We also need to better maintain ditches, canals and waterways, rigorous maintenance explains Jean-Louis Bouthors. Nine months after the floods, 25% of these pasture lands are unusable, flooded by the flooded Hallue river. “We are downstream of the river, and if each owner does not maintain the banks and the bed, we will not succeed”underlines the Daours breeder. The farmer estimates 7.000 euros his losses, including the purchase of hay to feed his animals. Faced with these repeated climatic phenomena, the agricultural union FDSEA of the Somme gathered this Wednesday all stakeholders in the sector to help its breeders. The environmental police and state services were present.
“Simplify regulations”
“We must simplify the regulations in wetlands, to create water reservoirs, clean out ditches”believes Denis Bully the president. Pleads with him to also facilitate occasional cleaningthat is to say extracting accumulated sediments from watercourses following the example of the decree published in January 2024, but with a complete legal framework. Farmers are responsible for maintaining the ditches. But cleaning the watercourse is not the only solution according to Hubert, president of the Hallue riverside owners. According to him, under the departmental road, the Hallue is slowed down and does not flow quickly enough during storms or intense rains, “but this work is very expensive”he admits, “we don’t have the budget at the moment”.
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