The record books show that July was the second driest month ever. There are now a record number of states and agencies in this nation that have water consumption restrictions in place.
.png "Europe Drought 2022: France in a critical situation") |
| [France drought map/LesEchos] |
It's becoming drier in France. The fact that this is the third heat wave in just a few weeks, which is only beginning to make its appearance, is likely to make the situation much more dire. During a visit on Monday to Isère, one of the departments that has been particularly hard hit by the drought this summer, the Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, Christophe Béchu, confirmed that the month of July 2022 will be the driest we have had since July 1959. This information was revealed during Christophe Béchu's trip to Isère.
When compared to the amount of precipitation that would have been required, "we have a rainfall shortfall of 88 percent," he stated. According to Météo-France, March 1961 was the driest month on record, with just 7.8 millimeters of precipitation falling during that month. The amount of precipitation that fell last month was only 9.7 millimeters.
Even though the summer is not yet gone, virtually the whole country of France is now on drought watch. This includes almost all of the departments. At the beginning of the month of August, 93 departments were "in an objective state of drought." At the beginning of the week, the only departments that had not yet been affected by the drought were Hauts-de-Seine, Paris, and Seine-Saint-Denis. In 48 departments, According to the information provided by the ministry, the prefects have, between them, issued orders of ban.
He admitted that at this time of year, "it's something really unique," and he insisted on the "double penalty" that combines the ongoing drought with the recent surge in temperature. He made the observation that "droughts reduce the available [water] resources while heat waves raise demand." We are in a serious position. " On Monday, Météo-France issued a heatwave warning for five departments in southwestern France. The number of departments under this warning is expected to rise on Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs reaching 39 or 40 degrees in this region.
The map of decrees restricting the use of water has continued to blush over the past few weeks. These decrees involve reductions or even bans on withdrawals for agricultural purposes, car washing, watering of spaces greens and lawns, or the filling of private swimming pools. In addition, the map of decrees restricting the use of water has continued to blush over the past few weeks. During a huge operation that was coordinated by the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) last week, 2,000 inspections were carried out. The Minister for Ecological Transition said that "10 percent gave rise to criminal proceedings" from those 2,000 checks.
Pierre Dubreuil, the director general of the OFB, is certain that "the great majority of offenders are in good faith." "The vast majority of people did not know, do not comprehend, therefore when we advise them not to water the garden or wash the vehicle, we explain it without verbalizing it." According to the person in charge, a report costs 1,500 euros for an individual and 7,500 euros for legal persons in the event that there is a "small minority of irreducible."
As a result of climate change, it is anticipated that dry spells and heat waves would occur with greater frequency. There have been many repercussions so far brought on by the significant lack of rainfall that has been seen throughout a significant portion of Europe. The low flow of rivers has an effect on hydroelectric generation as well as tourism activities: the level in some lakes and in the Gorges du Verdon is maybe at its lowest point it has ever been.
Because the Moselle River does not have enough water flowing through it, the Cattenom nuclear power station in Lorraine has to get the water it needs to cool its facilities from a neighboring reservoir. In a number of different communities, potable water is in short supply and must be delivered by tanker trucks. There is a significant increase in the danger of fire in numerous southern departments, and as a result, several forest massifs have been restricted from access.
A very high level of worry may be seen among farmers. In the absence of rain, there is a risk of crop losses, and yields are likely to be impacted. Because of the extreme drought on the prairies, many farmers are already forced to feed their livestock the hay that was just just gathered and was originally intended for use during the winter.