The water levels in two-thirds of French water tables are below normal levels for June, warned Environment Minister Christophe Bechu on Wednesday, raising concerns over the possibility of a dry summer similar to last year’s, which was marked by wildfires.
“The situation is worrisome,” especially in southern regions such as the Rhone valley and Mediterranean coast, Bechu told CNews, highlighting the “need to conserve more water.”
“We have two-thirds of the country where the water table is below normal levels, 66 percent is huge,” he added, noting that some 15 regions have already imposed significant water use restrictions.
Last year’s wildfires destroyed 72,000 hectares of land in 50 of France’s 96 departments, forcing around 60,000 people to evacuate. The event was termed “unprecedented climatic event” by President Emmanuel Macron’s office earlier this month.
France has strengthened its firefighting capabilities, including an increase in the number of planes from 38 to 47. The government also plans to keep 3,600 reserve firefighters ready for deployment in crisis zones.
Although some French regions have received heavy rainfall in recent weeks, Bechu noted that “the rain in May and June is less effective” at replenishing water tables, since the moisture is absorbed by plants. As climate change progresses, “water sometimes falls more strongly, in a more concentrated way, and much of this precipitation is absorbed because of higher temperatures,”, he added.
Despite the situation, Bechu reassured that the lack of water is not as extensive as last summer, with some regions such as Brittany in the northwest having higher water tables than the previous year.
Citation:
‘Serious concerns’ for new dry summer in France after 2022 fires (2023, June 14)
retrieved 14 June 2023
from https://phys.org/news/2023-06-dry-summer-france.html
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