The Israel Water Authority said Thursday that the water level in Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) dropped two meters between April 3rd and the end of the hydrological year on September 30. That is the steepest annual drop for Israel's prime source of water than in any previous year. The plunge put the Kinneret at 214.05 meters below sea level, .82 meters from the black line at which water cannot be drawn.

This is the fourth consecutive year of dwindling rainfall. Since Spring 2004 the Kinneret has lost 5.13 meters, which is equivalent to 850 million cubic meters of water, the Water Authority said. That is roughly equivalent to an entire year's worth of household water use.

The Authority says that its water conservation campaign has achieved significant results since its launch over the summer. Desalination plants in Ashkelon and Palmahim will soon be joined by one in Hadera next year and two more by 2012 to help alleviate the problem. The Authority also plans to bring the level of sewage treated for agricultural purposes from 75 percent close to 100%.