The particularly low water level of Lac de la Cavayère has been causing concern for months, due to a reserve valve allowing liters to flow out. To overcome this problem, the State gave agreement in principle to the site manager, Carcassonne Agglo, for its closure.
Can the situation be changed? For months, the operators of Lac de la Cavayère have been worried about the ever-lowering water level. The cause: a reserve valve, placed below the dam, which lets liters flow. The impact of such a situation having not evolved leads to an ecological, social and economic impact.
Currently, the drop in level is estimated at three meters. This would double by the summer of 2025 in the event of inaction. Which should not happen according to the recent elements put on the table. Asked about the file, the Aude prefecture expressed itself: “At this stage, the State has given agreement in principle to the site manager, Carcassonne Agglo, with a view to closing the flow valves on the regulatory basis of a decree.” At present and in the weeks to come, all the services concerned “are working on the technical implementation of this restitution of downstream flow”, said the prefecture.
Only a significant supply of rainwater would make a lasting improvement in the situation.
At the beginning of November, an operator, the manager of the Aquaviva park Cyrille Doray, reported a lake which is not “fed by a watercourse but by the runoff of a stream which is dry for part of the year. A statement made and addressed to the City via the lake merchants association. Unfortunately, the town hall, only responsible for policing the sector, was not in the power to act directly. Discussions followed between Mayor Gérard Larrat, Prefect Christian Pouget and the President of Carcassonne Agglo, Régis Banquet, to speed up the procedure.
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Three weeks later, the context finally seems to be changing. Even if the first results should not be noticeable immediately. The prefecture insisted: “It should be noted that only a considerable supply of rainwater would make it possible to improve the situation in the long term.”
For now“climatic hazards limit the natural filling of Lake Cavayère which is at a historically low level. All the stakeholders concerned are working in coordination to alleviate this situation.”
