Wikipedia

Hula Lake

Hula Lake (also known as Somchi sea, Sovechi sea, or Water of Merom) was a freshwater lake in the southern part of the Hula Valley in northern Israel. The lake was part of the Jordan River system and was drained in the 1950s.[1] The lake covered an area of about 14 square kilometers, with marshes to the north covering an additional 30 square kilometers, and further areas that were flooded in the winter, expanding the marshlands.

Hula Lake
אגמון החולה
Hula Lake
LocationNorthern Israel
TypeFresh water lake
Basin countriesIsrael
Max. length5.5 km
Max. width4.5 km
Max. depth6 meters

The lake and its marshes served as an important habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals, many of which are endemic to the area. During the British Mandate period and up until the 1950s, fishing and agricultural activities took place around the lake, and the impact of human settlement caused significant changes to the lake's ecosystem.

In the 1950s, the lake was drained as part of a national project aimed at expanding agricultural land and reducing the incidence of malaria in the region. This move sparked significant public debate due to its environmental and ecological impacts. In recent years, efforts have been made to partially restore the lake and to revive some of the biological diversity that once characterized the area.

Today, the Hula region serves as an important natural and tourist site, attracting visitors from all over the world. Visitor centers provide information and guidance on the lake's history and ecology.

Hulah Lake and Mount Hermon from the Safad road, 1946

Formation and evolution

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Lake Hula was formed in a depression that is part of the Syrian-African Rift. At the end of the Pliocene and the beginning of the Pleistocene, there was a lake in this location that was connected at times to other lakes to the south, in the area of the modern-day Sea of Galilee. During a relatively dry period about 450,000 years ago, the lake's water level dropped, and a marsh developed.[2][3]

The unique landscape of the Hula Valley as we know it today was largely shaped by the tectonic uplift of the Korazim Plateau on one hand, and the sinking of the Hula Valley Graben on the other. The uplift of the Korazim Plateau, which lies to the south of the Hula Valley and is covered at the top with basalt, created a barrier between it and the Sea of Galilee, with its peak at about 270 meters above the level of the Sea of Galilee. The basalt on the Korazim Plateau predates its uplift and the blocking of the valley. As a result, the depression began to fill with water again, forming a large lake that at its peak likely extended to the 200-meter contour above sea level, with a depth of about 150 meters.[3]

At some point, due to fault activity, a narrow opening began to form in the barrier, near today's Bnot Ya'akov Bridge, creating the Jordan River channel through which the lake's waters drained towards the Sea of Galilee. Over the years, the lake shrank due to the deepening of the Jordan River's outlet to the south, a decrease in rainfall during certain periods, and infilling with river sediment.[3]

The flat area north of the lake gradually turned into a marsh, with parts of it drying in the summer and flooding in the winter. About 3,000 years ago, the lake's level stabilized at 67-69 meters above sea level, and its depth decreased to just a few meters, as it remained until it was drained in the twentieth century.[3]

Naming

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In the Bible, there is no explicit mention of Lake Hula. There are Jewish and Christian traditions that identify it with Mei Merom, the site of the battle between Joshua Bin Nun and the coalition of Canaanite kings.[4] However, archaeologist John Garstang disagreed with this identification and, after a thorough analysis of the area compared to the biblical description, concluded that Mei Merom should be identified with the Maroun al-Ras area in Lebanon.[5] This identification has been accepted by many researchers of the Land of Israel and biblical commentators, including Joseph Braslavi, Yehezkel Kaufmann, and others. Nevertheless, some still use this name today as a reference to Lake Hula.

In the writings of Josephus, the lake is called Semachonites, translated to "Semechon Lake," and also Ulatha.[6] In the Talmud, the lake is referred to as "Yama Shel Sibbchi" and in other versions as Yam Sovecho, Yam Somchi, or Yam Somcho,[7] and in the Jerusalem Talmud, it is mentioned as Yam Shel Somcho and in other versions Yam Sibbcho or Yam Sovechi.[8] Commentators suggest that the names derive from the dense vegetation of the marsh or the abundance of fish in the lake (the word "samak" in Arabic means "fish").

