IDENTITY CARD The Ibrahim river is one of its among the coastal Lebanese NAHR Denomination: The Ibrahim, Nahr Ibrahim, Abraham kind rivers and is bounded to the East River, Adonis River, Afqa. IBRAHIM by the Yammouneh fault. Source: Two permanent springs Afqa and Roueiss (1210 and 1300m of altitude) GENERAL INFO Outlet: Nahr Ibrahim - Okaibeh Nahr Ibrahim is the borderline between Jbeil and Kesrouan Owner: Lebanon's Government governates. Body responsible One of the main hydrological systems in Lebanon. for maintenance: Lebanese Government Length: 27 Km Legal protection: Lebanese Ministry of Environment (MoE) Mean flow rate: 495 million m3/year Importance: Ibrahim river watershed is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Watershed’s surface: 309 Km2 (3% of the country’s total Tentative surface) Protection: Nahr Ibrahim Watershed was proposed in the Tentative List of UNESCO. The watershed includes 64 villages. Population density reaches 1700 inhabitants/km2. GEOGRAPHY The Ibrahim river is located on the western mountain chain of Lebanon and encompasses a green and mountainous terrain. Location of the Nahr Ibrahim watershed: 40 Km from Byblos and 80 Km from the capital Beirut It is a major axis of penetration into the mountains that connect Byblos to Beqaa and Baalbek. The ancient river flows 23 Km from its source in Afqa in the Lebanese mountain (elevation: 1500m). The perennial river flows from east to west from itssource in Afqa. THE WATERSHED El Azzi, D. LEGENDS OF THE IBRAHIM RIVER For many years, the people believed that the blood of Ouranos, mortal descendent, resided next to Byblos Adonis was being spilled again each time the river turned in villages under attack by hunters and wild beasts. red. The red color is caused by a mineral carried in the Exceptionally handsome, he multiplied his extramarital water as the snow melt. affairs and hid them by making his children disappear. The Afqa spring was considered sacred and consecrated Elos-Cronos, one of his legitimate sons, became his eligible to Astarte, the goddess of fertility. THE BIRTH OF successor but to establish his power, Elos had to get rid of APHRODITE his father. So, he set a trap and cut his father’s genitals off ARCHEOLOGY near the river. Blood dripped into the Ibrahim river and the cut off Nahr Ibrahim bridge is located near the outlet of the river, next to an antique site. organs fell into the Mediterranean Sea and gave birth to Aphrodite, goddess of love and fertility. The bridge evidently represents several The legend has it that Adonis was a mortal of great beauty. different phases of He was Aphrodite’s most famous lover. One day, Adonis construction. went hunting a wild boar in Afqa, in the high Lebanese mountains.Unfortunately, the boar horned him in the groin. The size of the main Adonis eventually succumbed to his injury and died next arch suggest that it is a to the sources of the Nahr Ibrahim river. His blood flew medieval (post Roman) in the river coloring the waters in red. Some of the blood construction. The smaller also spread on the grass giving birth to the wild anemones arch on the left bank could covering the mountain. be of Roman origin. Zeus, having pity for Aphrodite in love with Adonis, allowed Nahr Ibrahim bridge APHRODITE Adonis to spend part of the year on earth. Symbolically, AND ADONIS Adonis returns to the world of the living in spring, thus SURROUNDINGS symbolizing both the death of nature and the life celebrated by the coming of spring. The urban areas, located near the At this precise moment, every year, the water of the coast, concentrate most of the river turns red in commemoration of his death. This red industrial activities. coloration is in fact the result of the nature of the particles eroded and transported to the mainstream. In the estuary region, marble Every year, feasts were organized in Byblos with pilgrimages factories, food establishments, to Afqa, parades, dances and songs commemorating the repair workshops, woodcrafts and resurrection of the God. various other factories (Plastic, paint, WATERSHED It is located in Afqa, halfway between Baalbek and Byblos. galvanizing, electroplating and ferrous RIVER Near the temple, there is a lake in which the devotees industries) have been identified. THE SANCTUARY placed offerings to the goddess. OF APHRODITE If the gifts were accepted by the goddess, they would fall Throughout the watershed, you can find agricultural activities, temples, SPRING to the bottom of the water, otherwise they would be seen WATERFALL floating even though they should naturally sink. ruins and churches. SOIL Most of the watershed consists of non-productive soil categories (bare rocks and rocky