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Nahal Rosh Pina is a stream in the Upper Galilee that drains the eastern slopes of Mount Canaan. It originates on Mount Canaan, descends through the settlement of Rosh Pinna, and flows into the Jordan River. Along the stream, three springs emerge: Ein Gey-Onni, Ein Pina, and Ein Kadan. The upper part of the stream is a declared nature reserve covering an area of 273 dunams, designated on July 31, 2007.

Geography

The channel of Nahal Rosh Pina flows down the eastern slopes of Mount Canaan, from west to east, and drains two steep valleys. These valleys start from the area of Kiryat Sara neighborhood in Safed and converge about 200 meters above Ein Gey-Onni. From there, the stream channel flows through the three springs and through Rosh Pinna to the Jordan River. The stream's length from Safed to the Jordan is about 13.2 km.

In the section between Mount Canaan and Rosh Pina, the stream descends relatively steeply about 400 meters over about 2 km. Despite the elevation differences, no waterfalls or overly steep slopes formed, allowing a road to be paved along the stream. This road, which connected Safed to Tiberias via Rosh Pina, was mostly paved with stones, but jeeps and ATVs that traveled freely in the 1990s and early 2000s (until 2007) severely damaged the road, creating deep ruts in some parts that diverted the stream's flow onto the road. Due to the road's steep and challenging nature, the Rosh Pina-Safed road (now Route 8900) was paved during World War I, providing a more moderate slope between Tiberias, Rosh Pina, and Safed. Short sections of the old stone-paved road still exist today.

In Rosh Pina, the stream passes through the upper part of the settlement, reaches the old commercial center, enters an 80-meter-long canal, emerges for 30 meters, and then enters another canal about 120 meters long. Afterward, the stream flows again through an open channel, passing through the Shkedim neighborhood (Expansion B). The stream exits the neighborhood near one of the houses in the northern part and continues through a field towards the Refkor cooling house, crossing Route 90 in a canal under the road. The stream continues near Mahanaim airfield and reaches a water reservoir northwest of Kfar HaNassi, where the water is stored, and only the excess flows down the stream to the Jordan River. The lower part of the stream is known by its Arabic name: Wadi Shu'ayun, and it flows into the Jordan near Metzudat Ateret.

The upper part of the stream between Safed and Rosh Pina, about 1.3 km long, is divided into two parts: the lower part, within the jurisdiction of the Rosh Pina local council, on Israel Land Administration land, was officially declared a nature reserve in the summer of 2007, covering 273 dunams. The upper part, covering 863 dunams, is within the jurisdiction of Safed municipality, includes many private lands, and its designation as a reserve is pending approval.

Water (Hydrology)

Springs

Along the stream, three springs emerge: Ein Guy-Onni, Ein Pina, and Ein Kadan. As of 2014, most of the spring water is utilized, and stone structures built around them still exist.

In the stream, three springs all emerge within ancient enclosed structures built to protect the water from contamination. Some of the spring water flows by gravity into the settlement, with the excess flowing outside the springs, although in recent years, less water has been directed to the settlement, allowing the stream to flow year-round. The first (lower) spring is called Ein Kadan. About 300 meters above it is Ein Pina, with some of its water captured and piped by gravity to the upper part of the settlement. The third spring, about 300 meters above Ein Pina, is called Ein Guy Onni.

Water Use

Animals living in the stream's drainage basin come to drink, especially important during the summer months. For humans, this water served as a life source for the residents of Ja'uni and Rosh Pina. In the first two decades of the 21st century, the population increased from 2,200-2,300 to 3,000-3,400, and desalination facilities were built along the coastal plain; thus, the settlement receives additional water from other sources. This situation allowed for reduced water extraction, enabling the stream to flow year-round. Despite an agreement between the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and the Rosh Pina local council to release the water to nature, the Rosh Pina council still extracts water from the stream. During summer, about 200-250 cubic meters per day are extracted, and in rainy seasons, it reaches 500-600 cubic meters per day. On average, about 300-350 cubic meters per day are extracted annually. The water is transported by gravity to the upper part of the settlement, filtered, and supplied as drinking water to the upper neighborhoods.

References

1. "שמורת נחל ראש פינה – iNature". inature.info. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
2. ^ "שמורת נחל ראש פינה – iNature". inature.info. Retrieved 2024-08-07.