I have always been intrigued by
the “dam” in Les Marécottes never really knowing what it’s function was, until
after having walked around it yesterday and seeing the SBB/CFF signs and thus
realizing that it belonged in part to the Swiss train system I became even more
interested.
Turns out that it is a minor
retention basin for the lower electrical complex in Vernayaz, one that in turn
is linked to the whole Emosson hydrology complex. The dam at Emosson collects waters from
several different mountains and rivers in both Switzerland and France. As the
Swiss train company owns part of it, it gets it’s bit first then the remainder
is divided in between France and Switzerland in equal parts.
Anyone interested in the more
technical aspects (and who can read French) will find this link of great help: http://www.hydrelect.info/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=1389
All that because when I took a
quick walk late yesterday afternoon I noticed that half of it was empty and the
other half very low: I had to go and see and as best I could deduct they were
cleaning the silt from the bottom of the basin. As this water accumulates
unfiltered and by the difference in altitudes it is easy to see that there
would be silt, just didn’t realize how much!
And the ubiquitous shopping
trolley… no matter where one goes, there was someone to dirty the site.
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