Lake Qaraoun is an artificial lake or reservoir located in the southern region of the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon.
It was created in 1959 near Qaraoun village by building a 61-metre-high (200 ft) concrete dam (the largest dam in Lebanon) in the middle reaches of the Litani River (the longest river in Lebanon).
The reservoir has been used for hydropower generation, mainly for areas of the South of Lebanon.
Aside from its functional aspect of creating electricity, Lake Qaraoun has become a frequently visited site by locals and tourists.
The lake and what lays around it offer to people a breathtaking landscape.
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Next to the lake are houses and farms where villagers of Qaraoun spend their whole year.
The lake is located in the Beqaa Valley, which means it is situated between Mount Lebanon to the west and Anti-Lebanon mountains to the east.
Horseback-riding is a popular activity that you can do around the Lake and in the village. It is a very relaxing sport, especially in such a picturesque setting.
It is important to note that Beqaa Valley is the principal agricultural terrain of Lebanon.
Small harbours are also set up in order to allow people to sail in the beautiful waters and try the lake experience since Lebanon doesn’t have many lakes and Lake Qaraoun is one of few.
Lake Qaraoun also provides irrigation for Qaraoun village and other neighbouring areas.
The area of Qaraoun contains a lot of archaeological sites and ruins such as the site of Ain Jaouze that overlooks Lake Qaraoun.
It has been suggested that these ruins are similar to those of coastal Byblos.