Barada

Related Category: Middle Eastern Physical Geography

(bär´ədə), ancient Abana(ăb´ənə), river, 52 mi (84 km) long, rising in the Anti-Lebanon Mts. and flowing S to marshy Lake Al Utaybah, SE Syria; forms the Ghutah oasis, site of the city of Damascus. The Barada's waters have been used for irrigation for centuries; fruit orchards, wheat, and vineyards thrive there. Two dams on the Barada generate hydroelectricity and store water for irrigation. See Abana.