In the limestone garrigues region of southern France between Avignon and Montpellier and between the sea and the Cévennes range, the few lakes that exist are mostly the result of flood control dams on the local rivers. After the violent rains of the autumn, surface water flushes rapidly away to the sea or disappears into the crevasses of the limestone substrate only to resurface elsewhere as “resurgences”. By the time summer comes around, the rivers are often dry and the resurgences down to a trickle. In this environment, a natural lake is unusual. An intermittent natural lake is even more unusual. The “etang” at La Capelle is often just a bed of reeds with little visible water. After the heavy rains of the autumn of 2014, the Capelle lake grew to a substantial size and persisted as a small lake for several months. For years the lake can be very low or almost dry but in January 2015, there was substantial water in the area. Examining local maps suggests that there is no natural outlet, no stream or river emptying the lake. Where does the water go ?? Limestone crevasses under the lake floor ? Evaporation ?
