Saône
Encyclopedia
The Saône is a river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 of eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. It is a right tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the River Rhône
Rhône River
The Rhone is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in Switzerland and running from there through southeastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Great Rhone and the Little Rhone...

. Rising at Vioménil
Vioménil
Vioménil is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are known as Viamanciliens, after the Roman name of the commune, Viamansalis.-Geography:...

 in the Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...

 department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

.

The name "Saône" derives from that of the Gallic
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...

 river goddess Souconna
Souconna (mythology)
Souconna is a Celtic goddess, the deity of the river Saône at Chalon-sur-Saône, to whom epigraphic invocation was made.- References :* Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Miranda Green. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London. 1997...

, which has also been connected with a local Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....

ic tribe, the Sequanes. Monastic
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...

 copyists progressively transformed "Souconna" to "Saoconna", which ultimately gave rise to "Saône". The other recorded ancient names for the river were Brigoulus and Arar.

Geography

The Saône rises at Vioménil at the foot of the cliff of the Faucilles in the Vosges at an altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...

 of 392 m, and flows into the Rhône at Lyon at an altitude of 158 m. Its length is 480 km. Its largest tributary is the Doubs
Doubs River
The Doubs is a 453 km long river in eastern France and western Switzerland, left tributary of the Saône. Its source is near Mouthe in the western Jura mountains....

; upstream of receiving the Doubs at Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
Verdun-sur-le-Doubs is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is located in southern Burgundy at the confluence of the Doubs and the Saône in the Bresse plain, near Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saône....

 in Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire is a French department, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies.-History:When it was formed during the French Revolution, as of March 4, 1790 in fulfillment of the law of December 22, 1789, the new department combined parts of the provinces of southern...

, the Saône is called the "Petite Saône" (lesser Saône), which reflects the large contribution of the Doubs to the Saône. In fact the Doubs' mean annual flow rate is slightly stronger than that of the Petite Saône (175 vs. 160 m³/s); some thus assert that it is in fact the Saône that flows into the Doubs. Nonetheless the Saône has a substantially larger watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...

 than the Doubs, at 11500 vs. 7500 km².

At 30,000 km² the Saône has the largest watershed of any French river which does not flow into the sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...

, covering approximately 1/18 of metropolitan France
Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...

.

In pre-Roman times the river's name was "Arar", a doubling of the Indo-European root ar (water). According to Caesar's Gallic Wars
Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.The "Gaul" that Caesar...

 this doubling reflected the idea that it was difficult to identify the direction of the river due to its slow rate of flow. Its current name came from a sacred spring, Sauc-Onna, located at Chalon
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....

, which was used by Roman legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...

naries to refer to the entire river.

Departments and cities traversed by the Saône

  • Vosges: Darney
    Darney
    Darney is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.It is located in the Vôge Plateau, around the location of the source of the river Saône. Darney is known for its forest of oak and beech trees.-History:...

    , Monthureux-sur-Saône
    Monthureux-sur-Saône
    Monthureux-sur-Saône is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Monthurolais.-Origins and Etymology:...

    , Châtillon-sur-Saône
    Châtillon-sur-Saône
    Châtillon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.-References:*...

  • Haute-Saône
    Haute-Saône
    Haute-Saône is a French department of the Franche-Comté région, named after the Saône River.- History :The department was created in the early years of the French Revolution through the application of a law dated 22 December 1789, from part of the former province of Franche-Comté...

    : Jonvelle
    Jonvelle
    Jonvelle is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...

    , Corre
    Corre
    Corre is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-Geography:The Côney flows southward through the middle of the commune, crosses the village, then flows into the Saône, which forms most of the commune's south-western border.-References:*...

    , Jussey
    Jussey
    Jussey is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...

    , Port-sur-Saône
    Port-sur-Saône
    Port-sur-Saône is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-Twin towns:Port-sur-Saône is twinned with: Brest in Belarus-References:*Notes...

    , Scey-sur-Saône
    Scey-sur-Saône-et-Saint-Albin
    Scey-sur-Saône-et-Saint-Albin is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...

    , Gray
  • Côte-d'Or
    Côte-d'Or
    Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...

