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Refilling the meanders of the Colostre

Refilling the meanders of the Colostre

The Colostre is a tributary of the River Verdon. It is 36 km in length and drains a catchment area of 215 km². This typically Mediterranean river experiences very low water levels upstream of Riez and flash flooding due to storms.

 

The Colostre is the only accessible tributary of the Verdon in this downstream section (compartmentalised by the EDF [French electricity supply company] dams), and on these grounds, constitutes one of the only breeding grounds for brown trout. The beaver has also been recorded in this area.

 

In the 1960s, following exceptional summer flooding, hydraulic improvements were made in order to modify the longitudinal profi le of the river (resizing, straightening of the river and creation of weirs). These developments degraded the habitats of the river and caused signifi cant erosion of the river banks.