dam and the Mediterranean Sea through the three power stations. The river outlet at the end of the cascade of power plants is now to the north of its original outlet. It is also utilised for providing irrigation benefits by diverting per year of water from a channel of the Markaba power station for the Kassmieh Irrigation Project. The Ibrahim Abdel Al hydroelectric power plant is located in Markaba in the Beqaa Governorate away from the lake and above sea level, it was established in 1962. It is the first of three hydro power stations that generate energy from the water of Lake Qaroun. The total power supply of the Ibrahim Abdel Al station is 36 MW generated by two power generation units. The Paul Arcache hydroelectric power plant is the biggest hydroelectric plant in Lebanon, with an overall power supply of 108 MW. It is located in Al-Awwali near the Awali river above sea level. It was established in 1965. The plant also draws water from the Qaroun lake after it comes out of the Abdel Al plant through a tunnel where its joined by water from different springs and streams such as Ain el Zarqa and Nahr el Cheta. The tunnel crosses Jabal Niha-Jezzine into the Anane basin located above the plant at above sea level. The Charles Helou hydroelectric power plant became operational in 1968 and located in Joun on the bank of the Awali river above sea level. The plant uses the water dropping from a altitude from the Awali basin located at the lower end of the Paul Arcache plant. The basin takes water discharged from the Paul Arcache plant and from Bisri river. As result of this development the hydrological regime of the Litani River has been divided into two zones. The basin above the lake is known as the Upper Litani Basin (ULB), and that below the lake is called Litani's lower reaches. Reservoir The Qaraoun reservoir or lake created by Qaroun Dam on the Litani River has a water spread area of . It is the largest artificial lake in Lebanon, located in the southern part of the fertile Beqaa Valley, with a total capacity of about and effective storage (live storage) of . The power generation is a primary benefit, which meets about 7%–10% of the power requirements in Lebanon. However, the stored waters also provide irrigation benefits with flows of