Lake Qaraoun

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Lake Qaraoun

Location	Beqaa Valley
Coordinates	33°34′11.63″N, 35°41′51.18″ECoordinates: 33°34′11.63″N, 35°41′51.18″E
Lake type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Litani River
Primary outflows	Litani River
Basin countries	Lebanon
Surface area	11 km²

Lake Qaraoun, which is in located in the southern region of the Beqaa Valley, is Lebanon's only man-made lake. 11 square kilometers in area, this artificial lake was created by the Litani River dam in 1959. The dam, which holds back Lebanon's longest river, is 60 m high and 1,350 m long. A gallery of 6,503 meters carries the water to the underground hydroelectric station where transformers produce a maximum of 185 megawatts. Future plans will allow the dam to irrigate 310 square km of farmland in South Lebanon and another 80 square km in the Beqaa Valley.^[1]

Tourists and visitors visit the lake where fishing and water sports, such as water and jet skiing as well as sailing are popular activities. Fish-serving restaurants on the lakeside are popular destinations during the summer.^{[citation needed]}