Hurricane Kirk: Loiret placed on orange rain/flood alert

The weather forecast is not good for this week. Hurricane Kirk is indeed heading towards France. If its trajectory does not change, Wednesday October 9 and Thursday October 10, a large part of France, including the Centre-Val de Loire region, will be exposed to heavy rain and a strong gale (100 km/h inland). ).

October 9, 2024 – 9:50 a.m.

Yesterday, 4 mm of rain fell over 24 hours on the Orléans Canal area.

Today, the forecasts are still in a range of 40 to 60 mm depending on the models, broken down schematically as follows:

• This morning, the rains will continue to reach a total of 10 mm;
• Resumption of rain at the beginning of the afternoon with particular intensity at the end of the afternoon (30 mm over 6 hours).

The critical rainfall for the canal is currently around 48 mm.

Water levels are currently stable and lower than normal due to the maneuvers undertaken since the start of the week.

Main actions undertaken today:

Loire slope:

• Opening of the 4 surface valves at La Patache in Combleux, the other 4 will probably be open this afternoon;
• Cleaning of the confluence of the Bionne;
• Positioning of a tractor in Donnery in the event of an ice jam coming from Cens;
• Patrolling the entire slope.

Seine side:

• Patrolling around the divide and ponds;
• Verification of the works up to La Folie in Châlette-sur-Loing.

October 8, 2024 – 2:20 p.m.

The Loiret department is placed on orange level Rain-Flood alert on Wednesday October 9 from 10 a.m.

Current situation:

Yellow warning for thunderstorms expected Tuesday, October 8 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Expected development:

Evolution of the situation towards an orange rain-flood alert Wednesday October 9 from 10 a.m.

Sustained and lasting rains will fall on an axis going from the south of Pays de la Loire to the Paris basin. Precipitation will begin in the middle of the night from Tuesday October 8 to Wednesday October 9. An increase in this precipitation during the day of Wednesday October 9 will give accumulations which could range from 40 to 60 mm in 24 hours. This phenomenon could also be accompanied by strong gusts of wind.

October 8, 2024 – 12 p.m.

All models predict total rainfall between 53 and 73 mm, with strong wind gusts of up to 100 km/h.

Consequently, the Department is closing the parks and sensitive natural areas belonging to it for Wednesday October 9 and Thursday October 10:

• Puiseaux and Vernisson Park in Villemandeur;
• Trousse-Bois Park in Briare;
• Sully-sur-Loire castle park;
• Limère Park in Ardon;
• Pond of Gué des Cens in Vieilles Maisons-sur-Joudry;
• Étang de la Noue Mazone in Coudroy and Châtenoy.

Furthermore, for these two days, the Department strongly advises against access to the Loiret cycle routes:

• The Loire by Bike;
• The Scandibérique, along the Loing and Briare canals;
• Open sections of the Orléans Canal.

October 7, 2024

Weather models predict between 40 mm and 65 mm of precipitation over the two days while the critical rainfall* on the Orléans Canal was, Sunday October 6, 46 mm.

From now on, the Department’s Canal mission is mobilizing and taking the following measures:

• Preventive lowering of the level of the Donnery reach by 60 cm and of the level of those of Combleux and Vitry-aux-Loges by 40 cm;
• Continuation of preventive lowering initiated last week on the ponds of Vallée (Combreux), Bois (Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudry), Orléans (Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudry and Lorris) and Torcy (Montereau) ;
• Installation of pumps at the cofferdam of the Pont-aux-Moines lock site;
• Placement of the canal operating agency on penalty for the night of Wednesday October 9 to Thursday October 10 (the continuation of the penalty will be assessed on Thursday).

All people with boats moored downstream of our structures must make them safe or ensure that they are safe.

* theoretical quantity of water to overflow the canal