Ayun Stream

Ayun Stream begins near the Lebanese town of Marjayoun and enters Israel in the vicinity of Metulla, Israel's northernmost point on the Lebanese border.[1][2] Metulla stands on a hill chain connecting the Naphtali Ridge with the Hermon Massif and separating the Huleh Valley from the Iyyon Valley in Lebanon.[4]

Along with Nahal Dan, Nahal Hermon, and Nahal Snir, Ayun Stream is one of the streams feeding the headwaters of the Upper Jordan River. These streams converge near Kibbutz Sde Nehemia before the Upper Jordan continues southward to Lake Kinneret.[5][2]

Some water reaching the stream is supplied artificially, with water from the Dan diverted into the Ayun channel to maintain flow.[5] The principal identified pollution source lies across the border in Lebanon. Potential risks include sanitary sewage from nearby villages, small-scale industrial wastewater from garages and food factories, and sporadic disposal of sewage-tanker contents near the Israel–Lebanon border.[5]

The Central Zionist Archives preserves a photograph captioned as showing Nahal Ayun near Metulla at the beginning of the twentieth century, documenting the stream as part of the area's early recreational and photographic record.[6]

Ayun Stream's position on the Israel–Lebanon border also gave it a place in the region's modern military history. On 10 March 1985, an Israel Defense Forces convoy traveling from Metulla toward Marjayoun crossed the Nahal Ayyun bridge as a red Chevrolet pickup truck approached from the opposite direction and exploded.[1] The blast shattered windows as far away as Metulla, killed twelve soldiers, and wounded fourteen. The incident became known as the Safari Disaster.[1]

Government monitoring station 3614 is located downstream of Tanur Waterfall within the nature reserve.[5] In spring 2019, biological oxygen demand and total nitrogen concentrations were low, with most nitrogen present as nitrate—a pattern interpreted as indicating good oxidation conditions in the stream. Fecal-coliform concentrations were measured at medium levels during that period.[5]

By autumn 2019, most measured parameters had declined slightly, including suspended solids, apparently because upstream pollution from Lebanese sources had ceased during that interval.[5]

Ayun Stream supplies water for agricultural purposes in the surrounding area.[1] Metulla's economy historically included deciduous-fruit orchards, vineyards, field crops, and cattle, providing agricultural context for the stream and its valley.[4]

The nature reserve has also served as a recreational destination for visitors to Metulla. A December 2024 account published after a ceasefire described Metulla as largely empty while recalling prewar trips to the town and walks through the Ayun Stream Nature Reserve.[7]

The Ayun Stream Nature Reserve occupies a narrow canyon on the northeastern edge of Metulla.[3] Published route descriptions differ: an official educational trail catalogue describes a linear route of approximately 3 kilometers from Weiss Grove, also called Eucalyptus Grove, to the lower parking area, while a travel report describes the upper-to-lower route as approximately 1.5 kilometers.[8][2] The latter also describes a wheelchair-accessible trail extending 300 meters each way from the lower parking area.[2]

The reserve contains four waterfalls. Ayun Falls drops 9.2 meters, Mill Falls approximately 21 meters, the twin Hashad Falls a combined 15 meters, and Tanur Falls 30 meters.[2] A small concrete wall above Ayun Falls creates a pool, while Mill Falls slides over a broad rock wall into a large basin.[8] Tanur Falls—whose name is rendered as "Oven Fall"—plunges into a pool, and the force of the falling water has formed a chimney-like hollow in the rock.[3]

The trail is narrow and largely exposed, passing through a canyon cut into chalk rock.[8] Trees along the route include Palestinian oak, Christ's thorn jujube, and Syrian maple.[8] Wildlife described in the reserve includes frogs, crabs, and large bright-blue dragonflies.[3]