s destiny, but put the country on the world map for innovative water solutions.
The reality was challenging: a country with only a few months of rain per year, most of it in the north, where ensuring water for all corners of the country was crucial for survival. And it was this need that drove the most revolutionary engineering megaproject of the 20th century, the National Water Carrier, a system that transformed desert areas into fertile land and made possible the sustainable growth of Israel.
The National Water Carrier megaproject began construction in the 1950s, at a time when Israel was facing a accelerated population growth and the challenge of making the Negev desert habitable. The idea was simple, but the execution incredibly complex: collect water from the Sea of Galilee in the north and transport it south, crossing mountains and deserts.
Megaproject in Israel passes through tunnels dug in the mountains
The water’s journey begins 209 meters below sea level, in the Sea of Galilee, where it is pumped to an altitude of 44 meters above sea level using a pumping station equipped with three gigantic 30.000 HP pumps. This advancement allowed the water to travel through a network of more than 130 kilometers, overcoming gravity and the variations of the rugged terrain. On its way, this engineering feat passes through tunnels dug into the mountains, siphons that overcome deep valleys and reservoirs that guarantee a continuous supply for the country.
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Os numbers are as impressive as the project itself. The main pipelines, which can measure up to 3,6 meters in diameter, transport millions of cubic meters of water annually, supplying agricultural areas and urban centers throughout Israel. The water is distributed through three main lines, each with a strategic function: one transports high-quality drinking water, another handles brackish waters, and the third is dedicated to recycled water for agriculture, providing 140 million cubic meters of water annually for irrigation in the Negev desert.
drip irrigation
The megaproject not only ensured water for millions of Israelis, but also spurred the development of new technologies, such as drip irrigation, which today allows Israel to produce 95% of its food and export more than $2,5 billion worth of agricultural products annually. In addition, the country was able to restore contaminated aquifers and reforest large areas, making Israel one of the few countries in the world that ended the XNUMXth century with more trees than it began.
This inspiring feat was not isolated. Many countries, such as Brazil and China, were inspired by the Israeli megaproject to create their own water supply and treatment systems. In Brazil, the transposition of the São Francisco River is one of the largest water projects in Latin America, moving large volumes of water over hundreds of kilometers. The Chinese South-to-North Water Transfer Project brings billions of cubic meters of water to the north of the country, facing challenges and incorporating technologies similar to those pioneered in Israel.
In one time when water scarcity is a growing global problem, the National Water Carrier stands out as a model of sustainability, innovation and efficiency. Israel has achieved what many believed was impossible: transforming one of the driest regions on the planet into a modern, prosperous and self-sufficient nation in terms of water resources. This megaproject is a symbol of how engineering, when combined with determination and strategic planning, can overcome even the most insurmountable obstacles.
