A decision tool for allocating the waters of the Jordan River basin between all riparian parties

Abstract

Shared water resources are strong sources of conflict in the Jordan River basin shared by Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. The control and allocation of water has been explicitly made a part of the ongoing peace negotiations. This article calls for the application of international water law in the resolution of water disputes in the negotiating process. The challenging task for negotiators is to translate water law principles into operating rules and procedures for the equitable apportionment of waters from shared water resources. The negotiators need a decision tool based upon objective criteria or standards to reach equitable entitlements to shared water resources by all parties. This paper introduces a multi-criteria decision tool as a possible approach to the problem of allocating the waters of the Jordan River between all riparian parties. The prime principle of the criteria is equitable allocation factors identified by water law. A general mathematical model was derived in which the proportional entitlements of the Jordan River basin waters were determined to the five riparians. It is hoped that, water negotiators review this approach.