ClimAlert project warns the risk of flood in the Aiguillon and La Réole areas (France)

Last February 3rd, the Garonne river reached its maximum flooding point in the area of Aiguillon and La Réole (France). A major natural disaster that could however be minimised thanks to the early warning tools developed by ACMG, the Climatological Association of the Middle-Garonne and Southwest in the framework of the ClimAlert project, an initiative to prevent risks related to climate change in the Sudoe area (Spain, Portugal and South of France).

The first warning was given by this French centre on 28 January and based its diagnosis on an analysis of meteorological data. Days later, the risk was confirmed with an increase in the flow of many rivers in the region, a fact that was brought to the attention of the authorities and the population through the media and social networks in order to prevent damage.

ACMG uses Sentinel 1 satellite imagery to create maps that allow the rapid monitoring and detection of the water status of a region, taking into account different parameters such as climate, meteorology and river basin.

CLIMALERT

ClimAlert is a European project funded by the Interreg Sudoe programme that works on the development of a platform to warn of potential extreme climate effects such as droughts, fires, floods and soil erosion, with the aim of helping public and private agents to make decisions for efficient water and soil erosion management.

Participants include NEIKER, the Association Climatologique de la Moyenne-Garonne et du Sud-Ouest (France) as lead partner, Chambre Agriculture of Dordogne (France), the Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones (CSIC, Spain), the Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (IMIDA, Spain), the Comunidade Intermunicipal Viseu Dão Lafões (Portugal) and the Dirección General de Seguridad Ciudadana y Emergencias (DGSCE, Spain).