Wadi Mujib EarthCache
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Wadi Mujib
Wadi Mujib is a gorge in Jordan which enters the Dead Sea at 410
meters below sea level. The Mujib Reserve of Wadi Mujib is the
lowest nature reserve in the world, located in the mountainous
landscape to the east of the Dead Sea, approximately 90 km south of
Amman. The 220 square kilometers reserve was created in 1987 by the
Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and is regionally and
internationally important, particularly for the bird life that the
reserve supports. It extends to the Kerak and Madaba mountains to
the north and south, reaching 900 meters above sea level in some
places. This 1,300 meter variation in elevation, combined with the
valley's year round water flow from seven tributaries, means that
Wadi Mujib enjoys a magnificent biodiversity that is still being
explored and documented today. Over 300 species of plants, 10
species of carnivores and numerous species of permanent and
migratory birds have been recorded until this date. Some of the
remote mountain and valley areas are difficult to reach, and thus
offer safe havens for rare species of cats, goats and other
mountain animals.
Geography of Mujib
During the last Ice Age the water level of the Dead Sea reached 180
m below sea level, about 230 m higher than it is today. It flooded
the lower areas of the canyons along its banks, which became bays
and begun to accumulate sediments. As the climatic conditions
changed, about 20,000 years ago, the water level of the lake
dropped, leaving the re-emergent canyons blocked with lake marl.
Most canyons managed to cut through their plugged outlets and to
resume their lower courses. However, Wadi Mujib, the biblical Arnon
River, abandoned its former outlet by breaking through a cleft in
the sandstone. This narrow cleft became the bottleneck of an
enormously large drainage basin with a huge discharge. During the
years the cleft was scoured deeper and the gorge of Wadi Mujib was
formed.
The Mujib reserve consists of mountainous, rocky, and sparsely
vegetated desert (up to 800 m), with cliffs, gorges and deep wadis
cutting through plateaus. Perennial, spring-fed streams flow down
the wadis to the shores of the Dead Sea which lies 400 m below
sea-level.
The slopes of the mountaineous land are very sparsely vegetated,
with a steppe-type vegetation on plateaus. Groundwater seepage does
occur in places along the Dead Sea shore, for example at the hot
springs of Zara, which support a luxuriant thicket of Acacia,
Tamarix, Phoenix and Nerium, and a small marsh. The less severe
slopes of the reserve are used by pastoralists for the grazing of
sheep and goats.
The hot springs of Hammamat Ma'in lie close to the borders of the
reserve are heavily used for tourism/recreation.
The Jordanian military have a temporary camp in the south of the
reserve.
A large dam was recently finished at the bottom of the wadi, where
the modern road crosses the river. As a result, a large lake has
formed. Today, Wadi Mujib is fed by seven tributaries.
Your Task
- At the reference coordinates, you
will find a public parking area. Just go the steps down and take a
picture from you which shows you and this stone wall with the gorge
in the background.
- Now, you are nearly finished - You
will have to answer the following question: When you take a look
from the reference point on the profile of the gorge from bottom to
up, then you can notice some parts, where that the walls a nearly
vertical and other parts, wehere the walls are sloped. How many
parts can you see, where the wall is nearly vertical? Please send
me an email with your answer!
You can log at once after sending me your answers. If there are any
problem with your answers, I will contact you. A photo of you at
the location is optional but highly appreciated.
I hope you have enjoyed this fabulous place as I do!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)