Mediterranean Catchment Observatory (2025–2029) – Principal Investigator
This project establishes the first Mediterranean catchment-scale observatory in Israel for studying climate- and human-driven hydrological and biogeochemical processes in aquatic environments. Focusing on the Yarkon catchment, the research combines real-time sensor networks, advanced analytics, and modeling to investigate water fluxes, water quality dynamics, floods, pollutants, and climate change impacts across the atmosphere–surface–subsurface continuum.
The project brings together researchers from leading Israeli institutions in collaboration with governmental and environmental authorities, creating a multidisciplinary platform for advancing Mediterranean catchment science.
In parallel, the lab studies stream metabolism in urban environments using continuous water quality monitoring and modern sensor technologies within the international StreamPULSE network.
Funding: Vatat – Israel Council for Higher Education & ISF
More information: Mediterranean Catchment Observatory | STREAMPULSE
Related Publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2025.124075.
This project establishes the first Mediterranean catchment-scale observatory in Israel for studying climate- and human-driven hydrological and biogeochemical processes in aquatic environments. Focusing on the Yarkon catchment, the research combines real-time sensor networks, advanced analytics, and modeling to investigate water fluxes, water quality dynamics, floods, pollutants, and climate change impacts across the atmosphere–surface–subsurface continuum.
The project brings together researchers from leading Israeli institutions in collaboration with governmental and environmental authorities, creating a multidisciplinary platform for advancing Mediterranean catchment science.
In parallel, the lab studies stream metabolism in urban environments using continuous water quality monitoring and modern sensor technologies within the international StreamPULSE network.
Funding: Vatat – Israel Council for Higher Education & ISF
More information: Mediterranean Catchment Observatory | STREAMPULSE
Related Publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2025.124075.
A stainless-steel flume is used to run experiment to study the deposition of microplastic
Microplastic deposition in streams (2021-2026)
We are conducting controlled experiments to study the effect of particle size and shape on deposition during bed motion.
We are conducting controlled experiments to study the effect of particle size and shape on deposition during bed motion.
Moving bedforms during the flume experiments
Simulation results of MP transport and deposition under slow (left) and fast (right) streambed celerity (i.e., speed of the bed movement). Flow and edform movment is from left to right. Red circles represents moving particles while pink circles represents deposited particles. It is observed that increase in bed celerity reduce the depth of microplastic deposition.
Funding:
- Israel Science Foundation
Related publications:
1. Peleg, E., Teitelbaum, Y., Arnon, S., 2024. Exploring the role of streambed motion in microplastic deposition in streambeds, Water Research, 249, doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120952
2. Arnon, S., 2025. Making Waves: Unraveling microplastic deposition in rivers through the lens of sedimentary processes. Water Research, 272, 122934, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024
3. Levy Sturm, V. and Arnon, S. 2026. The effects of stream bed motion and fiber length on microplastic deposition. 31, 100556, doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2026.100556.
1. Peleg, E., Teitelbaum, Y., Arnon, S., 2024. Exploring the role of streambed motion in microplastic deposition in streambeds, Water Research, 249, doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120952
2. Arnon, S., 2025. Making Waves: Unraveling microplastic deposition in rivers through the lens of sedimentary processes. Water Research, 272, 122934, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024
3. Levy Sturm, V. and Arnon, S. 2026. The effects of stream bed motion and fiber length on microplastic deposition. 31, 100556, doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2026.100556.
Dynamic hyporheic zone: Impact of non-steady stream flow and moving streambeds on the fate of trace organic contaminants (2023-2026)
Collaborators: Jörg Lewandowski (IGB Berlin, Germany), Stephanie Spahr (IGB Berlin, Germany), Almog Gafni (BGU, Israel), Scott Hansen (BGU, Israel).
Funding:
- DFG
1. Villa, A., Schulz, H., Dämpfling, H., Spahr, S., Arnon, S., & Lewandowski, J. 2026. A novel in situ experimental setup for studying the impact of bedform celerity on 2D oxygen distribution in the hyporheic zone of streams. Water Resources Research, 62, e2025WR041376. doi.org/10.1029/2025WR041376.
2. Villa, A., Arnon, S., Spahr, S., Beume, C., & Lewandowski, J. 2026. Effects of temporary streamflow interruption on hyporheic oxygen dynamics. Journal of Hydrology 675. 135627.
Quantifying transport and fate of nutrients and pathogens in the Meshushim catchment, Israel (2023-2026)
Collaborators: Edo Bar Zeev (BGU, Israel), Emily Tran (Shamir Research Institute), Israel Nissan, Luda Groisman and Efrat Rorman (Ministry of Health, Israel), Shaked Stein and Shira Ninio (Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR), Shlomo Blum (Kimron Vetrinary Institute).
Funding:
Collaborators: Edo Bar Zeev (BGU, Israel), Emily Tran (Shamir Research Institute), Israel Nissan, Luda Groisman and Efrat Rorman (Ministry of Health, Israel), Shaked Stein and Shira Ninio (Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR), Shlomo Blum (Kimron Vetrinary Institute).
Funding:
- Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection
Picture showing the sensor platform
