Barada
| Barada Arabic: بَرَدَىٰ | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Barada river in Damascus near the Four Seasons Hotel. The water level is uncharacteristically high in this view from the spring of 2009. | |
| Etymology | From barid, meaning 'cold' in Semitic languages |
| Location | |
| Country |  Syria |
| City | Damascus |
The Barada (
.Etymology
"Barada" is thought to be derived from the word barid, which means "cold" in Semitic languages.[1] The ancient Greek name (Greek: Χρυσορρόας, romanized: Chrysorrhoas), means "streaming with gold".[2]
Topography and source
Throughout the arid plateau region east of Damascus, oases, streams, and a few minor rivers that empty into swamps and small lakes provide water for local irrigation. Most important of these is the Barada, a river that rises in the
Biblical mention
Barada is identified as Abana (or Amanah, in
John MacGregor, who gives a description of them in his book Rob Roy on the Jordan, affirmed that as a work of hydraulic engineering, the system and construction of the canals, by which the Abana and Pharpar were used for irrigation, might be considered as one of the most complete and extensive in the world. In the Bible, Naaman exclaims that the Abana and Pharpar are greater than all the waters of Israel.[5]
Branching
Barada's water branches at Hameh village and the gorge of Rabweh into six distributaries or canals, two of which, Yazid and Tora, branch off the northern bank, while the remaining four, Mezzawi, Derani, Qanawat, and Banias, are formed from the southern bank.[6]
The Yazid canal runs north to the districts of Salihya and Qabun; Tora, the oldest of all, passes through Al-Jisr Al-Abyad district, heading to Jobar and Harasta; Mezzawi tears through Mezzeh; Derani runs towards Darya; Banias runs by the National Museum north of the Citadel and reaches Bab Touma; and, finally, the Qanawat canal pours into the southern quarters of the old city following Via Recta.[7]
Outside the city of Damascus, the water gathers to pour into River Qleit which runs to Eastern Ghouta.[7]
Gallery
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The upper valley of the Barada in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains 1855 -
Barada river 1868 -
Barada river around 1930 -
Feeja Spring in 2007 -
The dry riverbed Barada in August 2010 -
Annotated view of Barada and Damascus with surroundings, as seen from space in 2013
_p282_PASS_OF_SOOC_BARRADA.jpg)
See also
- Ghouta
- Water resources management in Greater Damascus
References
- ISBN 978-0815653325.
- ISBN 978-1606083949.
- LCCN 87600488. Note: text doesn't have permanent URL. Click "Land, Water, and Climate" at link.
- ^ "الحياة - النظام في وادي بردى: النهب المستمر... تعفيش وتحريق وتنحيس". Archived from the original on 2017-05-13.
- ^ a b Chisholm 1911, p. 6.
- ^ Damascus, Born In (2016-02-07). "Born In Damascus: The River Barada". Born In Damascus. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
- ^ a b دمشق فيضان نهر برطى عام 1970 ساحة المرجا وفكتوريا. منتديات المدني.
External links and further reading
- Before Vanishing, a 2005 documentary short about the decline of Barada (French titles, no narration).
Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Abana". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.- De Chatel, Francesca (January 2008). "A Drought in Eden". Syria Today.[permanent dead link]
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abana". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 6.
| Mediterranean | |
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| Persian Gulf |
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| endorheic |
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