Glossary

Aiguat: Flood in Catalan and Occitan dialects

Baseflow: Low-water level.

Bertin, Rose (1747-1813): fashion retailer and highly astute woman who worked for Queen Marie-Antoinette.

BRGM: French Geological Survey

CAPA: Greater Ajaccio Council Association

CEREMA: Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Urban Planning

CNR: Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (Rhône River Management Authority).
Confluence: Place where two rivers meet to form a single channel

CPIE: French environmental education centre network

Flash flood*: Rapid rise in the flow of river

DDSIS: Departmental Directorate for Fire and Rescue Service

DDTM: Departmental Directorate for Land and Sea.

Debris dam: An object transported by a river that could obstruct the flow of water at a narrow point, such as a bridge. The name also applies to the natural dam that subsequently forms.

Debris flow: Mudslide dense enough to carry large boulders in suspension.

Debris line: The visible line indicating where flood waters reached their highest point.

DREAL: Regional Directorate for the Environment, Development and Housing.

EPTB: Etablissement Public Territorial de Bassin (Public river catchment authority).

Flash flood : rapid increase in the flow of a water bear

Floodplain: The widest area occupied by the river when it overflows its banks. It is defined by the largest recorded flood event.

Flow rate: the amount of water passing the samepoint over a given period of time, measured in cubic metres per second (m3/s) or in litres per second (L/s).

Gabion: A robust steel cage commonly filled with stones and used in public works to protect riverbanks from scouring.

IRMA: French Institute of Major Hazards

Local Plan: Local land-use designation plan
Maurice Pardé (1893-1973): Eminent academic, innovative researcher and founder of Potamology*. Pardé conducted ground-breaking work to rank and define the features of flood events worldwide.

Meander: Bend in the channel of a river

ONF/RTM: French Forestry Commission/Restoration of Mountain Landscapes

PPR: Risk Prevention Plan

River catchment: The area in which drops of water all flow towards the same outlet (river, lake, sea or ocean).

Scouring: bank erosion by the mechanical energy generated by river flow.

SDIS: French Departmental Fire and Emergency Service

SISA: Siagne River and tributaries inter-municipal association

SMAVD: Durance Valley joint-planning association

SMAAR: Aquatic environments and rivers joint association

SMBFH: Hérault River Joint Association

SPC: Flood Forecasting Service.

Streambed: The channel occupied by a river at its annual mean flow.

SYBLE: Lez River basin consortium
Thalweg: A line formed between the two lowest points, either a valley or a streambed.