Barada River: River passing through Damascus. It rises in the Anti-Lebanon mountains and flows southward for 84 km (52 miles) through Damascus to intermittent al-Utaybeh Lake and its marches. Barada's volume is doubled by the Fijeh Spring (which is used to bring drinking water to Damascus). Throughout history, channels have been cut at different levels parallel to the main branch of the river to divert its flow, thus preventing the wasting of its water. The channels, of Nabataean, Aramaean, Roman and Arab Umayyad origin, irrigate an area of about 375 square km (about 145 square miles). This system has created the Ghoutah Oasis, which consists of extremely fertile orchards surrounding Damascus.