Pdf water quality of the upper litani river basin, lebanon. Water samples were collected from six sites along the litani river path. A journey along the upper litani river basin prezi. The river cuts through the lebanon mountains in a 280 deep gorge and ends in the mediterranean sea midway between sayda and tyre. Search results the middle east water collection oregon. Its water resources have been harnessed for human uses since the 1960s through the construction of the qaraoun dam. Physicochemical evaluation of the upper litani river watershed. The litani river dam was established in 1959 and created the largest artificial lake in lebanon. Litani river is a very educational read and brings to the fore one of the many lifecostly military deployments of world war ii. Hydrology and management 1987 water, the middle east imperative thomas naff on. Since its establishment, the litani river authority was considered to be a public institution whose functions are identified as follows.
Many projects and studies were conducted to benefit from this river by producing hydroelectric power and providing drinking and irrigation water to the bekaa, the south and the coastal areas coast with view to developing both the agricultural and electrical. Its pretty cold arround 15c if you average all year long. Lions in greek which rises in the bekaa and empties into the mediterranean sea north of tyre has changed its colors over the years from crystal blue to murky brown, threatening populations over its 140 km stretch. Water quality deterioration of rivers and groundwater resources is one of the main threats to water sustainability in urban developed areas. The main problem in cleaning up litani river pollution. Battle of the litani river is within the scope of wikiproject australia, which aims to improve wikipedia s coverage of australia and australiarelated topics. If you would like to participate, visit the project page. However, the litani river, whose entire basin is in lebanon fig. Physicochemical evaluation of the upper litani river watershed, lebanon. Litani river authority was established under the law dated august 14, 1954 amended on december 30, 1955. The dissertation provides an analysis of the ways in which the models inequity and instability impacted lebanese society, through a discussion of the litani river hydroelectric project and the intra bank crisis of 1966 respectively, and uses an account of the fate of the lebanese communist party lcp, as well as some of the major struggles. The litani is a very important water source for both the bekaa valley as well as southern lebanon.
A spillway of 6503 meters carries the water to the underground station where generators produce a maximum of 185 megawatts of electricity, the largest hydroelectric project in lebanon. The litani river lebanon an assessment and current challenges by. This article examines the hydropolitics of the middle east, through a case study of the litani river of lebanon. Water quality of the upper litani river basin, lebanon.
Water pollution and urbanisation trends in lebanon. Since this was a campaign against the french there was probably not the usual publicity at the time and the whole syrian campaign got rather overshadowed by. The litani river is lebanons longest and largest river flowing entirely within its boundaries. This was not the first commando raid but it probably counts as the first where they were fully engaged. Study of physicochemical properties of colloidal sediments of litani river in lebanon article pdf available in physics procedia 55. The river originates west of baalbek and flows south through the bekaa valley. An assessment and current challenges is a muchawaited publication that con. Execute the litani river master plan for irrigation, drainage and domestic water. Start this article has been rated as startclass on the projects quality scale. The once roaring waters of litani river are choking in feces. The litani is the largest river in lebanon in length and width, with a length reaching 170 km and a watr capacity of 750 m3 per year. This famous river is contaminated, and needs to be cleaned up, and litani river pollution has been one of the main highlighted. The litani river raid was, initially, a commando operation to capture intact a key bridge in vichy french syria, just prior to the arrival of australian forces sent in to occupy the country. The height of the dam is 60 meters, the length is 1,350 meters and the width is 162 meters, at most.
It works like a virtual printer, after you send a file to print, choose pdfcreator as printer and your file will be saved as. Litani river article about litani river by the free. The source of lake qaraoun, the litani river meaning. Taking stock of cost of environmental degradation in lebanon 41 5. It rises near the ancient city of baalbeck in the central bekaa valley and flows southward before bending sharply west, entering the mediterranean north. The river length is 170 km and its basin is 2168 km2, which counts for one. In 2000, it was estimated that 44 percent of the area was irrigated from surface water, 22 percent from groundwater deep wells, recharge wells and springs and the remaining part from mixed surface water and groundwater figure 4. Implement the litani irrigation, drying, drinking water and electricity projects. The river released in 2001 extra pieces 12 new land tiles showing river segments as well as familiar features such as cities, cloisters, roads and farms1 additional rules preparation separate the spring tile2 and the lake tile from the others. Never before have we come across an author who has put so much into a book in terms of thorough research and for a firsttime author ian serves the deceased and remaining commandos and their families the respect. Pdf physicochemical evaluation of the upper litani river. Sleiman antoinette civil engineer, general studies department litani river authority lebanon. Water questionwhich direction does the litani water flow.
