Drought leaves Swiss border lake popular with tourists all but drained

Lake Brenets on the Swiss–French border has been all but drained and has been unnavigable for more than a week after a prolonged drought cut water flow from the River Doubs. Normally, the lake draws large crowds of campers, swimmers and canoeists, with three boat companies ferrying thousands of tourists each summer. This year, dozens of vessels are stranded high and dry on cracked mud, including the tourist boat “Jumbo” operated by Yvan Durig of Societe de Navigation des Brenets. Water levels are more than 9 metres below average and dropping about 22 centimetres per day, while forecasts call for below-normal rainfall until mid-August.