Despite a slight deterioration in December, 61% of groundwater tables in France have levels above normal on 1is January, with deep infiltration of rains which continues over a large part of the territory, with the exception of the South-East, announced, Wednesday January 15, the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM), the organization responsible groundwater management.
That “allows us to hope for satisfactory levels at the end of winter over a large part of the territory”specified the Geological and Mining Research Bureau.
In December, the water table situation “degrades slightly” compared to November but “remains very satisfactory” : 17% are below normal, compared to 15% a month earlier, 22% are comparable (compared to 20%) and 61% above (compared to 65%). Even though the rains were not as abundant as in early autumn, the “wet soils, even saturated with water, favored the deep infiltration of precipitation” and a resumption of charging for many sectors.
“Worrying” situation in Roussillon
On the other hand, the aquifers of Roussillon and a large south-eastern quarter have either not benefited from sufficient cumulative rainfall over the last two months – this is the case of Languedoc and the Côte d'Azur – or have seen precipitation falls mainly in the form of snow – in the Alpine massif – which is hardly beneficial for recharge, explains the BRGM.
The situation throughout the metropolis remains “slightly more favorable than that observed (…) in December 2023, where 56% of levels were above normal”. Even the aquifers of the South-East and Corsica, which display levels “moderately low to very low”nevertheless present levels higher than those of last year at the same time.
The situation in Roussillon nonetheless remains “worrying”. In this region, “it seems difficult to imagine sustainably reconstituting the reserves” over the next few months and a return to normal levels in the spring “remains complicated”. On the other hand, the aquifers of Artois, the Paris Basin, southern Alsace and the Rhône-Saône corridor should display levels “most likely satisfactory” in the spring, estimates the BRGM.
Finally, regarding the risks of flooding by rising water tables, they seem to be receding for most of France, except in the Paris Basin and Artois, if the rains continue.
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