Last weekend, several thousand activists gathered in Sainte-Soline (Deux-Sèvres), in the heart of the Marais poitevin, where a “water reservoir” is under construction. They tried to obstruct the work and clashed with the gendarmes. For them, these “basins” are far from being a viable solution for adapting to climate change.
“Mega-basins”, “substitute reserves”, “water reservoirs”. Several terms to describe artificial lakes which must serve as a water reserve for farmers in the event of drought. Dozens are planned in France. But these storages arouse the anger of environmental activists. They accuse the farmers who use them of pumping groundwater and drying it up, of hoarding the water for themselves.