How often do you go skinny dipping off the litani and where. Execute the hydraulic electrical power generation and electrical networks between powerhouse and electrical distribution networks in all lebanese regions. Litani river raid no11commando 910 june 1941 in vichy french syria. However, the commandos plans were changed and while the new objectives were largely achieved, the cost in lives was high. These are the upper and lower units which are separated by the artificial lake of qaraoun amery 1993.
The litani river is the largest river in lebanon and drains the central and south bekaa valley. Hezbollah is a shia islamic organization in lebanon. The development of the litani river basin will figure highly in this strategy. The litani river, draining the southern half of lebanons bekaa valley, is a major source of electricity, agricultural output, and drinking water for the nation. The seven years ambitious plan is divided into four components. Scholars differ as to when hezbollah came to be a distinct entity. Specifically, the waters of the litani are essential for agri.
The litani river the classical leontes is an important water resource in southern lebanon. The main sources of irrigation water are the litani river and the litaniawali complex of water resources. The land here is sloping, often steep, and does not allow the river to create an alternative course. Average monthly inflows and withdrawals in water system3 note.
The main thesis is that the desire to obtain additional water sources has been a primary influence on. The highest levels of contamination along the litani river thus falls within the midupper. Qaraoun, an artificial lake of 12 square km, was created by the litani river dam, 60 meters high and 1,350 meters in length, which was completed in 1959. Litani river authority lra, lebanon ventures onsite. With the objective of assessing water quality in lebanon, many studies have been conducted on specific rivers such as litani haydar et al.
Youth when it first starts out, a river is still small and narrow, a mountain spring whose waters run quickly downwards towards the valley. The litani river authority lra was formed in 1954 in order to promote the united development of the litani river basin. The litani river, mentioned in the news every time there is talk of lebanon, packs breathtaking beauty. Abstractthe research has focused on the physical and chemical characteristics of the litani river. The litani river passes through the city of zahle and enters bar elias. Litani river formed a homogenous subset characterized by eutrophic conditions 54. Bar elias, a village in the beqaa valley, comprises 3,500 hectares and 35,000 citizens. Litani river authority created by a law dated on 14 august 1954 and rectified later on 30 december 1955. The litani river basin is essential for agriculture, urban development, industry in lebanon and suffers from widespread water pollution due to lack of pollution regulation and enforcement, few operable wastewater treatment facilities, and environmentally damaging agricultural practices. The main draining river in lebanon, the litani river is the most. Litani river basin disputes around water soapboxie.
Thomas naff is professor emeritus of asian and middle eastern studies and is also a senior research fellow at the institute for environmental studies ies at the university of pennsylvania. It is the main water source for irrigation in the bekaa valley. The litani river basin is today experiencing increasing water demands, groundwater overexploitation, and extensive pollution. Low this article has been rated as lowimportance on the projects importance scale. Various sources list the official formation of the group as early as 1982 whereas diaz and newman maintain that hezbollah remained an amalgamation of various violent shia extremists until as late as 1985. The litani river basin lrb can is divided into two major hydrologic units. Shortly after its establishment, lra was busy by a powerful hydroelectric development project, which included the area between lake quaroun and the mediterranean sea. Equally important, however, is the fact that development of the litani basin might very well be a necessary action to thwart israeli designs over this entirely lebanese water system. What is the average water temperature in the litani. Pdf study of physicochemical properties of colloidal. River in lebanon flowing entirely within lebanon, the litani rises in the biqa valley and flows south between the lebanon mountains to the west and the antilebanon mountains to the east until nabatiya, where it turns sharply to the west crosses lebanon and empties into the mediterranean sea the major litani development plan, initiated in the 1950s, was concluded. Pdf this article examines the hydropolitics of the middle east, through a case study of the litani river of lebanon. The litani river may be considered the most important river not only for lebanon but also for the whole region.