Over the past two decades, Lake Chad has shown no overall shrinkage, despite a slight retreat in its northern basin. This conclusion comes from a study conducted by a research team from IRD, CNES, and LEGOS, who analyzed satellite data from 2001 to 2018. For many years, the image of a vanishing lake was commonly used to describe Lake Chad, but this was more reflective of the 1980s than the current situation. In the 1960s, Lake Chad was the sixth-largest inland lake in the world, with a surface area of about 25,000 km²—nearly three times the size of Corsica. However, it began to shrink in the 1970s, and by the 1980s, its surface area had dropped to less than 2,000 km², a loss of over 90%. This dramatic decline made it a symbol of climate change. A partial recovery occurred in the 1990s due to increased rainfall in the Sahel region, but the lake's size remained far below its historic levels. The 2020 study published in Scientific Reports used a combination of satellite technologies to better understand the lake's water dynamics. The researchers combined data from MODIS, which maps water surfaces, altimetry, which measures water levels, and GRACE, which tracks total water stock from orbit. Each method provides unique insights, especially regarding groundwater, which makes up about 70% of the lake's annual water variation. Groundwater is not visible in satellite images but plays a crucial role in maintaining the lake's water balance. The study found that since the 2000s, the lake's total water volume and flooded vegetation area have remained stable, even though the free water surface area fluctuated. The lake's southern basin, fed by the Chari and Logone rivers, has compensated for the slight retreat in the northern basin. However, the lake has not fully regained its former size. The free water surface area decreased from about 5,800 km² in 2001-2002 to about 1,800 km² in 2010 before slowly increasing again. The stability observed in the study refers to long-term trends rather than a return to past conditions. A 2024 study, also published in Scientific Reports, reported that the total water surface area, including flooded vegetation, reached a maximum of 18,800 km² in 2022. However, the researchers emphasized that the lake still faces significant threats and its future remains uncertain under the influence of climate change. Lake Chad continues to be a vital source of food and water for about 50 million people, nearly three-quarters of the French population. Today, the lake is relatively shallow, with a depth of less than 3 meters, and is often split into two basins by the Great Barrier, a sand dune covered with vegetation. The contributions from the Chari and Logone rivers help offset high evaporation rates and groundwater infiltration, though the impact of human water withdrawals remains unclear.