Actions on the Vals site
Type 1 Actions: Optimising the innovation and transferability potential of the SEMEAU project
- Taking part in the SEMEAU project specialist groups: The Director of SITHERE will take part in the specialist group set up by DANONE and will organise a visit by the group to the site at Vals les Bains.
Type 3 Actions: Optimising the adaptability of the SEMEAU tool through a demonstration experimentation panel on management of the environment
- Carrying out of demonstration actions on quantitative water management in a Mediterranean context. The Vals site is situated in the south of the local government area of the Ardèche, and is part of the ground water body known as the « Cevennes block, catchment area of the Ardèche and the Cèze » and the water body of the « Volane » water course. A large number of springs, more than 150 in the past and of which about thirty remain in use today, spring from the foot of a small wooded slope which extends over 250 hectares. The operating zone extends over roughly 4000 hectares mainly covered with forest, pasture and unused land. With the loss of agricultural activity, orchards, chestnut groves, and a whole series of small scale civil engineering works influencing infiltration (such as low walls, terraces, springs, and irrigation channels) on the slope have been abandoned.
In more sensitive areas, immediately upstream from the springs still in use, the aim is to carry out pilot work for the restoration of these types of works. In addition, management of vegetation at the edge of the numerous ravines which cross this slope has been abandoned. Pilot schemes for managing these riverains bordering ravines and streams will be carried out with the aim of achieving a satisfactory condition as defined by the DCE and respecting the springs situated downstream. Finally, the desirable role of vegetation at the edge of water courses with regard to orchards will be studied at a practical case by case level. This will enable us to determine:
- the desirability or otherwise of installing such civil engineering works in these sensitive zones
- the techniques and costs of management actions on vegetation at the edges of small ravines with the double aim mentioned above
- the limit between orchards, chestnut groves and vegetation at the edge of water courses
- the necessity of taking into account or not this type of action at the level of the catchment area, through modelling, in particular quantitative modelling.
These demonstration works together with awareness tools are genuinely important for informing a wider public of the hydraulic and hydro geological functioning of these highly frequented areas.
Type 4 Actions: Modelling possibilities for adaptation of practice of players at the local level
- Designing and deployment of awareness and educational tools on conservation of water resources by agricultural and forestry activities in a Mediterranean context.
Type 5 Actions: Informing on water conservation and communicating results of the project for promoting their use
- Carrying out of a pilot communication operation on conserving water resources in a Mediterranean context. This campaign includes creating an educational resources package and exchange and awareness sessions with players at the local level and with the public on the impact of agricultural and sylvan practice on water. In the Mediterranean context of Vals the emphasis will be placed on quantitative management of water beginning with the rediscovery of the ancient hydraulic heritage (old wells, irrigation channels...).
Type 6 Actions: Managing the project, keeping the European Commission informed and preparing project follow up
- Taking part in management of the project.Participation of SITHERE in the overall management of the project covers in particular:
- planning and management of actions planned on the site at Vals les bains: monitoring of the effective application of the proposed measures, monitoring deadlines and checking of material (material delivered)
- information feedback to the project manager, in accordance with instructions for finalising detailed in the initial report.
