The balancing of incoming and outgoing water allows the Canal du Midi to operate as it does. Each time a lock operates, large quantities of water are either required to fill it or dump from it into the lower level pound. There must be a constant source of water in order to fill and the excess water dumped must have a place to exit the canal without it overflowing. Being able to provide this water source was one of the most important problems to be solved by Pierre Paul Riquet, its creator.
In the canal's original configuration of 1687, water was provided by the Rigole de la plaine from the River Sor and from the Bassin de Saint-Ferréol. The Bassin de Lampy was added later. Since the drought of 1989–1990, water can also be made available from the Lac de Montbel.[1]
Water leaving the canal between locks, will exit through either a weir (French: déversoir) or a siphon (French: Épanchoir). Leaving through the weir, the water simply flows over the side of the canal via a stone or concrete ledge. If the water reaches a specific level, it may be siphoned off via a stone siphon.
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Water Features on the Canal du Midi Code: WS=Water Source, W=Weir S=Siphon
Code
PK[A]
Name
Lat/Lon
Comment
WS
52.0
Rigole de la plaine
43°21′01″N1°49′26″E / 43.35041°N 1.82377°E / 43.35041; 1.82377 (Rigole de la plaine)
Water from the Bassin de Saint-Ferréol reaches the canal at the Bassin de Naurouze
43°16′33″N2°04′41″E / 43.27596°N 2.07812°E / 43.27596; 2.07812 (Déversoir de Villepinte)
S
77.5
Épanchoir de Villepinte
43°16′28″N2°05′38″E / 43.27432°N 2.09388°E / 43.27432; 2.09388 (Épanchoir de Villepinte)
S
92.9
Épanchoir de Villeséque
S
101.8
Épanchoir de Foucaud
43°13′39″N2°19′12″E / 43.2274°N 2.3201°E / 43.2274; 2.3201 (Épanchoir de Foucaud)
Originally, the canal went around Carcassonne at this point.[1] There is a botanical garden of the same name, Épanchoir de Foucaud.
W
106.6
Déversoir de St-Jean
43°13′27″N2°22′00″E / 43.22413°N 2.36674°E / 43.22413; 2.36674 (Déversoir de St-Jean)
WS
109.0
Rigole d'Alimentation du Fresquel
A stream provides water from Barrage de la Chaux[1]
S
109.5
Épanchoir de Charques
43°14′36″N2°23′03″E / 43.24333°N 2.38409°E / 43.24333; 2.38409 (Épanchoir de Charques)
W
115.6
Déversion de la Raye
43°12′57″N2°25′32″E / 43.21594°N 2.42553°E / 43.21594; 2.42553 (Déversion de la Raye)
WS
116.5
l'Orbiel
Not sure exactly what this is. The reference[1] shows the stream l'Orbiel splitting north of the canal. One side of the stream joins the canal and the other goes under the canal via the Orbiel Aqueduct. So, it could either be a source of water or a release path. The reference[2] calls it the French: canal d'alimentation d'Orbiel and the canal vieux.
S
119.0
Épanchoir de Ste-Julia
43°12′01″N2°27′34″E / 43.20023°N 2.45944°E / 43.20023; 2.45944 (Épanchoir de Ste-Julia)
W
125.1
Déversoir de Marseillette
43°12′06″N2°31′24″E / 43.20155°N 2.52342°E / 43.20155; 2.52342 (Déversoir de Marseillette)
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