Nahal Alexander
| Nahal Alexander | |
|---|---|
| 200px
Alexander stream
|
|
| Length | 28 miles (45 km) |
Nahal Alexander (Hebrew: נחל אלכסנדר) is a river in Israel that flows from the mountains of Samaria to the Mediterranean Sea, north of Netanya. The length of the river is about 45 km. Several small streams flow into Nahal Alexander: Nablus, Te'enim, Ometz, Bahan, and Avihail. Most of the river is located in the Hefer Valley.
Flora and fauna
Nahal Alexander is the habitat of soft-shell turtles that can reach a size of 1.20 meters and weigh up to 50 kilograms. In addition to giant turtles, there are coots and other waterfowl, nutrias and swamp cats. Indigenous fish include catfish, tilapia, river eels and mullet.[1] On the southern bank there are shifting sand dunes and on the northern bank, a eucalyptus grove.[2]
History
Hurvat Samra, an ancient ruin on a hill overlooking Nahal Alexander, may have been a customs station for goods transported down the river to the port near the estuary.[2]
Beit Yanai beach is located where the river flows into the Mediterranean.[3] North of the beach are remnants of a quay built in 1938, during the British Mandate. It was used for clandestine Jewish immigration to Palestine when British authorities turned away ships of European Jews fleeing the Nazis.[2]
In the winter of 1991, Nahal Alexander overflowed and most of its soft-shelled turtle population drifted into the Mediterranean. When the remaining eggs that failed to hatch, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority launched a project to collect the eggs, incubate them and return the turtles to the water.[4]
In 2003, Nahal Alexander was part of a cleanup project that won first prize in the Riverprize environmental rehabilitation competition in Australia.[4]
See also
- Geography of Israel
- Wildlife of Israel
- Tourism in Israel
- National parks and nature reserves of Israel
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Beit Yannai beach yields serenity on winter weekdays
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Best Kept Secret of Emek Hefer: Nahal Alexander & Turtles
External links
- Alexander Stream Hof Bet Yanai National Park - official site
- Zachi Evenor, Alexander Stream Photography, Flickr
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexander Stream. |
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
