Trees amid the waters near Taponas, Rhône région, France
In Taponas, in the Rhône region between the hills of Beaujolais and the hundreds of ponds scattered among the swampy Dombes area, the Saône River overflowed in March 2001. This is a recurring natural phenomenon in the lowlying zone downhill from the confluence of the Saône and the Doubs Rivers. The series of floods in several areas in eastern and central France was caused by torrential rains that fell on ground that was already waterlogged and on underground water tables saturated by recent rains. However, capricious climate conditions were not the only cause. Human action also played its part with construction in flood-prone areas, obstacles to water drainage (urban and transport infrastructure), poor river maintenance, and deforestation. With the threat of global warming, we must now adapt to these phenomena, which cannot be avoided: laws may now oblige local authorities and private owners to keep their buildings maintained or risk losing compensation, information on flood-risk areas will be more widely available, and collectives could be formed to help local people with tasks such as maintenance and evacuation.