Preserving aquatic ecosystems to face droughts

Abstract

The year 2022 is marked by a historic drought, "the most serious ever recorded" in the words of Matignon. Among the damages caused by this major drought, there are disruptions in the supply of drinking water throughout metropolitan France, reduced agricultural, industrial and commercial yields, hydroelectric production limited to the maximum and tensions on tourist uses. Beyond the anthropic uses, the question arises of the damage caused by such a drought to aquatic environments and their resilience. Although considered as a priority "use" of water, the preservation of ecosystems is in direct confrontation with anthropic uses and this article aims to question this confrontation. Despite a reformed drought crisis management framework in 2021-2022, that takes ecosystems into account on paper, they are sometimes misused in the face of unprecedented drought. Their resilience, and in parallel that of the human species, is thus deteriorated.