A milestone was marked on Thursday in the construction of the massive flood regulation project at Ariel Sharon Park, as two giant gates were connected to electricity and successfully activated for the first time.
The gates are part of Israel’s largest drainage facility, which will ultimately include six such structures. The system is designed to regulate floodwaters flowing from the Ayalon Stream and nearby waterways, channeling runoff from the Judean foothills into controlled holding basins within the park.
Works on the bypass channel at Ariel Sharon Park
(Video: Rotem Lavi)
Once completed, the six gates will gradually release stored water from the retention ponds back into the Ayalon Stream in a controlled manner, reducing the risk of flooding downstream.
The drainage facility, described as the largest and most complex of its kind in Israel, is intended to restrain and manage powerful flood flows originating from the Ayalon basin as well as the Shapirim, Kofar and Azor streams.
The project carries an estimated cost of about 1.5 billion shekels. Construction began in 2021, and the facility spans roughly 6,000 dunams, about two and a half times the size of Yehoshua Gardens in Tel Aviv. The retention ponds can hold up to six million cubic meters of water. Initial operation of the drainage channels is expected to begin in early March, subject to weather conditions.
During intense rainfall events, which have become more frequent due to climate change and are characterized by short but powerful downpours, water is diverted into the retention ponds. As each pond reaches capacity, the next gate is opened under the supervision of the Yarkon Drainage and Streams Authority.
The system is expected to significantly reduce flooding risks in the Dan region, including Tel Aviv and the area around Ben Gurion Airport, though it will not eliminate flooding entirely. Authorities caution that extreme rainfall exceeding the system’s capacity could still result in inundation.
“This is a one-of-a-kind facility, with a system of gates that can be raised and lowered to varying heights, each with independent control,” said Yulia Sugrin-Shadot, an engineer with the Yarkon Drainage and Streams Authority. “Its activation is a historic moment for Israel. Until now, no such system existed here. It allows us to manage flood events rather than be managed by them, especially in the metropolitan area and along the Ayalon routes.”
Eric Leibovitz, CEO of the Yarkon Drainage and Streams Authority, said accelerated construction in the metropolitan area has made innovative solutions essential.
“The drainage project at Ariel Sharon Park and the dam system activated today are a major milestone in protecting downstream areas from flood damage,” he said. “They enable continued infrastructure development and construction throughout the basin.”
The project was built by Netivei Israel on behalf of the state. Once fully completed, responsibility for its operation will be transferred to the Yarkon Drainage and Streams Authority. Contractors include Hefet Engineering, the Olitski-Oron Infrastructure partnership, and Vortex, which supplied the gates and mechanical systems.