Lac du Ballon

The Lac du Ballon (German Belchensee ) is an artificial lake in a tributary of the Florival in the Vosges, at the foot of the Grand Ballon. Its drainage flows after 3.9 km in the leeks.

The small glacial lake was enlarged in the 16th century by a landfill on the moraine.

1699 was the Vauban dam get ready, the lake now supplied water for canals in the construction of the fortress of Neuf- Brisach. The remains of the dam in 1740 and 1778 were washed away by floods.

1869 factory built from the Lauchtal a tunnel as trap under the lake bed to increase the usable volume.

By 1955 the basic rock had become leaky.

1966 to 1968, the lake was sealed, the dam increased again, with a high water flow on the left bank. The drainage tunnel was backfilled, built a new bottom outlet with a control tower. 1999-2000, the dam and the lake shore were bricked, concreted the dam crest.

The lake is about, along with the smaller Lauchsee, as drinking water reservoir and flood retention basins for the Lauchtal and the city Guebwiller.

• Vosges
• Reservoir in France
• Reservoir in Europe
• Ill river system (Alsace )