Hydraulic planning in Provence

Abstract

French Provence has an irregular rainfall and a large need of water, both for urban use and for the irrigation of its fertile soil. Local needs, the general progress and the development of the Electricité de France (E.D.F.) have led to the formation of the Canal Society of Provence, from which important improvements in the existing canal network are to be expected, and also in the provision of new sources of water. As the number of works and reforms are large, the author has limited himself to a description of the more outstanding ones. In relation to the construction machinery used in these works, special mention should be made of a jumbo which drills and clears away the debris after firing the charges. This is a very important problem, which appears to be finally solved, so that in the near future the rate of drilling in galleries will be substantially improved. Another important feature, which could be usefully applied to hydraulic projects with shortage of water, is the use of pressurized irrigation networks and aspersion type watering.