This week, the town of Miribel-les-Echelles in the Chartreuse massif was confronted with a lack of water. One of the two reservoirs which supplies some of the inhabitants was dry, tankers had to be brought in to refill it. Ditto at Ruchère, where the mayor asks his constituents to save water. In fact, even if precipitation is stable on the massif, global warming accentuates evaporation and installs drought.
An announced drought
Already last May, fishermen, true climate watchers, had alerted the Chartreuse Regional National Park to dry areas in the Guiers plain. “The Chartreuse is a karst massif” recalls Laure Belmont, head of the biodiversity, planning and landscape mission within the Park. “It’s a rock that does not retain water, we are on a big Swiss cheese in fact! When it rains, the water disappears into the bowels of the earth and there are few wetlands that retain it on the massif. Even if it snowed a lot this winter, we are currently paying for the water deficit that we had already noted in the fall and all the snow we had has melted very quickly due to the early high heat. of spring.”
– Veronique Pueyo
Learn the good mountain codes
Water therefore becomes a rare resource that must be managed as well as possible, because this water must serve the shepherds and their herds, as well as biodiversity, fauna and flora. Gold, since the Covid, a new public frequents the Chartreuse who does not know the mountain and its uses. The Park is therefore multiplying mediation actions. “Often these people do not have the codes. For example, to cool off, they can soak in a watering basin for animals, to the great displeasure of mountaineers. Because they pollute the water with their sunscreen, their perspiration. It has also happened that a cow eats a forgotten t-shirt! This happened to us recently, the animal almost choked. We had to intervene urgently!And she adds:This is also why we have made efforts over the past two years to put people on the ground, and on the Hauts de Chartreuse Nature Reserve in particular. There are two guards, a facilitator and five mountain guides who meet hikers to explain and raise awareness of good practices!”
Respect the rivers
Another recommendation of the Park, take care of the rivers which already flow weakly. It is a question of not modifying its course: “We all wanted one day to dip our feet in it and to raise the water level to make a dam with stones.“ notes Laure Belmont. “But this is strongly discouraged because it is harmful for the animals that live in the river! This will already prevent them from moving. And then the stagnant water will heat up and a trout, for example, which is good at 17 degrees, if it rises more in temperature, it can kill it!”
The Parc de Chartreuse also advises hikers to bring plenty of water because many water points are currently dry due to drought. Others, shown on IGN maps, no longer exist.
The Parc de Chartreuse offers outings with a guide to learn the best practices. Bivouacs in tents are prohibited in the Hauts de Chartreuse. it is of course forbidden to make fire.
– Veronique Pueyo