Nahal Alexander (Hebrew: נחל אלכסנדר) is a river in Israel that flows from the western side of the Samaria mountain belt in the West Bank[1] 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.

Nahal Alexander
Alexander stream
Physical characteristics
Length	28 mi (45 km)

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.[2] On the southern bank there are shifting sand dunes and on the northern bank, a eucalyptus grove.[3]

History

Hurvat Samra (Khirbet 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.[3]

Beit Yanai beach is located where the river flows into the Mediterranean.[4] North of the beach are remnants of a quay built in 1938, during the British Mandate. It was used for clandestine Jewish immigration to Mandatory Palestine when British authorities turned away ships of European Jews fleeing the Nazis.[3]

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.[5]

In 2003, Nahal Alexander was part of a cleanup project that won first prize in the Riverprize environmental rehabilitation competition in Australia after being one of the most polluted rivers in Israel.[5]

Gallery

• 
  African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander
• 
  Head of African softshell turtle at Nahal Alexander
• 
  African softshell turtle with Caspian turtles at Nahal Alexander

See also

• Geography of Israel
• Wildlife of Israel
• Tourism in Israel
• National parks and nature reserves of Israel

References

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.

На других языках

[de] Nachal Alexander

[ru] Александр (река)