Drought in France: 97 Departments Already Restricting Water Use

Paris – 13 July 2026: France has tightened its water policy due to an exceptionally early and intense drought. According to the Environment Ministry, restrictions on water use are currently in force in 97 departments; 41 of them are at the highest crisis level. This means the officially confirmed figure differs slightly from reports citing 98 affected departments. A total of 201 prefectural orders are in force.

The situation affects the entire mainland and Corsica. According to the government, it is particularly tense in the Massif Central, a region important for water supply. Water levels in many rivers have been falling rapidly since the beginning of June. Nearly one-third of monitoring stations are recording values below the lowest comparative levels of the past 20 years for this time of year. One-quarter of small watercourses have already dried up.

The Loire is also carrying historically little water for July. For this reason, support for the river from storage facilities was initiated earlier than in previous years. Groundwater reserves are also declining, but due to replenishment in spring, they are still in a better overall position than in 2022 and 2023. Rapidly responding aquifers in Auvergne, Limousin and Grand Est are being monitored particularly closely.

Meteo-France puts the nationwide rainfall deficit in June at around 45 percent. June 2026 was therefore the sixth-driest June since records began in 1959 and, at the same time, the warmest June ever recorded in France. The average temperature was 22.8 degrees Celsius, 3.8 degrees above the average for the 1991 to 2020 reference period. From 17 to 30 June, a particularly severe heatwave further worsened the drought.

Nouvelle-Aquitaine has been hit hardest: 11 of its 12 departments have been classified at crisis level. Depending on local conditions, the orders may limit agricultural irrigation, filling private pools, washing vehicles, watering gardens and certain industrial uses. The aim is to secure drinking water and the most urgent uses, as well as to protect rivers and wetlands.

According to the ministry, the consequences are already visible. Some areas are reporting strain on drinking water supplies, while industrial companies are operating under restrictions. High water temperatures are also causing fish die-offs. Shellfish farming and fish farms, especially in Brittany, the southwest and Normandy, are reporting significant losses. Wildlife care centers are taking in more heat-damaged birds, bats and mammals.

The Environment Ministry has instructed prefects to convene water committees in every department, review threshold values weekly and swiftly adjust restrictions where necessary. The government also points to everyday opportunities to save water, such as repairing leaks and using water more sparingly at home. In the coming weeks, the key question will be whether significant rainfall can relieve the continuing decline in water reserves.