Water status

The water agency bases its action on networks monitoring aquatic environment quality. This provides knowledge that is enhanced every day by water quality surveillance.

WATER QUALITY IS IMPROVING

The number of watercourses with good quality water has more than doubled over the last 25 years.
In the Rhone-Mediterranean basin, 52% of the rivers are in good or very good condition. For Corsica, this figure increases to 86%. This clear improvement is the result of a successful policy of upgrading sewage stations, to the point that it divides phosphate concentration by 10 and divides organic river pollution by up to 20.
Half of the rivers do not have good status, due to pollution by pesticides and physical degradation.

Prélèvement en rivière(photo)Photo : Copyright Michel Martini

52% In the Rhone-Mediterranean basin, 52% of the rivers have good or very good ecological status.

40% of rivers still suffer from excessive water abstraction

 

The ecological status of rivers

In 2015, 12% of watercourses had very good status, 43% good status, 28% average status, 16% mediocre status and 1% poor status. The map below depicts the watercourses involved.

Carte de l'état des eaux des bassins Rhône-Méditerranée et Corse en 2015 (photo)Photo : Copyright Agence de l'eau Rhône Méditerranée Corse

Access data for the Rhone-Mediterranean basin

Access data for the Corsica basin

REGULAR MONITORING

Monitoring the status of aquatic environments is carried out as part of the European Framework Directive on Water (DCE) surveillance program. This collective data production program brings together the water agency, the DREAL, the AFB, IFREMER and the BRGM.

Rapport et information sur l'eau (photo)Photo : Michel Martini

19.5 Million river analyses since 1990

7.5 Million groundwater analyses