Étang de Berre

Étang de Berre
port at Istres
Location	France
Coordinates	43°26′45″N 5°06′50″E / 43.44583°N 5.11389°ECoordinates: 43°26′45″N 5°06′50″E / 43.44583°N 5.11389°E
Primary inflows	Arc, Touloubre, La Cadière-d'Azur, canal de la Durance
Primary outflows	canal de Caronte, canal du Rove
Catchment area	1,700 km² (natural)
Basin countries	France
Surface area	155.3 km²
Water volume	900 mio m3
Surface elevation	0.4 m

The Étang de Berre (in Provençal Occitan: estanh de Bèrra / mar de Bèrra according to classical orthography, estang de Berro / mar de Berro according to Mistralian orthography) is a lagoon on the Mediterranean coast of France, about 25 km north-west of Marseille.

Geography

Created by the rise in water levels at the end of the last ice age, this small inland sea is composed of three parts: the principal body of water, the Étang de Vaïn to the east and the Étang de Bolmon to the south-east.

The Étang de Berre is fed with fresh water by the rivers Arc, Touloubre and La Cadière-d'Azur and – since 1966 – by the Canal de la Durance. Two canals link it to the sea: the Canal de Caronte leading towards Port-de-Bouc and the Canal du Rove which leads towards L'Estaque. However the underground portion of the latter is blocked by a rock fall.

The Marseille Provence Airport is located in the southeast portion of the Étang Barre, with its main runway extending into the water on reclaimed land.

Administration

Ten communes border the Étang de Berre: Istres, Miramas, Saint-Chamas, Berre-l'Étang, Rognac, Vitrolles, Marignane, Châteauneuf-les-Martigues, Martigues and Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts.

History

The ancient name of the Étang de Berre was Stagnum Mastromela, according to Pliny the Elder (Book III [34]).