The river will experience its first flood of the fall. The rising waters should begin to be visible in the Loiret, near the town of Gien, Thursday October 10. And, no, Storm Kirk has nothing to do with it…
Let’s make it clear, first of all: Storm Kirk had nothing to do with it. It is completely foreign to the first autumn flood of the river in the Loiret, even if it sweeps away, this Wednesday, October 9, the department, placed on orange rain/flood alert.
No, the “wave”, as the sailors call it, finds its origin in
heavy precipitation at the head of the basin, at the level of the Morvan, upstream of Nevers (Nièvre). The rising water levels will first be noticeable at Gien, within 24 to 48 hours, starting this Wednesday.
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Plus 1.20 meters in Gien
According to the Vigicrues website, at the Vieux-Pont station, the water height will jump, between this Wednesday and Friday October 11, from 0.42 meters (central forecast) to 1.62 meters. Plus 1.20 meters in two days. The flow rates will naturally follow the same upward curve in the interval: they will increase from 261 to 715 cubic meters per second. Times 2.5.
Precision. The site Vigicrues.gouv.fr only offers forecasts for 48 hours, we do not know at present (in the afternoon of Wednesday October 9) whether the Loire will rise much higher or stop there.
The wave will then reach Orléans. Where, on Wednesday October 9, the water height measured at the Pont-Royal station was zero meters (central forecast). It should be, again according to Vigicrues, 0.70 meters on Friday. Plus 70 centimeters, and the river will not have finished swelling at the level of the metropolis. Where flow rates will jump from 226 to 600 cubic meters per second by Friday.
The current flood will be the fourth of the year, after the Loire experienced three in the spring.
David Creff
