Geographically, only a handful of groundwater reservoirs in the south of France saw levels increase, as well as around Paris and in the Sancerre area.
All other areas saw levels drop.
The information comes from the most recent bulletin of the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM). You can read its full report here.
However, the situation is not as critical as it may first appear.
Water tables naturally decrease in summertime due to low rainfall and high temperatures, and this year it is no different.
Summer rains usually struggle to penetrate through ground soil and replenish reservoirs, so this is to be expected.
Groundwater reservoirs naturally replenish during rainfall between autumn and spring.
This year, the rate at which reservoirs are depleting has generally been lower than previous years, due to localised high levels of rainfall and less water being taken from the aquifers.
Overall, around 40% of reservoirs remain at below-average levels for the period.
This is mainly concentrated in the south-west, Massif Central, central France, Brittany, and the north-east.
In contrast, the north of France around Paris, Normandy and the mouth of the Loire river, Rhône Valley, southern France and the Mediterranean are all seeing average or above-average levels.
Only reservoirs in the south of France near the eastern Spanish border remain in critically low condition.
