River contracts in Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur

An environmental contract (generally river, but also lake, bay or table) is a technical and financial agreement between relevant partners for comprehensive, concerted and sustainable management at the level of a coherent hydrographic unit. With SAGE, the environmental contract is a relevant tool for the implementation of the SDAGEs and programmes of measures approved in 2009 to take into account the objectives and provisions of the Water Framework Directive. It can be an operational declination of an SAGE. It is a voluntary and concerted action programme over 5 years with a contractual financial commitment (designation of the contracting authorities, the method of financing, the deadlines of the works, etc.). These contracts shall be signed between the partners concerned: prefect(s) of department(s), water agency and local authorities (general council, regional council, municipalities, inter-communal unions, etc.). The river (or bay) committee is established by prefectural decree to guide the drawing up of the contract which it leads and follows. The circular of 30 January 2004 sets out the conditions for its constitution and operation.