The Canal and the water

From design to operation, the Seine-Nord Europe Canal protects water resources and manages them responsibly. Adapted and resilient to the effects of climate change, it is a sustainable part of Hauts-de-France and in harmony with the other uses of water in the area (drinking water, nature, agriculture, industry).

Preservation of groundwater

The Seine-Nord Europe Canal will be fed by the Oise River, whose flow rate is sufficient more than 90% of the time, and will only no direct debit in groundwater. In periods when the flow of the Oise is too low, particularly in summer or during periods of drought, its supply will be ensured by the Louette water reservoir located in the Somme, near Péronne. The Oise, its flow and the quality of its water, will thus be preserved and the Canal will not impact the water needs of the territory.

A water-efficient Canal

A high performance sealing of its "basin" (bottom and edge of the Canal) will greatly limit water losses linked to infiltration. The locks between Noyon and Oisy-le-Verger will allow fully recycle the water used when passing ships. The Canal's water consumption will thus be greatly reduced.

Solutions to protect and manage the territory's waterways

Thanks to suitable hydraulic structures, the Seine-Nord Europe Canal is designed to ensure the continuity of waterways and other flows it will intercept. It is not a flood control structure but it will help locally reduce flood intensity, exacerbated by climate change. In the Oise valley, for example, a spillway located at Montmacq will lower the level of the Oise river in flood by several tens of centimeters.