Camargue, an unfinished battle over water

details

Production
2005, France
Original language
French
Running time
00:26:00
Genre
documentary
Topic
environment
Directed by
Philippe Muller
Written by
Philippe Muller
Produced by
bleu Krystal media, avec la participation de France 5
Member page
bleu Krystal media

In the Rhone's delta, nature and life are ordered in relation to water. Man has gradually built the ecosystem to take advantage of its wealth. Dependent between freshwater and salt water operators, conflicts today result in a water management incredibly complex and an increasing fragility.
This film highlights the artificiality of an ecosystem as a whole... On the Camargue coast, the river meets the sea and gave birth to a magical space between dry and lagoons.
Historically, it was not until the 19th century to the establishment of a permanent containment. But the Industrial Revolution and the rise of capitalism that will permanently transform the ecosystem, taking advantage of its two main assets: land (for agriculture) and salt (used in lagoons landscaped salt marshes). Human actions developed on the entire watershed for 150 years have made ​​the system particularly precarious balance. It reminds us of this nature in 1993, 1994 and 2003, when the river takes its course and flooded the Camargue.

Sea side, a vast system of dikes and valves regulates the exchanges between the freshwater and marine. But nothing can oppose the rise of sea level... For the people, the Camargue has changed from friendly nature to risky territory.