Near East & North Africa Land and Water Days, Amman, 15-18 December 2013

Connecting transboundary water resources management with national visions and plans in Lebanon

by S.Sarraf

Basin area 244 km²

Length of the river 52 km

Mean annual flow 377MCM

Estimated population 100,000

National views and Plans in Lebanon for Al-Kabir Basin

Additional water resources

Expand the irrigation network to satisfy the needs of the population (from 1,700 to almost 6,700 ha)

Address pollution issues (water Hyacinth)

Address recurrent flood control

Basin area 2,016 km²

Length of the river 38 km

Mean annual flow 410 MCM

Estimated population 381,000

National views and Plans in Lebanon for Al-Assi/Orontes Basin

Additional water resources, by increasing water storage

New irrigation schemes covering an area of 6,800 ha

Address pollution issues (Wastewater treatment plants)

Power generation of 50 MW

Basin area 600 km²

Length of the river 21 km

Mean annual flow 143 MCM

Estimated population 170,000

Government’s projects considered for the Hasbani water course region.

The Wazzani Water Supply Project (WWSP)

The Hasbaya-Hebariyah Water Project

Ibl al Saki Storage Dam Project

The Hasbaya Waste water Project

Construction of dams Distribution of potable water Increasing the irrigated areas Executing wastewater treatment projects Controlling flood

Conclusions

For the two transboundary river basins, al-Kabir and al-Assi where Lebanon and Syria have signed agreements, the strategy is to be achieved through:

For the Hasbani river basinAlmost all projects are at hold until further development of the Arab-Israeli conflict.