The name "Yama Dechulata" is mentioned once in the Jerusalem Talmud,[9] and in the Babylonian Talmud, there is also the version "Yama Shel Chilat" and "Yama Shel Chilata".[7] Additionally, the "Chulata" region is noted as one of the territories given by Augustus Caesar to Herod. It is believed that the name originates from the word "Chilat," likely the name of a type of reed, rush, or bulrush. The Arabic name "Bahirat al-Hula" likely derives from this name and is first mentioned in the writings of medieval Arab geographers. Other names for the lake used by Muslims in the Middle Ages include "Bahirat Qadesh" (Lake Qadesh) after the ancient city of Qadesh nearby to the west, as well as "Yamat Banias" and "Bahirat al-Kheit". The Crusaders called it "Lake Melaha".[10]

The Drying Project

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The decision to dry up the lake and swamps was made by the authorities of the State of Israel, with the aim of expanding the agricultural lands of the Upper Galilee settlements. The drying process took place between 1951 and 1958, and upon its completion, the lake and swamp area was transformed into a wide plain, drained by a network of canals.[11][12]

The drying project sparked a widespread public struggle, which led to the establishment of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. As a result, a small part of the lake was preserved and became the Hula Nature Reserve, Israel's first nature reserve. However, the reserve was not sufficient to protect the entire biodiversity of the lake and swamp environment. Due to the drying, Tristramella simonis and Mirogrex hulensis disappeared from the landscape of Israel. Endemic species, including the Hula painted frog and the Hula bream, became completely extinct. A significant portion of the species vanished from the area, and the populations of others were greatly reduced.[12]

In November 2011, it was reported that the rare Hula painted frog, previously thought to be completely extinct, was spotted again in the Hula Nature Reserve.[13]

In the years following the drying, it became clear that a large part of the dried lands was not suitable for cultivation. Additionally, the drying process prevented the deposition of many organic materials in the swamp, causing these materials to flow into the Sea of Galilee, resulting in pollution and harm to the fish and water quality. Consequently, in the early 1990s, controlled flooding of part of the former swamp areas began, creating the Hula Lake, a process that contributes to the return of some migratory birds to the area.

References

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  1. ^ Gophen, Moshe (2023), Hula Drainage Project, Springer Geography, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 1–11, doi:10.1007/978-3-031-23412-5_1, ISBN 978-3-031-23411-8, retrieved 2024-07-12
  2. ^ Gophen, Moshe; Tsipris, Y.; Meron, M.; Bar-Ilan, I. (2003). "The management of Lake Agmon Wetlands (Hula Valley, Israel)". Hydrobiologia. 506–509 (1–3): 803–809. doi:10.1023/b:hydr.0000008602.77264.8c. ISSN 0018-8158.
  3. ^ a b c d Inbar, Moshe (July 2002). "A Geomorphic and Environmental Evaluation of the Hula Drainage Project, Israel". Australian Geographical Studies. 40 (2): 155–166. doi:10.1111/1467-8470.00171. ISSN 0004-9190.
  4. ^ "Bible Gateway passage: Joshua 11:5 - New International Version". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  5. ^ John Garstang, The Foundation of Bible History: Joshua, Judges. London: Constable & Co. 1931, pp. 192-197
  6. ^ "עבר הירדן היהודי: מזמן בית־שני עד המאה האחרונה של ימי־הבינים / שמואל קליין - פרויקט בן־יהודה". benyehuda.org. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  7. ^ a b "Babylonian Talmud, Baba Batra 21a - 1 | Sefaria". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  8. ^ "Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 6:2". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  9. ^ Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate of Klaiim, Chapter 9, Halacha 3
  10. ^ Emanuel HaReuvani, Get Up and Walk in Israel, Guide to Nature Reserves in Israel, "The Hula Reserve", published by the Ministry of Defense, May 1986
  11. ^ ynet (2008-03-19). "הביצה שהתייבשה". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  12. ^ a b Micah Levana, "Drying the Hula", Ariel 75-76, August 1990
  13. ^ ארליכמן, ארז (2011-11-16). "תגלית: נמצאה צפרדע שנכחדה בשנות ה-50". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-07-12.

Further reading

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  • Karmon, Yehuda. The Formation of the Huleh Landscape/התהוות הנוף של עמק-חולה: א. האגם והבקעה. ידיעות החברה לחקירת ארץ-ישראל ועתיקותיה, 1955, 70-88.‎
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