Legal tools and management of water abstraction London June 2011 Example of the Beauce aquifer Thierry Davy

Beauce, contexte physique et usages de l’eau The Beauce aquifer: Physical context and water uses

Efficient rainfalls in France Beauce masterplan

The physical Context in Beauce area Lessons to learn : Low rainfalls Abondant groundwater ressources Important spatial differencies within te Beau territory

France. Irrigated lands in 2000 Région CENTRE Région ÎLE-DE-FRANCE Source : AGRESTE – Recensement agricole 2000 Cultures irriguées au moins une fois en 2000 – Superficie (ha)

Loire-Brittany basin water abstraction for all uses in 2003 (during the dry season) Lames d’eau prélevées en 2003 à l’étiage dans le bassin Loire-Bretagne, tous usages confondus, hors retenues collinaires, rapportées aux zones hydrographiques.

Water uses Lessons to learn : Important economic impacts Important Irrigation Important spatial differences

Recharge capacity of the Beauce aquifer 6 years 16 years 1976 2008 1952 1994 1906

Minimum biological flows in rivers

Good quantitative status? Lessons to learn: No irreversible decrease of the aquifer level Aquatic ecosystems impacted by crisis Important spatial differencies

Management measures iproved 1992 first regulatrory measures 1999 volumetric management Généralisation of metering maximum abstraction volume calculated at farm level

In 1999 Thresholds on the basis of piezometric monitoring Water abstraction authorized S1= 450 Mm3, S2=405 Mm3, S3=360 Mm3

After 1999 results of models for water abstraction 200 Mm³/an 600 Mm³/an 400 Mm³/an 200 Mm³/an 400 Mm³/an 600 Mm³/an 200 M m³ = sustainable uses

4 management sectors and 4 indicators

Level of the Beauce aquifer

Authorized abstracted volumes

River flows

Thanks a lot for your attention