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Sabkhat al-Jabbul

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(Redirected from Sabkhat al-Jabbul Nature Reserve) Lake in Syria

Not to be confused with Al-Sabkhah.
Sabkhat al-Jabbul
سبخة الجبول (Arabic)
Satellite photo of Lake JabbulSentinel-2 image (2022)
A map of Syria with a mark indicating the location of Sabkhat al-JabbulA map of Syria with a mark indicating the location of Sabkhat al-JabbulSabkhat al-Jabbul
LocationAleppo Governorate
Coordinates36°04′N 037°30′E / 36.067°N 37.500°E / 36.067; 37.500
TypeSalt lake
Basin countriesSyria
Surface area100 km (39 sq mi)
Ramsar Wetland
Official nameSabkhat al-Jabbul Nature Reserve
Designated5 March 1998
Reference no.935

Sabkhat al-Jabbūl or Mamlahat al-Jabbūl or Lake Jabbūl (Arabic: سبخة الجبول) is a large, traditionally seasonal, saline lake and concurrent salt flats (sabkha) 30 km southeast of Aleppo, Syria, in the Bāb District of Aleppo Governorate. It is the largest natural lake in Syria and the second largest lake after the artificial Lake Assad. In 2009 the lake covered about 100 km (39 sq mi) and was relatively stable. The salt flats are extensive. The area includes the Sabkhat al-Jabbul Nature Reserve, a protected waterfowl site.

Shallow parts of the lake go dry in August leaving salt crystals on the floor

Today the Sabkhat al-Jabbul exists within a closed basin, but during the Pleistocene the basin filled, overflowed and formed a tributary of the Euphrates. The lake traditionally flooded in the spring, shrinking back during the summer and autumn. However, starting in 1988, irrigation projects on adjacent lands started discharging significant amounts of partially saline water into the basin, stabilizing the water table and creating a lake of 100 km (39 sq mi).

Resource use

Primary uses of the area include waterfowl hunting, livestock grazing on the surrounding steppe and salt extraction. Al-Jubbul is the major source of salt in Syria, other sources include Lake Jayrud, Rif Dimashq Governorate, to the northeast of Damascus and Lake Khatuniyah (Khatunia), Al-Hasakah Governorate, to the northeast of Al-Hasakah, near the village of Al Hawi and the Iraqi border.

Use of salt

Rock salt from Sabkhat al-Jabbul was used in the "salt rooms" at Sednaya Prison. The rooms were used as mortuaries to preserve dead bodies of inames in the absence of refrigerated morgues.

Notes

  1. "Sabkhat al-Jabbul Nature Reserve". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. Name used in the Syria article Encyclopædia Britannica 2005 edition, volume 28, page 363
  3. ^ "SY006: Sabkhat al-Jabbul" BirdLife IBA Factsheet
  4. Carter, Terry (editor) (2004) "National Parks and Reserves: Syria" Syria & Lebanon (2nd edition) Lonely Planet Publications, Footscray, Victoria, Australia, page 59
  5. "'My heart died': Ex-prisoners haunted by Syria's 'salt rooms'". Al Jazeera English. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2024.

Further reading

  • Evans, Michael I. (editor) (1994) Important Bird Areas in the Middle East (BirdLife Conservation Series No.2.) BirdLife International, Cambridge, England, ISBN 0-946888-28-0

External links

Aleppo Governorate
Capital: Aleppo
Mount Simeon District
Mount Simeon Subdistrict
Tell ad-Daman‎ Subdistrict
Haritan Subdistrict
Darat Izza Subdistrict
al-Hadher Subdistrict
al-Zirbah Subdistrict
Zammar Subdistrict
Aleppo Governorate within Syria
Aleppo Governorate
Azaz District
Azaz Subdistrict
Akhtarin Subdistrict
Tell Rifaat Subdistrict
Mare' Subdistrict
Nubl Subdistrict
Sawran Subdistrict
Afrin District
Afrin Subdistrict
Bulbul Subdistrict
Jandairis Subdistrict
Maabatli Subdistrict
Rajo Subdistrict
Sharran Subdistrict
Shaykh al-Hadid Subdistrict
Atarib District
Atarib Subdistrict
Ibbin Samaan Subdistrict
Urum al-Kubra Subdistrict
Ayn al-Arab District
Ayn al-Arab Subdistrict
al-Jalbiyah Subdistrict
Sarrin Subdistrict
Shuyukh Tahtani Subdistrict
Al-Bab District
Al-Bab Subdistrict
Arima Subdistrict
Al-Rai Subdistrict
Tadef Subdistrict
Dayr Hafir District
Dayr Hafir Subdistrict
Kuweires Sharqi Subdistrict
Rasm Harmil al-Imam Subdistrict
Jarabulus District
Jarabulus Subdistrict
Ghandoura Subdistrict
Manbij District
Manbij Subdistrict
Abu Kahf Subdistrict
Abu Qilqil Subdistrict
Al-Khafsah Subdistrict
Maskanah Subdistrict
As-Safira District
As-Safira Subdistrict
Banan Subdistrict
al-Hajib Subdistrict
Khanasir Subdistrict
Tell Aran Subdistrict


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