    : Auxonne
    Auxonne
    Auxonne is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Bourgogne in eastern France.Auxonne is one of the sites of the defensive structures of Vauban, clearly seen from the train bridge as it enters the Auxonne SNCF train station on the Dijon - Besançon train line. It also was home to the Artillery...

    , Saint-Jean-de-Losne
    Saint-Jean-de-Losne
    Saint-Jean-de-Losne is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. It is about southeast of Dijon.-Population:-References:*...

    , Seurre
    Seurre
    Seurre is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.This commune lies at the crossroad of routes to Dijon, Chalon-sur-Saône, Dôle, Beaune and Louhans.-Population:-See also:*Communes of the Côte-d'Or department-External links:*...

  • Saône-et-Loire
    Saône-et-Loire
    Saône-et-Loire is a French department, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies.-History:When it was formed during the French Revolution, as of March 4, 1790 in fulfillment of the law of December 22, 1789, the new department combined parts of the provinces of southern...

    : Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
    Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
    Verdun-sur-le-Doubs is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is located in southern Burgundy at the confluence of the Doubs and the Saône in the Bresse plain, near Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saône....

    , Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus
    Tournus
    Tournus is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-Geography:Tournus is located on the right bank of the Saône, 20 km. northeast of Mâcon on the Paris-Lyon railway.-Sights:...

    , Mâcon
    Mâcon
    Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...

    , Crêches-sur-Saône
    Crêches-sur-Saône
    Crêches-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...

  • Rhône
    Rhône (département)
    Rhône is a French department located in the central Eastern region of Rhône-Alpes. It is named after the Rhône River.- History :The Rhône department was created on August 12, 1793 when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire was split into two departments: Rhône and Loire.Originally, the eastern...

    : Belleville-sur-Saône, Villefranche-sur-Saône
    Villefranche-sur-Saône
    Villefranche-sur-Saône is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.It lies 1 mile west of the Saône River, and is around north of Lyon...

    , Anse
    Anse
    Anse is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.It is situated on the river Saône, approx. 7 km south of Villefranche-sur-Saône .-Councils of Anse:Several medieval councils were held in this French town....

    , Neuville-sur-Saône
    Neuville-sur-Saône
    Neuville-sur-Saône is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-Surrounding communes:* Genay* Montanay* Fleurieu-sur-Saône* Albigny-sur-Saône-Notable people:* Jacques Chauviré, physician and novellist...

    , Fontaines-sur-Saône
    Fontaines-sur-Saône
    Fontaines-sur-Saône is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...

    , Caluire-et-Cuire
    Caluire-et-Cuire
    Caluire-et-Cuire is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.It is the third-largest suburb of the city of Lyon, and lies adjacent to its north side. It is a component commune of the metropolitan Urban Community of Lyon.-External links:...

    , Lyon
  • Ain
    Ain
    Ain is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation...

    : Thoissey
    Thoissey
    Thoissey is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:The Chalaronne forms the commune's southeastern border, then flows into the Saône, which forms its western border.- Historical facts :...

    , Jassans-Riottier
    Jassans-Riottier
    Jassans-Riottier is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...

    , Trévoux
    Trévoux
    Trévoux is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It is a suburb of Lyon.-History:The town was the capital of the Dombes principality, and famed for its dictionary...


Main tributaries of the Saône

R indicates a right tributary, L indicates a left tributary.
  • Ourche
    Ourche
    The Ourche is a river in the eastern France, a left tributary of the Saône. Its valley, the Ourche valley, is well known.- Geography :The Ourche flows entirely within the Vosges. It is the first notable tributary of the Saône, rising at the lieu dit of La Groseillére at Gruey-lès-Surance...

     (L)
  • Gras (R)
  • Apance
    Apance
    The Apance is a river in the East of France. It is one of the main tributaries to the Upper Saône from the Champagne-Ardenne region. It is the easternmost river of the region within the borders of Lorraine and Franche-Comté.-Etymology:...

     (R)
  • Côney
    Côney
    The Côney is a long river in the Vosges and Haute-Saône départements, northeastern France. Its source is near Lion Faing, a lieu-dit in Dounoux. It flows generally southwest...

     (L)
  • Mance, ou Amance (R)
  • Ougeotte
    Ougeotte
    The Ougeotte is a river in the Franche-Comté department in the east of France. It is a sub-tributary of the Rhône via the Saône.- Geography :...

