Mise à niveau environnementale du barrage de Montalivet EN

Brief overview

Montalivet Dam was built across the river Orne in 1908 and plays a key role in the operation of the Port of Caen-Ouistreham. It serves to maintain a constant water level in the Orne in order to supply the canal between Caen and the sea so large commercial vessels can access the city.  

Conservation of biodiversity 

To ensure the ecological coherence of the Orne, animal species must be able to travel freely along its waters and sediment must also be allowed to circulate.  The dam must not prevent such movement, but instead facilitate it. Currently the structure is too selective and does not ensure free passage for all the species targeted by the regulations, such as eels, Atlantic salmon, sea trout, river trout, sea lamprey, river lamprey, and allis shad.  

A necessary adaptation 

As a result, the Monatlivet Dam needs to be improved by building a new fish pass to ensure the ecological coherence of the Orne, and to contribute to safeguarding its biodiversity. 

The project could benefit from a grant of up to 80% of the cost from the Agence de l’Eau Seine-Normandie as part of the Eau&Climat 2019-2024 programme.