Drought: 60 departments affected by water restrictions – Les Echos

60 departments were affected Friday by water restrictions related to drought and high temperatures recorded in recent weeks, particularly in the central, western and south-western France, according a count conducted by the Ministry of Ecology. All departments of the Pays de Loire, Poitou-Charentes, Aquitaine, Centre, Burgundy, Auvergne and almost all of Rhône-Alpes (except Ain) are affected by such restrictions, which cover many watersheds (area but not groundwater water) with varying degrees of severity vary according to the situation. The thresholds can trigger such restriction measures are indeed defined locally by prefects, for a limited time and a specified perimeter. Four levels were defined:. Vigilance, warning, and crisis heightened alert

In total, the map produced by the Ministry of Ecology lived Friday 28 departments with watershed placed “crisis” and 11 “heightened alert”. In Rhône-Alpes for example, the Ardèche is particularly affected, with several watersheds in northern department placed in a situation of “crisis” by the prefecture, which prohibits taking of water professionals (including agriculture) and except for the specific priorities (with conditions such as in greenhouses and watering animals).

In the Aquitaine region, the Gironde, Dordogne and Lot- et-Garonne are also affected by the drought, as well as the Lot and the Tarn-et-Garonne in Midi-Pyrénées neighbors. The drought also relates to areas further north, such as the Charente, Vienne, Deux-Sèvres or the Loire-Atlantique, Vendée and Maine-et-Loire, where many watersheds are again in “crisis” .

Although the phenomenon savings for the moment the most northern departments, it goes back to the Paris region, with water restrictions “crisis” in force in Loiret, the Seine-et-Marne and Val-de-Marne.

Drought also aggravates the risk of fire, which have multiplied in recent days Rhône-Alpes , Burgundy and Aquitaine, where the department of the Landes, very wooded, is rated at level 2 (3) concerning the risk of forest fires.

Drought can also d have a significant impact on the situation of farmers, already ailing, which fear a lack of feed and consequently an increase of their charges.

Source AFP