     (R)
  • Superbe (L)
  • Lanterne
    Lanterne river
    The Lanterne is a river in the east of France, a substantial left tributary of the Saône, and sub-tributary of the Rhône.- Geography:The Lanterne rises within the parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges, in the commune of La Lanterne-et-les-Armonts in the département of Haute-Saône. It flows...

     (L)
  • Scyotte (L)
  • Durgeon (L)
  • Romaine
    Romaine River
    The Romaine River is a river in the Côte-Nord region of the Canadian province of Quebec. It is long. It is not to be confused with the Olomane River that is to the east and had the same name for a long time....

     (L)
  • Gourgeonne (R)
  • Vannon (R)
  • Salon
    Salon River
    The Salon River is a tributary of the Feernic River, in Romania-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971-External links:...

     (R)
  • Morthe or Morte (L)
  • Ecoulottes (R)
  • Ténise (L)
  • Vingeanne (R)
  • Ognon
    Ognon (Franche-Comté)
    The Ognon is a river of eastern France. It is a left tributary of the Saône, which it joins in Pontailler-sur-Saône. Its source is in the Vosges mountains near the Ballon d'Alsace.The Ognon flows through the following départements and towns:...

     (L)
  • Bèze (R)
  • Tille
    Tille River
    The Tille is a 83 km long river of eastern France , right tributary of the Saône. It is formed by the confluence of three small streams near Cussey-les-Forges, on the Plateau of Langres. The Tille flows south through the following towns: Til-Châtel, Arc-sur-Tille and Genlis...

     (R)
  • Ouche (R)
  • Vouge (R)
  • Doubs
    Doubs River
    The Doubs is a 453 km long river in eastern France and western Switzerland, left tributary of the Saône. Its source is near Mouthe in the western Jura mountains....

     (L)
  • Dheune (R)
  • Thalie (R)
  • Cosne (L)
  • Grosne
    Grosne River
    The Grosne is a long river in the Rhône and Saône-et-Loire départements, central eastern France. Its source is near Saint-Bonnet-des-Bruyères. It flows generally north...

     (R)
  • Tenarre (L)
  • Seille
    Seille (Saône)
    The Seille is a river originating in the Jura mountains in France. It is a left tributary of the Saône, joining it in the commune of La Truchère, in Saône-et-Loire. It is 100 km long....

     (L)
  • Reyssouze
    Reyssouze River
    The Reyssouze is a river in the Ain department in eastern France. It is a left tributary of the Saône, which it joins near Pont-de-Vaux. Its source is in Journans, in the Bresse region. The Reyssouze flows generally northwest through the following communes: Montagnat, Bourg-en-Bresse, Attignat,...

     (L)
  • Mouge (R)
  • Veyle
    Veyle
    The Veyle is a long river in the Ain département, eastern France. Its source is in Chalamont. It flows generally northwest. It is a left tributary of the Saône into which it flows between Grièges and Crottet, near Mâcon.-Communes along its course:...

     (L)
  • l'Arlois (R)
  • Mauvaise (R)
  • Chalaronne
    Chalaronne
    The Chalaronne is a long river in the Ain département, eastern France. Its source is at Lapeyrouse, in the Dombes. It flows generally northwest...

     (L)
  • Ardières (R)
  • Vauxonne (R)
  • Morgon (R)
  • Formans (L)
  • Azergues
    Azergues
    The Azergues is a river in the Rhône department, in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Saône, which it joins in Anse. Its source is in the Beaujolais hills, near Chénelette. The Azergues flows through the following towns: Lamure-sur-Azergues, Le Bois-d'Oingt, Chessy, Châtillon,...

     (R)

  • Navigation

    The Saône is classed as navigable
    Navigability
    A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and slow enough for a vessel to pass. Preferably there are few obstructions such as rocks or trees to avoid. Bridges must have sufficient clearance. High water speed may make a channel unnavigable. Waters may be...

     after its confluence
    Confluence
    Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...

     with the Côney at Corre
    Corre
    Corre is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-Geography:The Côney flows southward through the middle of the commune, crosses the village, then flows into the Saône, which forms most of the commune's south-western border.-References:*...

     in the north of Haute-Saône
    Haute-Saône
    Haute-Saône is a French department of the Franche-Comté région, named after the Saône River.- History :The department was created in the early years of the French Revolution through the application of a law dated 22 December 1789, from part of the former province of Franche-Comté...

     all the way to its confluence with Rhône
    Rhône
    Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...

     at la Mulatière
    La Mulatière
    La Mulatière is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. The city is known, among other things, for its Aquarium du Grand Lyon.-References:*...

