Drought: Haute-Savoie on heightened alert
The drought is intensifying in Haute-Savoie: the department is on heightened alert. Find the restrictions of use to respect.
Since June 9, the entire department has been on alert except for the upstream Arve sector, which has been placed on alert. The rains at the end of June stabilized the situation and even improved it slightly.
However, the various monitoring indicators (watercourse level and soil humidity) remain at critical levels and one to two months ahead of the reference years. The flow rates of sources captured for drinking water supply are increasingly low, particularly at the head of watersheds throughout the department. The soil moisture index remains extremely low, particularly in the north-west of the department.
The temperatures expected in the next few days are 10 to 15° C higher than seasonal norms and the weather remains dry.
In addition to these main measures, there are also additional restrictions:
- Prohibition of direct domestic withdrawal from the surface or underground hydraulic environment, unless the withdrawal is authorized or declared.
- Prohibition of supplying water to lakes and pleasure canals, in particular those serving the old mills.
- Industrial and commercial activities must reduce their water consumption by 25% in the sectors on alert and by 50% in the sectors on heightened alert, with some exceptions (see prefectural decree).
- In heightened alert, work in watercourses must be reported except in the event of total dryness, for renaturation restoration work or for authorized or declared work.
These measures do not apply in the context of public safety (firefighting in particular)
More informations : www.haute-savoie.gouv.fr