A dam in the Bisri Valley: a Case of Drowned Heritage An overview of what could be lost by Antoine Atallah The Nahr el-Awali is one of Mount Lebanon’s great rivers. It is born of the junction of the Nahr Barouk that starts in the heights of the Chouf...
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A dam in the Bisri Valley: a Case of Drowned Heritage An overview of what could be lost by Antoine Atallah The Nahr el-Awali is one of Mount Lebanon’s great rivers. It is born of the junction of the Nahr Barouk that starts in the heights of the Chouf region, and of the Nahr Array descending from the valley of Jezzine. After the crossing of those two rivers, it is named “Nahr Bisri” until it takes the name of “Al-Awali” in its lower course and reaches the Mediterranean north of Saida. The course of the River, from the valley of Bisri to the sea, constitutes an exceptional site of high ecological, cultural and archaeological importance. Half of its valley however is in danger of being submerged by a dam project. The river system of the Nahr el-Awali Antoine Atallah on Google Earth satellite image This “Bisri dam”, located just north of the village of Bisri, was first planned around 15 years ago, by the CDR with the financial support of the World Bank. It consists of a dam structure 73m h
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