    , in Lyon. The navigable stretch is over 365 km long, of which 167 km is European large gauge (from Verdun-sur-le-Doubs to Lyon).

    The Saône is linked with the Loire by the Canal du Centre
    Canal du Centre (France)
    The Canal du Centre, originally known as the Canal du Charollais, is a French canal running from Digoin, where it now joins the Canal latéral à la Loire, to the River Saône in Chalon-sur-Saône. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of...

    , with the Yonne by the Canal de Bourgogne, with the Marne
    Marne River
    The Marne is a river in France, a right tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the départements of Haute-Marne, Marne, Seine-et-Marne, and Val-de-Marne....

     by the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne
    Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne
    The Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne, previously the Canal de la Marne à la Saône is a canal in the North-East of France connecting the towns of Vitry-le-François and Maxilly-sur-Saône....

     (previously the Canal de la Marne à la Saône), with the Meuse
    Meuse River
    The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...

     by the Canal de l'Est
    Canal de l'Est
    The Canal de l'Est is a canal in northeastern France. It was built from 1874 to 1887 and has a total length of . It consists of two parts: a northern branch linking the Meuse River and the Moselle, and a southern branch linking the Moselle to the Saône...

    , whose southern branch has been renamed the Canal des Vosges, and with the Rhine by the Canal du Rhône au Rhin. All the canals are Freycinet gauge
    Freycinet gauge
    The Freycinet gauge is a standard governing the dimensions of the locks of some canals, put in place as a result of a law passed during the tenure of Charles de Freycinet as prime minister of France, dating from 5 August 1879....

    .

    Also navigable are the small Canal de Pont-de-Vaux
    Canal de Pont-de-Vaux
    The Canal de Pont-de-Vaux is a canal in eastern France connecting the Saone at Fleurville to Pont-de-Vaux. It was closed for many years and reopened in 1993. It runs parallel to the Reyssouze River....

     (3 km), the Seille, navigable in a 40 km stretch up to Louhans
    Louhans
    Louhans is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.Louhans is the capital of Bresse bourguignonne. The main street, dating from the eleventh century, is very typical with arches and stores all along...

    , and the lower part of the Doubs. None of these three connect the Saône to any other body of water.

    The lesser Saône

    The lesser Saône has a pluvial regime (sometimes influenced by snow), with a very strong ocean
    Ocean
    An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...

    ic effect. The soil
    Soil
    Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...

    s are not susceptible to much infiltration
    Infiltration (hydrology)
    Infiltration is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. Infiltration rate in soil science is a measure of the rate at which soil is able to absorb rainfall or irrigation. It is measured in inches per hour or millimeters per hour. The rate decreases as the soil becomes...

    , so that they saturate quickly which contributes to surface runoff
    Surface runoff
    Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...

    . The flow rate grows very quickly, and after receiving the waters of the Lanterne, the Saône has already become a powerful river.

    The mean annual flow rate, or discharge, of the Saône has been measured over 44 years (as of 2007) at the Ray-sur-Saône
    Ray-sur-Saône
    Ray-sur-Saône is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...

     hydrological station, situated about 30 km after the Lanterne confluence between Port-sur-Saône
    Port-sur-Saône
    Port-sur-Saône is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-Twin towns:Port-sur-Saône is twinned with: Brest in Belarus-References:*Notes...

     and Gray.
    The figure is 59.7 m³/s for a watershed area of 3,740 km² (the upper basin of the lesser Saône), and has an annual maximum of 64.5 and minimum of 54.8 m³/s.

    The river exhibits seasonal variations in flow rate, with winter floods from 84 to 108 m³/s from December to March inclusive, and summer reductions in July/August/September falling to a monthly average of 16.9 m³/s in August.

    The runoff curve number in the upper basin of the lesser Saône is 505 mm annually (cf. 687 mm for the Lanterne), an elevated figure resulting from the very high rainfall in the Vosgian part of its watershed. The specific flow rate rises to 16.0 litres per second per square kilometre of watershed.

