France Steps up Water
Curbs as Drought Intensifies
July 12, 2005 — By David Evans, Reuters
PARIS — France extended water
rationing to more than half the country on Monday as its worst drought
in decades intensified and farmers said food output might suffer.
"The drought that France has witnessed since September has been re-inforced
by a heatwave at the end of June," said the environment ministry's
drought bulletin, published on Monday.
"The drought is affecting a large part of the country."
Months of low rainfall have left the water table seriously depleted,
particularly in the west.
The government has imposed water restrictions ranging from bans on car
washing and filling swimming pools to curbs on crop irrigation in 50 of
mainland France's 96 departments.
"The most severe restrictions have been put in place in those
departments on the Atlantic coast. They mostly concern irrigation," the
ministry said.
As temperatures across France began to rise again on Monday, the
ministry warned of a high risk of forest fires and possible disruptions
to domestic drinking water supplies.
Almost 10,000 people were evacuated from campsites in the south of
France last week after a forest fire destroyed 1,000 hectares of pine
trees near the resort of Frejus.
However, Environment Minister Nelly Olin said improvements in national
water distribution meant there would not be a repeat of 1976, when the
country experienced widespread shortages.
"We are extremely well prepared for drought," she told Le Parisien
newspaper on Sunday.
She also said a repeat of the unpopular drought tax, imposed in 1976 to
compensate farmers, was "out of the question".
CROPS SUFFER
But farmers are warning of potential losses, particularly for the
country's maize crop in the southwest, the main growing area. Wheat
harvesting is already under way but maize, which needs more irrigation,
is not brought in until September.
"The high temperatures (in June), most intense in the southwest and east
of France, have exacerbated the fragile situation concerning water
resources in many regions," the maize growers' association AGPM said.
It said yields could drop by up to 30 percent or even more where
irrigation was impossible. More rain was needed urgently.
"Insufficient water in July will take an irreversible toll."
Just two years ago, French grain production, a key export for the
country, dropped some 20 percent after frost, drought and a summer
heatwave battered crops.
Olin said she recognised the difficulties farmers faced but would be
strict in applying a 1,500 euro ($1,801) fine on those who broke the
government's water curbs.
"I understand their concerns. But I say to them that there is no
solution other than partly turning off the irrigation taps. I'd like to
praise the efforts of those who have switched to crops that use less
water," she said.
The government has also won permission from Brussels for farmers to use
land idled under EU programmes for grazing animals because usual
pastures were too dry. This measure has been granted in 77 departments.
Source: Reuters |