River and Watershed Rehabilitation
Supporting an integrated approach to managing natural resources and ecosystems for river rehabilitation in Israel
About the Initiative
Israel’s rivers are increasingly faced with challenges of development, pollution and climate change. In many places, natural flow has disappeared, water quality has deteriorated and habitats have shrunk. Today, river restoration requires a broad understanding of the entire watershed, including water, soil, land use, communities and government actors.
In 2019, Yad Hanadiv began promoting Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) in Israel – a holistic approach that treats the river basin as part of a broader spatial and communal system. Our goal is to restore healthy river dynamics, improve water quality and build resilient ecosystems.
We support professional knowledge-building and dissemination through the Agma Watershed and River Centre – which we established as a hub of expertise in basin management. We are also strengthening Drainage and River Authorities to act as ‘basin authorities’ and embedding ‘room for the river’ principles that give rivers space to flow safely, reducing floods and supporting healthy ecosystems. Working with local communities, we are helping make rivers cleaner, more accessible and more valuable to the public.
River and watershed restoration are key drivers for healthier ecosystems and create spaces that benefit nature and the public.
