• Due to low rainfall during the winter and early spring, groundwater levels are particularly low in the Gard and many rivers are dry.
  • In a crisis situation, "everything is prohibited except priority uses, i.e. drinking water supply and public safety and health".
  • In order to adapt to the recurrent shortages of recent years, a new framework for the implementation of measures to limit the use of water resources in times of drought in the Gard has been adopted.

The prefect of Gard, Marie-Françoise Lecaillon, has extended the surface of the Gard department placed in a drought crisis. Due to low rainfall during the winter and early spring, groundwater levels are particularly low and many rivers are dry. The rainfall of recent days is far from sufficient to erase the water deficit.

On 20 April, the downstream basin of the Cèze was placed in a crisis situation. This is now also the case for the upstream basin of the Cèze, as well as those of the Gardon and Vidourle. This is the highest level of restriction. "Everything is prohibited except priority uses, that is to say the supply of drinking water as well as safety and public health," says Jean-Emmanuel Bouchut, deputy departmental director of the Directorate of Territories and the Sea.

'The situation continues to deteriorate'

The basins of the Hérault River and the Arre River are on heightened alert. Those of the river Ardèche are placed on alert. "The situation continues to deteriorate," says the prefect. A new framework for the implementation of measures to limit the use of water resources in times of drought in the Gard has been adopted. It replaces the one put in place since 2018 and should make it possible to adapt to the now frequent shortages.

Its aim is to better distribute efforts among the different water users. But also to better manage the resource to anticipate situations of shortage and to coordinate more effectively actions and restriction measures, especially on watersheds located in departments other than Gard.


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