# Farming and tourism under threat as winter drought dries up France’s Lake Montbel Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-03-17 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Fears grow as drought dries up iconic Lake Montbel in France Meta Description: Discover the impact of France's driest winter in 64 years on Lake Montbel and the concerns over water security in the region. Visit the once turquoise URL: https://financedigest.com/farming-and-tourism-under-threat-as-winter-drought-dries-up-frances-lake-montbelhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-03-17t110447z2lynxmpej2g0dartroptp4climate-change-france-lake-1736814300414-compressed.jpg) By Manuel Ausloos PARIS (Reuters) – Set at foot of the Pyrenees mountains, Lake Montbel is famous in south-west France for its turquoise waters, massive size and thriving aquatic life. But as spring nears, the postcard landscape has largely turned into a muddy wasteland, with the boats of the local sailing club left stranded on its banks, as France’s driest winter in 64 years kept the lake from filling up. France, like most of Europe, is in the grip of a winter [drought that is prompting growing concerns over water](https://www.financedigest.com/after-long-drought-china-plots-ambitious-water-infrastructure-push.html "After long drought, China plots ambitious water infrastructure push") security across the continent. For the month of February, the Ariege region, where Lake Montbel is located, has [suffered from a rainfall shortage](https://www.financedigest.com/one-in-three-london-startups-suffer-from-shortage-in-tech-talent.html "One in three London startups suffer from shortage in tech talent") of 80%. “We are only currently at … about 25% of the maximum filling rate. At this [time of year](https://www.financedigest.com/30-years-of-excel-lence-time-to-move-on.html "30 YEARS OF EXCEL-LENCE: TIME TO MOVE ON?"), we are usually closer to a 60% filling rate,” said Xavier Rouja, who manages the lake’s dam. Lake Montbel is an artificial lake, which extends over 570 hectares and was created in 1985 by flooding what used to be a forested area. The lake, roughly half-way between Toulouse and Perpignan, was initially created to irrigate the region’s crops, but over time camp sites and [hiking trails have sprouted around its banks](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-englands-mann-doubles-down-on-backing-for-rate-hikes.html "Bank of England’s Mann doubles down on backing for rate hikes"), drawing thousands of tourists each year. As he walks the lake’s dried-up bed, [sailing instructor Claude Carriere checks on sailing boats stranded a few metres from the water](https://www.financedigest.com/the-tankless-water-heater-market-to-sail-through-innovation-based-turbulence.html "The Tankless Water Heater Market To Sail Through Innovation-Based Turbulence"). His club has had to cancel several competitions since January, as the lake’s shrunken surface is no longer suited for sailing. “We have a magnificent body of water when it’s full. It’s fabulous. It is a haven of peace, a place of leisure and relaxation,” Carriere, who has been volunteering at the club [since the early](https://www.financedigest.com/first-quarter-dash-for-cash-largest-since-early-2020-bofa.html "First quarter ‘dash for cash’ largest since early 2020 -BofA") 2000s, told Reuters. “When you see it like that, it’s sad. It looks more like a muddy desert than anything. And that [breaks our hearts](https://www.financedigest.com/marketmind-dont-break-my-heart.html "Marketmind: Don’t break my heart") in a way. The club’s [management is already looking to diversify its activities](https://www.financedigest.com/with-the-right-active-manager-you-really-do-get-what-you-pay-for.html "With the Right Active Manager, You Really Do Get What You Pay For") to keep operating through future droughts. ‘WE WILL HAVE TO ADAPT’ Downstream, farmers are worried ahead of spring and summer. “Lake Montbel, in fact, is the guarantee of income … If tomorrow, we have to do without water, many, many of our farms will [collapse and disappear,” said head](https://www.financedigest.com/is-the-market-right-to-be-losing-its-head-with-the-recent-stock-market-collapse.html "Is the market right to be losing its head with the recent Stock market collapse?") of the regional farmers’ irrigation association, Christophe Mascarenc. Mascarenc uses water from the nearby Ariege river and not from Montbel Lake. He nevertheless [plans to cut corn production by 50% to 60% this year](https://www.financedigest.com/3-factors-to-plan-for-in-2017-a-year-like-none-other.html "3 Factors to Plan for in 2017, A Year Like None Other") to save water. Others in the region have turned to less water-intensive crops, such as sorghum, sunflower and even mandarins. Authorities are also working on a [plan to divert the nearby Touyre river to help fill](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-firms-plan-biggest-pay-rises-since-2012-to-fill-staff-gaps.html "UK firms plan biggest pay rises since 2012 to fill staff gaps") up the lake, though the project has met opposition from environmental groups. As the effects of global warming are [set to intensify in coming decades](https://www.financedigest.com/german-bonds-set-for-worst-month-in-decades-as-inflation-hits-new-highs.html "German bonds set for worst month in decades as inflation hits new highs"), warmer and drier seasons will become more common, the head of the public Upstream Garonne River Interdepartmental Delegation, Franck Solacroup, said. The Montbel dam is representative of this (water) [deficit situation](https://www.financedigest.com/the-pensions-deficit-abyss-the-time-to-review-your-situation-is-now.html "The pensions deficit abyss – the time to review your situation is now") and this level of filling, which is far from optimal at the start of the season,” he said. In 2022, we really had conditions which will be the norm in 2050, due to [climate change](https://www.financedigest.com/deloitte-research-reveals-inaction-on-climate-change-could-cost-the-worlds-economy-us178-trillion-by-2070.html "Deloitte research reveals inaction on climate change could cost the world’s economy US8 trillion by 2070") … This is something we will have to get used to and therefore adapt to.” (Reporting by Manuel Ausloos and Noemie Olive, Editing by Dominique Vidalon and Alex Richardson) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---