A delta enclosed by dykes – a system of irrigation
The irrigation system
Irrigation began to develop in the Camargue as early as the 16th century, using sections of the river that had been cut off as a result of changes in its course, but also the force of gravity. However it was the development of vineyards – which, from the end of the 19th century onward, had to be flooded in order to keep down phylloxera – that led to the introduction of active irrigation, using water from the Rhône. Today, 153 pumps installed along the two main arms of the river supply water to a network of several hundred kilometres of channels. Two thirds of the system are under collective management, and one third is managed by individual landowners. The volume of water involved – some 400 million m3 a year – is equal to that of the average annual rainfall.
The irrigation network (Map: Pierre Heurteaux)
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