before it outlets into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the 40 major streams in Lebanon and is the longest from the source to the Mediterranean Sea. The land on the periphery of the reservoir consists of agricultural lands on the eastern side where arable crops and olive orchards are seen. Grazing of sheep and goats is also noted. On the steep sloping western periphery of the lake there are fruit orchards and pasture land for grazing. Geology The geological formation at the dam axis and the reservoir consists of limestone, chalky marl, and alluvial deposits with semi karstic and karstic limestones both upstream of the reservoir area and along the dam axis. Marl in the reservoir area has low permeability. Climate The climate in the catchment of the reservoir is of continental type with 90% of rainfall occurring between November and April, with January experiencing the maximum precipitation. Snowfall is experienced at elevation above . The rainfall incidence in the Beqaa Valley, which widely varies spatially and temporally, is an annual average of in the mountainous region of the upper valley to a low of in the south in the coastal region. However, the average annual rainfall is in the catchment area of about at the reservoir carted at the dam. Water resources and hydroelectric power plants According to water balance studies carried out for the Litani River, the total inflow of the river at the reservoir location has been assessed as per year, of which 60% is accounted towards aquifer recharge and evapotranspiration. Of the balance of per year of surface water, per year is used for various uses by pumping before the flow reaches the dam. Thus, the flow of is available at the reservoir, in an average year (35-year average flows from 1920s). However, in drought years, the flow could reach a low of , as recorded in 1972–73). Based on precipitation data, the total annual flow could be as high as . The average annual flow received at the reservoir is utilised through the dam created at the site and diverting it through a series of tunnels and ponds to generate 600 GWh of energy at three hydroelectric power stations ( total installed capacity) located at Markaba, Awali and Jun. The planning done in the 1950s at the time of building the dam and the Qaraoun reservoir envisaged utilization of head available between the