Bassin du Lampy Neuf, Artificial reservoir in Saissac, France.
The Bassin du Lampy Neuf covers approximately 24 hectares with a capacity of 1.6 million cubic meters, fed by the Lampy River and surrounded by preserved rural landscapes in the Aude department.
Built between 1777 and 1781 to supply water to the Canal du Midi, this reservoir was constructed following recommendations from King Louis XIV's 1665 commission supporting Pierre-Paul Riquet's canal project.
This basin represents 18th-century French hydraulic engineering and demonstrates the historical importance of the Canal du Midi in the economic and commercial development of the Occitanie region.
Accessible from Saissac via hiking trails, the site offers freshwater fishing for carp and other species, requiring fishing permits available from local shops and outdoor equipment stores.
Dam leaks were repaired by pouring quicklime into the water, an ingenious technique that permanently sealed the masonry joints and stone openings through chemical reaction and crystallization.
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