Restauration de cours d'eau en Ardennes

• Natural Water Retention in the Ardennes: restoring the natural capacity to store water in the landscape.

  a) Monitor existing sites and gather information on natural restoration.

In 2002 – 2007, the NGO WWF set up a project for the natural storage of water along tributaries of the river Meuse in the Walloon Ardennes. River valleys are brought back to a natural state in order to improve natural processes and slow down the water during floods. Drainage systems in boggy areas are closed in order to keep the water longer in the soil and create natural buffers to cope with the effects of climate change. Originally focused on flood prevention, it turned out to have a positive effect on the restoration of the natural vegetation and the reduction of low-flows in the summer period (see Annex 6).

Three sites that have already been restored will be compared with 3 others that are being purchased (purchase not within AMICE). This action will study the combined effect of the 6 NWR zones in the Amel/Emmels basin.

The first goal is to set-up a monitoring program based on hydrological measurements. It will consist in gathering information, identifying gaps, selecting locations, setting up a protocol & finally executing it. It was demonstrated that each NWR has a small impact on the general hydrology of the basin; the monitoring will help grasp the wider impact of a NETWORK of restored areas, within the same catchment basin.

Additional botanical & entomological monitoring is also planned to be added to 5 years of data already available from the 3 sites already studied. Ecological systems with a sound hydrology & functioning as a natural system are more adaptable to climate change & information is needed to carry out a climate-check of the NWR technique, & identify how it can contribute to the transnational adaptation strategy.

The second goal is to promote scientific investigations on the NWR sites, & communication towards civil servants, politicians, scientists & the specialised press.

b) Prospection and communication.

The goals are to:

- make an inventory of potential new sites for natural water retention.

In principle all of the upstream parts and source areas of small tributaries could have a role in natural water retention but this won’t be always possible due to practical restraints. Investigations will be carried out in order to select the new potential zones.

- involve the farmers for cooperation in the water management on their fields.

Natural water retention has lots to do with allowing water to flood fields; possibilities for farmers to get compensation will be investigated.

- promote the consciousness of populations to be part of the Meuse basin.

The AMICE project offers plenty of opportunities to develop the "basin culture". Natural water retention and sub-basins that function in a natural way to cope with the effects of climate change can provide a common thread between peoples of the Meuse.