The rains of March were not enough to recharge the water tables in France, 75% of which remain at moderately low or very low levels, making ” recognized “ the risk of summer drought for certain regions, announced this Thursday, April 13 the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM).
The precipitation that fell between 1is and March 31 “have not been sufficient to bring about sufficient improvement” of the state of the groundwater, 80% of which was degraded a month ago, indicates the public body.
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At the end of winter, a period when the water tables are supposed to recharge before the vegetation resumes its growth in the spring, “all the groundwater displays levels below normal and 75% display low to very low levels” continues the BRGM, before adding that “many sectors present a proven risk of drought during the summer period”.
The north, center and south-east concerned
Last year, at 1is April, 58% of levels were below normal. However, the summer of 2022 suffered a historic drought.
However, the BRGM qualifies somewhat by adding that “However, uncertainty remains high on certain aquifers, abundant rains during the spring could make it possible to support the levels or even to find satisfactory levels”.
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According to the BRGM, a good fifty metropolitan departments, particularly in the north, center and south-east of the country thus present a risk ” very strong “ drought “harbinging a probably tense spring and summer” and which in the absence of rains “very surplus” in the coming weeks should result in water restriction orders.
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A very dry autumn and winter
In March, where according to Météo-France France experienced a 40% excess of precipitation at the national level compared to normal, but with very heterogeneous situations depending on the region; only the aquifers from Brittany to New Aquitaine have benefited “consequent episodes of recharging”.
Several others, in Champagne, in the Rhône-Saône corridor, Roussillon or in Provence/Côte d’Azur, still display “unfavorable situations” with levels remaining very low.
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Globally, “the rains that infiltrated deeply during the month of March were not sufficient to generate a clear improvement”notes the BRGM.
A situation that is all the more worrying as the recharge carried out this autumn and this winter, both particularly dry, remains “very insufficient to offset the accumulated deficits” for more than a year and“from April, the recharge episodes should remain punctual and not very intense except for exceptional rainfall events”.
