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Lake Homs Dam
Downstream view of Lake Homs Dam in 1921
Location	near Homs, Syria
Coordinates	34°39′45″N 36°37′04″E / 34.662604°N 36.617836°E / 34.662604; 36.617836
Opening date	284 AD
Dam and spillways
Height	7 metres (23 ft)
Length	2,000 metres (6,600 ft)
Width (base)	20 metres (66 ft)
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Homs
Total capacity	200 million cubic metres (260×10^ cu yd)

The Lake Homs Dam, also known as Qattinah Dam, is a Roman-built dam near the city of Homs, Syria, which is in use to this day.

History

Contrary to an older hypothesis which tentatively linked the origins of the dam to Egyptian ruler Sethi (1319–1304 BC), the structure dates to 284 AD when it was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian (284–305 AD) for irrigation purposes. With a capacity of 90 million m, it is considered the largest Roman reservoir in the Near East and might have even been the largest artificial reservoir constructed up to that time. Remarkably, the reservoir has suffered very little silting since.

The 2 km long and 7 m high masonry gravity dam consists of a Roman concrete core protected by basalt blocks. The slightly pointed curvature of the dam follows the course of a long ridge of basalt and thus bears only superficial resemblance to an arch dam.

In 1938, the level of the dam was raised, increasing the volume of water the artificial lake holds to 200 million m.

See also

• Al-Rastan Dam – located downstream
• List of Roman dams and reservoirs
• Roman architecture
• Roman engineering

References

1. All values refer to the original ancient dam.
2. Smith 1971, pp. 39f.; Schnitter 1978, p. 31
3. Hodge 1992, p. 91; Hodge 2000, p. 338
4. Smith 1971, p. 42
5. Smith 1971, pp. 42f.; Hodge 1992, p. 91
6. ^ Hodge 1992, p. 91
7. Schnitter 1978, p. 31; Hodge 1992, p. 91

Sources

• Hodge, A. Trevor (1992), Roman Aqueducts & Water Supply, London: Duckworth, p. 91, ISBN 0-7156-2194-7
• Hodge, A. Trevor (2000), "Reservoirs and Dams", in Wikander, Örjan (ed.), Handbook of Ancient Water Technology, Technology and Change in History, vol. 2, Leiden: Brill, p. 338, ISBN 90-04-11123-9
• Schnitter, Niklaus (1978), "Römische Talsperren", Antike Welt, 8 (2): 25–32
• Smith, Norman (1971), A History of Dams, London: Peter Davies, pp. 39–43, ISBN 0-432-15090-0

v t e List of Roman dams and reservoirs
Portugal	Muro Dam Roman Dam of Belas Roman Dam of Fonte Coberta Roman Dam of Pego da Moura
Spain	Alcantarilla Dam Almonacid de la Cuba Dam Consuegra Dam Cornalvo Dam Ermita de la Virgen del Pilar Dam Esparragalejo Dam Iturranduz Dam La Pared de los Moros Muel Dam Proserpina Dam Puy Foradado Dam
Syria	Harbaqa Dam Lake Homs Dam
Other countries	Band-e Kaisar Dara Dam Glanum Dam Kasserine Dam Subiaco Dams

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