    The maximum instantaneous recorded flow rate was 930 m³/s on 19 December 1982.

    The greater Saône

    The greater Saône is formed by the confluence of the Doubs and the lesser Saône at Verdun-sur-le-Doubs. The Doubs brings a mean annual flow rate of 175 m³/s, and the lesser Saône, 160 m³/s.

    The greater Saône has only modest tributaries which have little effect on floods or other hydrological properties. It flows in a vast plain approximately 3 km wide as far as Lyon in the basin of the former Bressan
    Bresse
    Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...

     lake. The slope is very weak, and without hydraulic projects up to the north of Chalon aimed at guaranteeing a deep navigation channel, overflows would be more frequent.

    At the Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or
    Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or
    Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...

     hydrological station, located where the river enters the Lyon area, measurements taken between 1969 and 1986 revealed a mean annual flow rate of 473 m³/s, with a 100-year flood flow rate of 3,180 m³/s. The runoff curve number from the river's entire watershed is 501 mm, and the specific flow rate rises to 15.8 litres per second per square kilometre of watershed.

    Average flow rate

    Overall, the average flow rate in Lyon is 475 m³/s, with a minimum of 153 m³/s, in August, and a maximum of 954 m³, in February.

    Historic floods

    When the Saône floods, the impact varies considerably over the course of the river. A large flood with a strong flow rate upstream can be largely attenuated in the Bressan plain so as to have only moderate impact at Mâcon, particularly if it carries a limited volume of water. By contrast, a medium-sized flood of the lesser Saône can turn into a significant flood downstream, if the Doubs brings in a similar contribution at about the same time.

    Historic floods include:
    • The Lyon flood of 580
      580
      Year 580 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 580 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Ethelbert becomes king of Kent.* The Roman...

    • The floods of 1602 during the autumn equinox and of 1711
    • The flood of November 1840, with an estimated flow rate of almost 4,000 m3/s, destroyed numerous habitations along the river valley
      River Valley
      River Valley is the name of an urban planning area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.The River Valley Planning Area is defined by the region bounded by Orchard Boulevard, Devonshire Road and Eber Road to the north, Oxley Rise and Mohamed Sultan Road to the east, Martin...

      . Many plaques marking this serious event are still visible in the villages affected. The high water measured at flood scales reached 8.05 m at Mâcon and 7.28 m at Chalon (or about 6 m and 5.5 m respectively above normal levels).
    • The flood of May 1856
    • The largest floods in the last 50 years as of 2006: January 1955, March 1970, December 1981 and 1982, May 1983, March 2001 and 2006.


    The reference flood in town planning is the 100-year event, meaning that which has a probability of 1/100 of occurring each year. This reference was in the course of being modified as maps linked to modelling the 1840 flood in modern town planning conditions were distributed to local mayors in December 2008, and as new prevention plans were ordered for 2012.

    Management

    From September 1 2004 until 31 August 2009, a river contract specific to the flood-prone Saône valley operated through the Etablissement Public Territorial du Bassin (EPTB) Saône et Doubs, in partnership with the various water agencies of the area, including:
    • Agence de l'Eau Rhône, Méditerranée et Corse
    • Collectivités régionales et départementales
    • Chambres d'agriculture
    • Voies Navigables de France
    • Fédérations de pêches


    This contract, the Contrat de vallée inondable de la Saône provided for the implementation of significant procedures for water quality
    Water quality
    Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...

     improvement, for the preservation and rehabilitation of aquatic and natural habitats, for flood risk management and for the maintenance of the river and its banks. A new contractual approach was being developed for the following five years.

    Related articles

    • List of rivers in France
    • The Rhône
      Rhône
      Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...

       river
    • The Doubs
      Doubs
      Doubs is a department the Franche-Comté region of eastern France named after the Doubs River.-History:As early as the 13th century, inhabitants of the northern two-thirds of Doubs spoke the Franc-Comtois language, a dialect of Langue d'Oïl. Residents of the southern third of Doubs spoke a dialect...

       river
    • Saône
      Saône, Doubs
      Saône is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-Population:-External links:* *...

       is also a French commune in the département of Doubs.

    External links

    The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
     
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