DATE2016-05-31 18:51:02
IDABSTRACT20160531185102-1024
CONTACTnicolas.maughan@gmail.com
PRESENTATIONPOSTER
INVITED0
IDSESSION5
TITLEHISTORICAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND IMPACTS ON WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF MARSEILLE IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES (SOUTHEASTERN FRANCE)
AUTHORSNicolas Maughan (1)
AFFILIATIONS
  1. Aix-marseille University Marseille (France)
ABSTRACTIn Provence, in the Southeastern France, Marseille's water supply has always been problematic. Constrained by a mountainous topography within a rocky and dry landscape its inhabitants have often coped with acute water shortages. Up until the mid-19th century, water resources consisted of an old medieval aqueduct, some karstic springs and many public and private wells. And, in order to overcome the chronic lack of freshwater, solutions were always temporary and ineffective. However, this issue became so pressing in the first half of the nineteenth century, thus forcing municipal officials to quickly deal with this problem. Indeed, the combination of a growing population, a booming industry, but above all severe recurring winter and summer hydrological droughts for about 35 years, such as in 1817/18 and 1833/34 (associated with the apogee of the Little Ice Age in Western Mediterranean), drastically reduced the available volume of water for both citizens and local factories. Consequences on the economy and the urban environment were quick enough but the lack of water mainly resulted in significant sanitary problems. We propose to explore policy answers and socio-economic options that have solved the supply problems thanks to the construction of a new aqueduct to carry potable water from the Durance River to the city. First, after describing the hydro-climatic context of the Provence area (especially during the second half of the LIA) and the state of water resources of Marseille at this time, we'll present major social, sanitary as well as economic crises due to the lack of water which impacted the city together with their effects on the urban dynamic. Then, we'll analyze public policy and challenging technical choices made by the municipality to deal with chronic water shortages.
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STATE1