Barada
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The Barada (Arabic: بردى, Greek: Chrysorrhoas) is the main river o Damascus, the caipital ceety o Sirie. It flows throu the spring o `Ayn Fijah (عين فيجة), aboot 27 km north wast o Damascus in the Anti-Lebanon Muntains, but its source is Lake Barada, locatit at aboot 8 km frae Zabadani. The Barada descends through a steep, narrow gorge namit "Rabwe" afore it arrives at Damascus, whaur it divides intae seiven branches that irrigate the oasis o Ghouta (الغوطة). The 'Barada' name is thocht tae derive frae 'barid', i.e. 'cauld'. The auncient Greek name means 'gowden stream'.
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Barada | |
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Barada river in Damascus near the Four Seasons Hotel. The water level is uncharacteristically heich in this view frae spring 2009. | |
Ither name(s) | Arabic: بَرَدَىٰ |
Throughoot the arid plateau region east o Damascus, oases, streams, an a few interior rivers that empty intae swamps an sma lakes provide watter for local irrigation. Maist important o thir is the Barada, a river that rises in the Anti-Lebanon Muntains an disappears intae the desert. The Barada creates the Al Ghutah Oasis, steid o Damascus. This verdant aurie, some 370 square kilometers, haes enabled Damascus tae prosper syne auncient times. Frae the mid-1980s onwards, the size o Al Ghutah wis gradually bein erodit as suburban hoosin an licht industry frae Damascus encroached on the oasis.
The river haes suffered frae severe drocht in the last decades, mainly due tae the lawer rainfaw rates an the lairge increase in the population in the region. It an aw suffers frae serious pollution problems, especially in the simmer, whaur thare is amaist nae flow an little watter in the basin.