33. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Brubeck) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)0
SUBJECT
- Capacity of Israel’s National Water Conduit—Informational Memorandum
The following information is submitted as a matter of current interest to you.
The Chiefs of Mission Conference held in Athens June 12–15 recommended the Department obtain an engineering estimate of the capacity [Page 80] of Israel’s National Water Conduit which is designed to carry water from Lake Tiberias beginning in late 1963. This estimate has now been made and is enclosed together with an explanatory map. In summary, the study shows that the conduit is capable of carrying between 400 and 550 million cubic meters (MCM’s) of water annually. The capacity of the three pumps, which will lift water from Lake Tiberias to the Conduit, is 615 MCM’s. However, we assume that not more than two pumps would normally operate during a given period of time, thus leaving one pump in reserve status. If as much as 400 MCM’s are withdrawn from Lake Tiberias, this amount would cut deeply into allocations to the Arab states envisaged by Eric Johnston’s plan for unified utilization of Jordan Valley waters.1 That plan, though it failed of acceptance by the Arab states and Israel on political grounds, was considered by both parties to be technically justified. Although not legally binding on the parties, the allocations of water arrived at by the Johnston negotiations have since constituted the guides against which we have supported Israel and Jordan in their plans for use of Jordan Valley waters. Any departures from the Johnston allocations would therefore be a most serious matter. However, we have no evidence that the Israelis intend to utilize the Conduit’s total capacity. The Israelis have stated that in 1970, when all phases of the project are completed, diversions from Tiberias for the National Water Conduit will be 320 MCM’s.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 683.84A/8-3062. Secret. Drafted by Blackiston on August 29 and cleared by Grant. The source text lists two enclosures: 1) “Study of Capacity of Israel National Water Conduit”; and 2) “Map—The Struggle for Jordan Waters.” Neither is attached to the source text, but attachment 1 is appended to a memorandum from Grant to McGhee, August 30. (Ibid., 684A.85322/8-3062)↩
- For documentation on the Eric Johnston Mission to achieve an agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbors on distribution of the waters of the Jordan River and its tributaries, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, volume IX, Part 1, and ibid., 1955–1957, volume XIV.↩
- Kriebel signed for Brubeck above Brubeck’s typed signature.↩