In the Alpes-Maritimes, the tears of the sky have flowed very little since the beginning of the year.
A few millimeters here and there, quite insufficient.
In view of a summer that promises to be already very hot, the water reserves are in sharp decline.
If drought is a fact, it is also a matter of absolute concern, especially for farmers in the valleys.
Therefore, it is a question of finding solutions to save and contain the resource.
The mayor of Levens, in the hinterland of Nice, does not hide his concern about a situation which he considers a little more critical each year.
“Global warming is not a figment of the imagination.
To deny it is a mistake.
This year, all the indicators show a drop of 40% compared to last year.
Whether at the level of waterfalls and snow or reserves.
The situation is alarming
”, points out Antoine Véran, also vice-president of the Nice Côte d'Azur conurbation, delegate for Agriculture.
In anticipation, tanks for transporting drinking water are being acquired by the Métropole.
Trucks to transport them in the valleys (of Tinée and Vésubie in particular) are already available.
"These are the same ones that we used to bring hay after the
storm Alex
"
, specifies the mayor of Levens.
For the chosen one, the storage of water in a voluminous way is a priority.
The latter would like, among other things, to take advantage of the existing basins used by ski resorts for the production of artificial snow.
“One idea would be to expand them to a few hundred cubic meters for agriculture
,” he explains.
I'm not saying that would be enough.
In this case, we can consider creating new ones.
"
Diverting just 10% of a river is already feeding a large basin
"
Antoine Véran, mayor of Levens and vice-president of the Metropolis delegated to Agriculture.
Antoine Véran refuses the term mega-basins.
Like other elected officials, he seems somewhat shaken by the Sainte-Soline episode and wishes to prevent a new fire from starting in the Mercantour park.
“That's not it, just the word is not appropriate
, he justifies.
For market gardening yes, but for what concerns us, namely the breeding of animals and the preservation of fauna, we do not need mega-basins.
In fact, for the metropolitan elected representative, the water reserves in the valleys must largely benefit the places of transhumance.
“Every year, we welcome herds from the Var in the mountains for a fee.
What if we don't have anything left to offer them to drink?
Cattle are also reclaiming space, we have to keep them.
We must preserve nourishing agriculture
with our breeders, cheese makers, etc.
, he insists.
Read alsoSainte-Soline: feedback on a manipulation
It remains to know how to capture the water to fill any tanks and basins.
"No need to attack groundwater
," he promises.
And to continue: “
We will recover the rainwater or we will divert the rivers.
Diverting just 10% of a river is already feeding a large basin.
»
A “scandal to come” according to environmentalists
So many tracks that revolt the camp of environmentalists from Nice.
"It's political and ecological nonsense!"
, annoyed one of them.
“It is the grabbing of water resources for the sole benefit of winter sports resorts that is at stake.
Pumping to supply them will have disastrous ecological consequences”
, continues Fabrice Decoupigny, municipal and metropolitan councilor (EELV).
The latter does not hesitate to use the angry word:
“These mega-basins will have a dramatic impact on our groundwater.
They are only used for very water-intensive crops.
However, these cultures do not exist on our territory.”
Read alsoSainte-Soline: “True violence and false news”
Still according to the elected environmentalist, the public authorities would use farmers “
to justify their luxury tourism projects.
Those who consume the most water in our country are not the farmers, it is the artificial snow on the ski slopes.
To illustrate his point, the elected official from Nice recalls that
"snow cannons need more than 4,000 cubic meters of water for one hectare of trails, compared to 1,700 cubic meters for the same area of corn (crops known to be very water-intensive ).»
Carrying the voice of his political family, Fabrice Decoupigny promises that
“ecologists will fight against this coming scandal.”
“
They are right, agriculture is 3% of water consumption in the department, all activities combined.
But their arguments are as fallacious as they are utopian,
notes Antoine Véran
.
On the one hand, mountain tourism benefits the local economy, but above all it provides a living for many farmers who work in the resorts in winter.
Mega-basins or not, the mayor of Levens confirms his ambition to create new water reserves.
“Farmers' survival is at stake
,” he concludes.