Étang de Soulcem

Étang de Soulcem
Location	Vicdessos valley, Ariège, France
Coordinates	42°40′05″N 01°26′48″E / 42.66806°N 1.44667°E / 42.66806; 1.44667Coordinates: 42°40′05″N 01°26′48″E / 42.66806°N 1.44667°E / 42.66806; 1.44667
Construction began	1980
Opening date	1983
Operator(s)	Électricité de France
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Rousseau de Mounicou
Height	66.50 m (218.2 ft)
Length	275 m (902 ft)
Width (base)	15 m (49 ft)
Reservoir
Creates	Étang de Soulcem
Total capacity	29,300,000 m3 (1.03×109 cu ft)
Catchment area	44.3 km2 (17.1 sq mi)
Surface area	0.91 km2 (0.35 sq mi)
Power station
Hydraulic head	409 m (1,342 ft) (via chutes to the Soulcem hydro plant)
Annual generation	62 GWh/year
Average flow 7 m3/s Peak flow 85 m3/s Evacuation flow134 m3/s

Étang de Soulcem is a large artificial lake in the Pyrenees mountains in Ariège, France. It is at an elevation of 1570 m and is used for hydroelectricity, generating 62 GWh/year. The lake, which has a surface area of 0.91 km², was formed following the construction by Électricité de France of a dam across the northern end of the Vicdessos valley in 1980–1983.

The lake contains various fish including brown trout (S. trutta), Arctic char (S. alpinus), brook trout (S. fontinalis), and common minnow (P. phoxinus).