Lake of Sainte-Croix

Lake of Sainte-Croix
Lac de Sainte-Croix (French)
The lake seen from the northeast, with the Pont du Galetas at the bottom, on the border between Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Lake of Sainte-Croix
Location	Var/Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Coordinates	43°45′49″N 6°11′2″E / 43.76361°N 6.18389°E / 43.76361; 6.18389
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Verdon
Primary outflows	Verdon
Catchment area	1,591 km2 (614 sq mi)
Basin countries	France
Surface area	22 km2 (8.5 sq mi)
Max. depth	93 m (305 ft)
Water volume	760×10^6 m3 (27×10^9 cu ft)
Surface elevation	477 m (1,565 ft)
Settlements	Les Salles-sur-Verdon, Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, Bauduen

The Lake of Sainte-Croix (French: Lac de Sainte-Croix, pronounced [lak də sɛ̃tkʁwa]) is a reservoir in Southern France that was formed by the construction, between 1971 and 1974 (when it was put into service),^[1] of a reinforced-concrete arch dam, the Sainte-Croix Dam [fr]. It marks the departmental border between Var to the southeast and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to the northwest.

The reservoir is fed by the Verdon river, at the outlet of the Verdon Gorge. It holds a maximum of 761 million cubic metres of water. The dam, which generates 142 million kWh of electricity per year, is 94 metres high, 7.5 metres thick at its base and 3 metres thick at its crest.

The village of Les Salles-sur-Verdon stands by the lake; it was rebuilt on the shore after the original lower village was destroyed to make room for the reservoir. Other villages around the lake are Bauduen and Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon. The lake comprises a sole island, the Île de Costebelle (Island of Costebelle), part of the commune of Les Salles-sur-Verdon.

• 
  The Lake of Sainte-Croix seen from the outlet of the Verdon Gorge
• 
  Les Salles-sur-Verdon seen from the southeast
• 
  Les Salles-sur-Verdon by the lake
• 
  The Île de Costebelle

• Media related to Lac de Sainte-Croix at Wikimedia Commons