A very wet winter until February, then starving (light) precipitation in March and April. About ten millimeters per m2 on average against 80 to 90 in normal times. As a result, the prefectures of Maine-et-Loire and Loire-Atlantique have already launched drought alerts, and issued their first order restricting water use. Preventive for the farmers interviewed by Cédric Mané, but restrictions taken so early are abnormal and increasingly common. In the fields, the lack of water is already being felt.
A lack of water and wind
Main factor of this drought: a sustained and regular east wind which dries up the crops, explains Jean-Christophe Richard, dairy producer in Couffé, and deputy president of the Confédération Paysanne du 44.
Jean-Christophe Richard wind
“From February 15, we had an easterly wind which dried up the surface of the ground. It’s been several years since we noticed that, a cold and dry spring for weeks, even one or two months, we You can see it immediately: the crops are vegetating and we have a yield divided by two or three. Suddenly we will put the cows to rest and we will buy fodder outside “.
The producer of the Pays d’Ancenis observes in his own farm the consequences of this lack of water, with a drop in fodder production and a loss of autonomy to feed his cattle:
Jean-Christophe Richard climate
“The consequences of climate change are the change in practice at the farm level: at the beginning, we could graze for nine out of twelve months, because we had regular watering. This is the definition of oceanic climate. : small amounts of water but often. And that, we lost, the summer drought is lengthening. Suddenly, we are forced to keep the animals in buildings and bring fodder to the trough . And so, we have to do more stock “.
Jean-Christophe Richard, established in Couffé, practices agroforestry by creating tree hedges in the middle of fields. The idea is to reduce the size of the fields to avoid rapid runoff and wasted rainwater. For 50 years, the dismemberment consisted in breaking the hedges to have larger agricultural areas. Some farmers want to reverse this practice to better control the use of water.
Communiqué from the Prefectures
The lack of precipitation in recent weeks has sharply reduced the flow of waterways in the Loire Atlantique department, until reaching the coastal Bretons watershed (excluding the re-supplied sector) the alert threshold, which involves taking measures to restrict the use of water. This situation leads the prefect to take the first limiting measures to preserve water resources and aquatic environments and to place the entire department in a situation of vigilance.
The restrictions apply to surface water and its accompanying aquifers (including boreholes and water reservoirs connected to the watercourse or to its accompanying aquifers).
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Protection of the resource: a dry spring has led the Prefect to take restrictive measures in certain areas.
Everyone is invited to reduce their water consumption for non-essential uses.
Details of the mores: https://t.co/AEGovhsVsP pic.twitter.com/9xvift2MZR– Prefect of Maine-et-Loire (@ Prefet49) May 3, 2021
A report by Cédric Mané.
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