The artificial waters of Madine Lake extend over 2,718 acres (1,100 ha) inside the wet Woëvre plain. This vast marshy area, sprinkled by forests, was cleared by monks during the Middle Ages. From the 12th century, they drained water and created fish ponds to make the region salubrious. The human intervention continued until the 16th century, with the planting of trees to secure the land, and the Woëvre region became a large agricultural area. It is now called the breadbasket of Lorraine.