The floods in Valencia on October 29 brought to the surface memories of bad weather that were more than painful for the population of Nîmes. But the City was able to be resilient after the disaster of October 3, 1988 with actions and works that are still ongoing.
The deadly bad weather in the Valencia region on Tuesday October 29, with its muddy torrents, its cars embedded in each other in the streets of towns, brought back painful memories in Nîmes. The kind of exceptional meteorological event which leaves an indelible mark in people's minds but which can also be the source of initiatives and actions to avoid reliving such a nightmare again.
Since the floods of October 3, 1988 with their terrible toll of nine deaths and 50,000 victims, a billion euros in considerable damage, major works have been undertaken. Being surrounded by hills and being a town exposed to Mediterranean and Cévennes episodes doesn't help matters. For more than twelve years, over the course of the two “Papi” (Flood Prevention Action Program), an average investment of €12 million has been necessary and is still continuing.
A Papi III until 2028
Thanks to the partnership between the State, the Region, the Department, the Nîmes Métropole Agglomeration and the EPTB Vistre Vistrenque, Papi III Vistre makes it possible to program multiple initiatives until 2028 to anticipate any natural disaster. On its perimeter, one person in three lives in a flood zone, or 100,000 inhabitants, including 70,000 in Nîmes alone. A necessity when we note that since September five orange weather alerts for thunderstorms and rain-flooding have concerned the Gard.
The Agglo reminded us last summer that we still needed two Papi and an average annual investment level of €11 to €12 million to have a “homogeneous level of resilience”. These programs aim to improve forecasting and anticipation of phenomena, to manage crises, to reduce the vulnerability of housing, establishments open to the public, economic activities but also to increase the level of protection. Some of the initiatives also benefit from European Feder funds. Nîmes has become a reference.
Gift of Uzès recalibrated
The hydraulic works on the Nîmes Cadereaux have for years illustrated these efforts. We are talking here about structures in an urban area with 5 km of tunnels. After that of the Alès road, the latest concerns the Uzès and Limites borders. Thanks to the tunnel boring technique, baptized at the beginning of last July on rue Pierre Sémard, the flow capacity under the city will be multiplied by ten, now up to 80 m3/second, flow similar to that of a rainy episode like that of September 8, 2005.
An action which is co-financed by the State (half), the Agglo which has the competence (30%), the Region (10%) and the Department (10%). The drilling of the Uzès tunnel must be completed at the end of the year, that of the downstream limits in July 2025 and the upstream limits at the end of 2026. All of the work will be completed by the end of 2027. The cost: nearly €90 million excluding tax. We are talking about limiting the importance of flooding for 34,000 inhabitants, or a third of the municipality's challenges.
Gigantic retention basins
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Among the achievements, we must take into account 18 dams upstream of the city center and two quarry basins such as the one currently under construction in Antiquailles, north of Nîmes. For the latter, we are talking about a hydraulic storage of 1.8 million m3. Which is equivalent to twice the capacity of all existing retention basins!
Espada, flood management in Nîmes
If the Gemapi competence (management of aquatic environments and flood prevention) falls to the Agglo, Nîmes, which of course has a flood risk prevention plan, has been able to count for twenty years on the alert and assistance system crisis management for any risk of flooding: Espada (Evaluation and monitoring of precipitation in urban areas to anticipate the alert).
The City can thus observe and predict the hydrometeorological situation thanks in particular to around fifty sensors for measuring rain and water height, and video hydrometry projects to estimate the height or flow. Espada allows hydrological forecasting updated every five minutes, identifies overflows of water, and quickly locates the most affected areas. She set up four crisis levels.
Nim'Alabri to protect his property
The free Nîm'Alabri system, supported by EPTB Vistre Vistrenque, allows owners, tenants and managers of properties located in flood zones to benefit from a diagnosis and support to protect their homes.
To find out your exposure to risk, a visit to the home is carried out by a surveyor who will list the precise measures to take.
If your accommodation is located in a flood zone, the Nîm'Alabri team provides free support to prepare any subsidy application file in order to carry out the necessary water protection work. Funding obtained thanks to the State, the Department, the Agglomeration and the City.
