Lac des Brenets dries up as water level plummets, locals demand action

Lac des Brenets, straddling the border of France’s Franche-Comté region and Switzerland’s Neuchâtel canton, is experiencing an extreme drop in water level caused by geological fissures that drain water underground, insufficient rainfall and repeated heatwaves. The lake, which normally reaches depths of 25-30 metres, now holds only about nine metres of water, and the 27-metre waterfall at its outlet has ceased flowing. Yvan Durig, who runs the local navigation company, stopped boat services on July 20, citing daily declines of 20-22 centimetres and a current elevation 14.66 metres below normal. Residents such as amateur historian David Favre and river-boat guide Maxime Fallet warn that the lake could vanish permanently without swift action, while a 2022 Franco-Swiss task force has yet to deliver decisive solutions.