Bresle Somme Authie : long term coastal submersion and flood Management Plan

¹ ARTELIA Water and Environment – Grenoble France
² Syndicat Mixte Baie de Somme Grand-Littoral – Abbeville – France
³ Atelier de l’ile, Paris – France

^a Corresponding author: agnes.cabal@arteliagroup.com

Abstract

In 2011, the French government commissioned the SMBS-GLP (Somme Bay –Picardie Coast joint venture development authority) to implement a flood prevention action programme along the Northern Sea coast between Le Tréport and Berck, in order to provide an overall mid- and long-term intervention strategy regarding flood risks (river floods and marine submersion). The area covered by the integrated management program is about 660 square km, more than 80 km of sea coast, 3 estuaries Bresle, Authie and Somme Bay, 56 communities are concerned by the risk and covered by the management plan. The prevention strategy developed for the area is based on a solidarity principle between coastal areas and land areas. The principle is based on the fact that the territory should face the risk with and adapted redistribution of human and urban stakes. This strategy is to be initiated now but will need tens of years to be effective. That’s why the process is temporally adapted in order to assure some security to the most impacted areas.