Lake Qaraoun

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 / 33.57250; 35.69750
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	220×10^6 m3 (0×10^9 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 420×10^⁶ m³ (15×10^⁹ 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, 30×10^⁶ m³ (1.1×10^⁹ 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]