Lake Kinneret, better known to most as the Sea of Galilee, has reached its lowest level in five years, Israel's Water Authority warned this week.

Three consecutive winters of below-average rainfall have resulted in the lake, Israel's primary source of drinking water, dropping to more than 12 feet below its previous "red line." If this winter is likewise accompanied by poor rainfall, it will be the worst four-year period for the lake since the early 1960s.

In response to the mounting drought situation, the Water Authority has launched a public relations campaign urging Israelis to practice greater water conservation at home.

In the long term, Israel plans to build three more desalination plants on its Mediterranean coast which, with the two plants already in operation, will eventually supply the bulk of Israel's drinking water.