Ein Farah

Ein Farah (Arabic: عين فرح), is a spring located at at the centre of Wadi Qelt, 325 meters above sea level, between Jerusalem and Jericho. Until 1970, the water of the spring were pumped to supply Jerusalem. Since the 1970's it is part of the Wadi Qelt nature reserve. The spring flows into a natural rock pool, and its output (around 1500 m³ a day) creates a brook that flows all year round.^[1]

History

Ein Farah supplied water to the surrounding area since ancient times. In the Hellenistic period an aqueduct was built for the first time, to carry the water for a long distance.

Hellenistic and Roman periods

Several aqueducts have been found originating from the spring, the oldest dating to the Hasmonean period (2nd century BC).^[2] The aqueducts transported water from the spring valley to Jericho.^[3]

The winter palaces of Hasmonean kings and Herod the Great stood at the lower end of the valley, where it reaches the Plain of Jericho.^[4]

Byzantine period

To the east of the spring the remains of aqueducts from the Byzantine period were found, and also the ruins of a flour mill.^[1]

Ottoman period

In the late Ottoman period the ancient aqueduct were renovated and the spring kept on supplying water to Jericho and Jordan Valley area.^[1]

In the end of the 19th century the Ottoman authorities in Palestine searched for an additional major water resource for the evolving city of Jerusalem, and considered pumping water from Ein Farah to Jerusalem. The engineer George Franghia, an Ottoman subject of Greek origin, began a study in 1889 looking at possible new water resources for Jerusalem. His proposal was presented to the municipality in 1894. Franghia suggested to pump wateer from Al-Arroub springs, about 20km south of Jerusalem, but at a higher elevation, therefore no pumping will be required. In November 1909, a German engineer, Max Magnus published a report published in November 1909, the director of the in which he challenged the feasibility of the plan to deviate the source of the Arroub spring and argues in favor of deviating the spring at Ein Farah. The geographical location of the Ein Fara spring, 500 meters lower in altitude than Jerusalem, would have required building electric pumps to carry the water to the city, at a total budget of four million francs, double what the Franghia plan would have cost. Neither project was ever carried out because of lack of funding. In February 14, 1914 a concession agreement for the building and operation of the supply of drinking water to the city of Jerusale was signed. The bidder awarded the contract was an Ottoman citizen, Euripide Mavrommatis, living in Galata, but due to the outbreak of First World War, the project never materialised.^[5]

British Mandate Waterworks

Six months after the British occupied Jerusalem, following the Battle of Jerusalem in December 1917, work started on the building a water supply system from the Al-Arroub springs, a 4 inch pipe was laid to a water pool in Romema in West Jerusalem. But the amount of water supplied was not sufficient for the needs of the growing city. In Febuary 1926 the British company Sir John Jackson Ltd. acquired the concession to supply water and electricity to city from Euripide Mavrommatis.^[6] The company started working on the Ein Farah Waterworks project in April 1926.^[7]

The work on the Ein Farah Waterworks project included the construction of three pumping stations, a 6 inch pipeline and a water reservoir at the French Hill in Jerusalem. The work was completed in 15 July 1926. The opening ceremony, that took place on French Hill , was attended by Mayor of Jerusalem Raghib al-Nashashibi and Herbert Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer, High Commissioners for Palestine and Transjordan.^[8]

After 1967

In 1970, the city Jerusalem was connected to Israel's national water system, and pumping from the spring was stopped. The remains of the Mandate-era pumping station and pipes can still be seen within the nature reserve.^[1] The area around the spring was declared a Nature Reserve in 1968, was fenced and requires entry fees.^[9] The area of the nature reserve was increased to 28,000 dunam in 1988, and access of the local Bedouin shepherds to spring has been blocked.^[10]^[11] The cliffs around the spring are a popular climbing destination.^[12]

Picture gallery

Construction of the Ein Farah Waterworks 1926
Pumping station under construction for the Ein Farah Waterworks
One of the Ein Farah Waterworks pumping station, shortly after completion in 1927
Acccess road that was built during work on the Ein Farah Waterworks
construction of a water storage tank for the Ein Farah Waterworks 1926
Water pipes being laid for the Ein Farah Waterworks 1926
Water pipes being carried in Jerusalem for the Ein Farah Waterworks 1926
a "Sir Joh Jackson Ltd." truck during the construction of the Ein Farah Waterworks 1926
The opening ceremony of the French Hill Reservoir 15th July 1926 (The sign is in English, Arabic and Hebrew)
Mayor of Jerusalem Raghib al-Nashashibi at the opening ceremony
Herbert Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer, High Commissioners for Palestine and Transjordan speaking at the opening ceremony
Gate erected for the opening ceremony
A tool used in the opening ceremony baring the name of Viscount Plumer