the anti-flood locker tested from Monday

After two years of work, the public establishment Seine Great Lakes and the prefecture of Seine-et-Marne will carry out, from Monday January 13, the first tests of watering of the Bassée pilot locker, located in the municipalities of Balloy, Châtenay-sur-Seine, Egligny and Gravon. Objective of this system extended over more than 350 hectares: lower the level of the Seine in the event of heavy flooding. As for the owners affected by this watering of their plots, reviews are mixed. Between those who have confidence and those who already imagine the worst, everyone agrees to only draw conclusions once this test has been carried out.

“Our plots will be underwater for more than seven weeks”

“This pond is a family heirloom that we have had for almost 40 years with a mobile home, a 40 m² pontoon and a cedar hedge which has been there for all these years. The first tests had been scheduled for the beginning of last November and we had the obligation to anticipate everything by cleaning our plots,” explains Nicolasone of the owners concerned.

Cut wood, boats and stored equipment therefore had to be evacuated by the owners before the first test: “We were briefed on the procedure to follow and we have therefore organized ourselves in recent weeks in order to evacuate what could be carried away by the waters”, adds Clémentco-owner in SCI with friends.

A procedure which will begin 48 hours before the start of the test will protect people, via emails and SMS, as well as animals in the area in the form of ultrasound: “We already know that once the test spear, our plots will be underwater for more than seven weeks. We will no longer be able to access it before March 3,” explains Nicolas.

“We fear what we will find”

Initially, the locker will be filled halfway with storage for 14 days, then, in a second step, filling and storage at full height will complete this phase where, again, the water will be stored for 14 days.

« We are already dreading what we will find next. Imagine a cedar hedge underwater for all this time, then all the waste that has not been collected and which will remain on our plots, without forgetting the oil from barges parked nearby,” adds Nicolas.

The emptying the locker will then be carried out in a single phase with a flow rate of 21 m²/s and before any reopening of the site, an inspection of the land will be carried out. If the various controls are compliant, the site will be reopened to owners.

“This land is above all a leisure area and we have set up a pétanque and volleyball court there, we can well imagine that all this will no longer exist after the watering », explains Clément.

Generally speaking, the residents of the town are rather concerned about the volumes of water that will be used during the different phases of the operation and the possible propagation by capillary action in these spaces.

« The rivers are already waterlogged. What will happen if, despite everything, water levels still rise? », asks Nicolas by way of conclusion. A question to which the tests should provide an initial answer.

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