France's rivers dry up, forcing canal navigation shutdown

The French Office for Biodiversity reported that by early July 2026 a quarter of the country's small rivers—819 streams—were either dry or flowing at a break‑even point, a level twice that of 2022 and the worst recorded since the monitoring began in 2012. The shortage is lowering water levels and raising temperatures, which reduces oxygen content, threatens trout habitats and worsens water‑treatment costs. More than 200 water‑use restriction orders are now in force across France.

On 21 July, Voies navigables de France announced a halt to navigation on the Canal Entre Champagne et Bourgogne because the Vingeanne River can no longer feed the canal’s water‑bearing sections. Freight traffic is suspended, and only shallow‑draft pleasure craft can pass. The agency is relying on limited releases from the Marne, La Liez and other lakes to maintain minimal water levels while the drought persists.