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Nahal Keziv
Nahal Keziv is one of the most beautiful rivers in Israel, it is 20 KM long,
and one of the largest rivers West of the watershed line of Israel, and
one of the few rivers beds with flowing water whole all year round.
The source of the river is in the Meron mountains and it flows into the
Mediterranean Sea 1 KM North of Kibbutz Gesher Haziv.
We can distinguish three landscape features through which the Keziv river
flows: The upper part, the drainage area of the Meron Mountains, with the
tributaries; the Upper Keziv, Nahal Zever, Nahal Admonit, Nahal 'Af'im,
Nahal Moran till Nahal Peki'in, which spills into Nahal Keziv South-East
of Ma'alot. The latter receives its water from the southern part of the
Meron Mountains. The central part of the Nahal Keziv, where the stream has
formed a deep canyon in the hard limestone with steep terraces formed slopes,
covered with a rich, Mediterranean vegetation. Finally, the river flows
across the fertile alluvial plain of Western Galilee, until it reaches the
Mediterranean Sea.
The drainage area is about 140 KM2, of which 120 KM2
is in the Heights of the Meron Mountains, the rainest part of Israel, with
a yearly average of 1000 mm downfall; some large springs at the central
part of the river provide an additional water supply.
Near the village of Ma'alot in the bed of the river is Ein Ziv ("ein" means
spring), with a supply of 600 m3, per hour; westwards from Ein
Ziv in a crevice in the slope is Ein Tamir, with a supply of 45 m3
per hour; in the area near the Montfort Castle
there are two other small springs; Ein Beratot and Ein Matzor; 5 KM westwards
from the castle is the last large spring of River Keziv, Ein Hardelit; another
small spring westwards from Ein Hardelit has no influence on the landscape,
because its water is directly absorbed into the ground.
The Israeli water company "Mekorot" built pumping stations near the large
springs ein Ein Ziv and Ein Hardelit, and laid a 24" pipeline along the
riverbed to connect Ein Ziv with Ein Hardelit; for this work a path was
build in the riverbed. The water is used for the needs of the Western Galilee
settlements.
The Keziv River to the Hardelit spring hasbeen declared a nature reserve.
Water utilization has had a far-reaching influence on the landscape of the
Keziv riverbed and the vegetation changed; in the past, plane trees grew
along a 12 KM length of the river, whereas today they only extend for 3.5
KM.
In order to preserve the still extant special vegetation in the Keziv River,
Mekorot is obliged to ensure water flow of 100 m3 water stream
per hour; 45 m3 from Ein Ziv, the whole 45 m3 supply
of Ein Tamir, and 15 m3 from the small springs near the Montfort
Castle; Ein Beratot and Ein Matzor.
Despite this change, the river bed and its slopes still offer a great variaty
of vegetation, with trees such as Arbutus, Rhamnus alaterus L (Buckthorn),
Acer obtusifolium Sm (Maple), Laurus nobilis L.(Laurel) and Platanus orientalis
l. (Plane tree), ferns and flowers. The Antirrhinum majus (Large Snap dragon)
blossoms in April-May, Campanula (Bellflower) blossoms from March-April
and Wormwood (Artemisia), an aromatic plant that grows on bald rocks and
some rare species, such as the White lily, that flourish in small concentrations
in early May.
In the past, the Eagle and the Aquila (Hieraaetus fasciatus) nested on the
slopes; the Authority for Nature and National Parks encourage them to return
to the river. Fallow deer lived here in the ancient past, but became extinct
in this area; after acclimatization a few were returned and set free in
the reserve.
Until 1948 many water power operated flour mills existed on the river, remnants
of 12 can be seen today. The mill of Shufani, a resident of the Christian
Arabic village of Ma'ilia, ceased working in 1959. Nearby, are remnants
of a dam and a building, which were part of the agricultural complex of
the Montfort Castle.
Text and picture by: Pinhas Baraq
Based on: Yigal Sela, Nahal Keziv article in Israel Guide, Keter
1978.
Several visits at the place. |
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