1. Project design

1.1 Problems and damage observed

In France, flood prevention and agricultural policy have led to the physical modification of watercourses through intensive recalibration and rectification work. Consultation of the Bergerac archives has shown that "old bottoms, old banks" dredging of "non-floatable, non-navigable" rivers has been common practice in the Lot and Dordogne departments since at least the early 19th century. More recently, a comprehensive dredging of the Céou in Lot was undertaken around 1946