Question 13021 — streams, ponds and lakes

Summary

Ms. Geneviève Darrieussecq draws the attention of the Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion to the removal of mill thresholds and roadways. According to data published by the French Biodiversity Office, around 12,000 structures have been partially or completely destroyed in the space of 12 years in France, mainly mill roads. This policy of destruction is based on a desire to give back a “natural” character to rivers. However, these small traditional dams are essential for preserving water and maintaining aquatic habitats suitable for life. They are intended to store large volumes of water in rivers, which are seriously lacking during periods of global warming. The succession of these small dams is very adapted to the seasonality of the French climate, with an excess of winter rain. and a summer shortage. By raising water levels and slowing flows across the entire French hydrographic network, they preserve hundreds of millions of m3 of fresh water during summer droughts and play a key role in water storage in alluvial and deep water tables. The destruction of water reservoirs in rivers therefore contributes to aggravating water shortages in the basins where they have been carried out but also endanger natural environments. On the occasion of the vote on the law to combat climate change and strengthen resilience to its effects on August 22, 2021, the destruction of water mill pavements was formally prohibited, to preserve French heritage but above all to protect water resources and natural environments. Yet despite this adoption and shortages increasingly frequent in the country, water agencies have maintained their policy of financial incentives for the destruction of water reservoirs in France. Furthermore, a proposal for a European regulation for the restoration of nature sets out an objective of restoring 25,000 km of free-flowing watercourses by 2030 on a European scale; and this despite the French counter-example. The Member wishes to know whether solutions are being considered to enforce the law adopted in August 2021. She also questions France's position at the European level with regard to the proposed regulation for the restoration of nature.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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1. 21 November 2023

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• Geneviève Darrieussecq · auteur

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