| Lake Qaraoun | |
|---|---|
 Qaraoun Lake created behind the El Wauroun Dam | |
  Lake Qaraoun | |
| Location | Beqaa Valley |
| Coordinates | 33°34′21″N 35°41′51″E / 33.57250°N 35.69750°E |
| Type | Multipurpose reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Litani River |
| Primary outflows | Litani River |
| Catchment area | 1,600 km2 (600 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Lebanon |
| Surface area | 1,190 ha (2,940 acres) |
| Water volume | 220×106 m3 (0×109 cu ft) |
| Surface elevation | 861 m (2,825 ft) |
| Settlements | Qaraoun Village, Aitanit, Beirut 76 km (47 mi) away |
Lake Qaraoun (Arabic: بحيرة القرعون / ALA-LC: Buḥayrat al-Qara‘ūn) is an artificial lake or reservoir located in the southern region of the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon. It was created near Qaraoun village in 1959 by building a 61 m-high (200 ft) concrete-faced rockfill dam (the largest dam in Lebanon) in the middle reaches of the Litani River (longest river in Lebanon). The reservoir has been used for hydropower generation (190 MW or 250,000 hp), domestic water supply, and for irrigation of 27,500 ha (68,000 acres).[1][2]
The annual surface water flow in the Litani River received at Lake Qaraoun is 420×106 m3 (15×109 cu ft). This flow is used for generating hydroelectric power of 600 GWh at three hydroelectric power stations at Markaba, Awali and Jun with the total installed capacity of 190 MW (250,000 hp). During the dry season, 30×106 m3 (1.1×109 cu ft) of water is diverted from Markaba power station to meet the needs of the Kassmieh irrigation project.[3]
The lake is a habitat for some 20,000 migratory birds which visit it annually.[2]
- ^ "Qaraoun Village". aub.edu.lb. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
- ^ a b "Lake Qaraoun". Birdlife.org. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ^ "Chapter 2. Assessing Lebanon's Water Balance". International Development Research Centre (idrc). Archived from the original on 12 March 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2011.