Barada

Barada refers most often to a geographical feature in Syria: the Barada River and the Barada Valley, known locally as Wadi Barada, located northwest of Damascus. The Barada River drains from the Anti-Lebanon Mountains into a lowland valley that hosts a network of springs and streams feeding the Damascus region. The valley is home to several villages and has historically supplied water for the city and surrounding areas. Among the prominent springs in the basin is Ain al-Fijah, one of the major sources feeding the Barada system.

Historically, Barada has been central to Damascus's water supply since ancient times, and the valley has been the focus of hydrological management through Roman, Ottoman, and modern periods. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the Barada watershed faced environmental pressures from pollution and over-extraction, prompting rehabilitation efforts and new infrastructure to restore and protect water quality. The water supply to Damascus has at times been disrupted due to environmental or security incidents in the valley and its surroundings; authorities have undertaken cleanup and restoration programs to secure the city’s water resources.

The name Barada also appears in Arabic as a given name or surname and may be used by people in Arabic-speaking communities. In such cases, it is not associated with any single person or event but reflects regional naming practices.