outcrops). The most common soils are leptosols. Soils sensitive to erosion. Important slopes and quarries exacerbate this vulnerability. YANOUH ROMAN TEMPLE - TEMPLE OF MASHNAQA ROMAN TEMPLE MAR GIORGIS EL AZRAK, YANOUH SOIL STELE DEPICTING PHOENICIAN OCCUPATION GOD ADONIS REMAINS OF THE TEMPLES OF ASTARTE AND ADONIS, AFQA MAP CLIMATE The area's climatic conditions, typicallyMediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The average annual rainfall ranges between 900 and 1400 mm and occurs between November and March. Sub-humid in April. SOURCE MOUTH AFQA Dry from May to October. STREAM Alfred Moussa What makes the watershed ECOLOGY GEOLOGY The Nahr Ibrahim site is listed as one of the most Four physiographic units form the Nahr Ibrahim watershed: even more interesting! impressive and natural sites of UNESCO. Rich in its past, the watershed has a unique bio- 1 - Maximum elevation 50m ecology, it includes: THE COASTAL - Soils suitable for agricultural practices In the watershed, the forest of Jabal Moussa was - Aromatic species such as bay trees, oleaster, PLAIN - Soils formed on sediments protected by decision of the minister of agriculture caper and sumac and the region was nominated as the 3rd biosphere - Many birds including ducks - Elevation: 600m 2 reserve in Lebanon since 2009. - Dominated by limestone formations However, many species are threatened, such THE LOWER - Characterized by a slope ranging between as Arbutus andrachne and the Charaxe jasius SLOPES butterfly. 20-25 m/Km - Elevation: 600-1500 m Be aware: 3 - Constitutes a set of rock formation There is a clear connection between nature and THE UPWARD mainly: carbonate rocks, sandstones and water. SLOPE clayey facies Fauna and Flora: On the bank river we can find pine trees, oaks, - Elevation: more than 1500 m 4 THE TOP Afqa cavern Mount Tabor oak in rocks. - Dominated by limestone and dolomites Multiple trees: fig, laurel, carob, and plane trees. We find several plants on the river’s bank: The Nahr Ibrahim watershed is known for its touristic Coriander, moss, fern, rusty back fern, butcher’s Various calcareous formations from the Middle Jurassic to the aspect (hiking, swimming, restaurants,resorts etc.). broom, watercress, Lebanese thyme, wild Upper Cretaceous form about 80% of the substrate of the Nahr asparagus, St. John’s wort. Ibrahim watershed. Natural sites, the cavern of Afqa it is the site of one of The presence of hedera plant indicates that the finest waterfalls in the mountains of the Middle nature is maintaining its environmental balance. Sandstone, ferruginous, and basaltic outcrops, are also present East, which feeds into the Ibrahim River and forms in the watershed. Lake Yammoune, with which it is also associated by Interesting info: Plane Trees legend. Plane trees are water resistant due to their roots, fern and moss grow too. Laurel and oak trees grow inside plane trees. ALL THIS INDICATES LIFE ON THE RVER’S BANK ANSWERS: 6.UNESCO 5.ADONIS 4.RIVER Biosphere reserve of Jabal Moussa 3.NILE 2.APHRODITE 1.AFQA HYDROLOGY AGRICULTURAL COVER Total amount of precipitation in the Nahr Ibrahim watershed: 335 The forested area is conifer dominant (Pinus sp., Cedrus sp., million m3/year. Juniperus sp., Cupressus sp., etc.), pistachio trees (Pistacia lentiscus) and deciduous trees (mainly Quercus sp., Prunus Divided into groundwater and Serrula and Lagerstroemia Indica). surface water. Fruit trees in orchards, banana plantation, olive plantation, Largely controlled by snowmelt vineyards and greenhouse cultivation mainly tomatoes. contributing to 30 to 80% Planted area of Tall El Kharayeb at Yanouh (Harfouche & Poupet, 2015) (average 58%) to the total flow. Rainfall contributed to the flow to a lesser extent. PROBLEMS ALERT Land movement and soil erosion are Most of the snowmelt comes a major problem in the Nahr Ibrahim’s from altitudes higher than 1200 watershed. This major problem influences m, representing 43% of the total the distribution of habitat. surface of Nahr Ibrahim river. The watershed faces a high risk of forest firedue to population More than 200 sources feed the growth and anthropogenic activities. river (70% located at altitudes over 900m). Agricultural practices (excessive use of fertilizers, chemical treatment etc.) increased the level of pollution. The flow reaches the highest during March April and May Yahchouch and Janna dams cause increased soil erosion, loss during snowmelt. NAHR IBRAHIM BASIN SPRINGS (A.FITZPATRICK, 2001) of water, destruction of the fauna and flora and reactivation of seismic faults. AVERAGE ANNUAL FLOW OF NAHR IBRAHIM (CNRS) ANSWERS: 6.DROUGHT 5.SNOWMELT 4.JABAL MOUSSA 4.JABAL 3.JANNA 2.WATERFALL 1.POLLUTION.