Winter droughts: The new normal?

Franck Renouard, a winegrower in southern France, knows a thing or two about drought. The Gard region where he is based is known for its dry Mediterranean climate. But even here, drought conditions in the winter have startled the business owner. 

"We are used to water shortages in the spring and summer," he explains. "But now we’re also running low on water in the winter."

This past winter has been particularly dry. At one point, it didn't rain for over a month and half in the area. And yet the winter season plays a vital role, allowing the water table and reservoirs to replenish themselves ahead of the summer season. 

It's a no-brainer, according to Renouard. 

"Whichever way you look at it, the maths are simple: if you don’t fill up your bath, it won't drain. It’s that straightforward," he says.

For Renouard, irrigating his crops is not an option. The volume of water needed would be colossal: about 6 million litres in a region already suffering from acute water shortages. Drought-resistant grape varieties could provide some relief, but the winegrower offers an ominous prediction: "In the medium term, our vineyards are in danger."

In south-western France, scientists at the National Research Institute for Agriculture and the Environment (INRAE) are trying to piece together how and when droughts strike. To do so, they have designed an extreme climate simulator. It's a greenhouse, but on rails. 

"Our automatic system detects the arrival of rain and then, every time it rains from May to September, the roof covers the crops and shelters them," says Marc Ghesquière, the lead researcher. "Little by little, they suffer from the lack of water."

The system is able to simulate much stronger droughts than those that occur naturally.