Tribute to the Rizzanese

It's been a few months now since my trip to Corsica. Images of those clear blue waters still pop into my head as I sit at my desk daydreaming. Those two weeks spent exploring the Island and its rivers has left me with a lot of memories. It has also left me worried. Worried about the future of these watersheds and the people who depend on them. The reasons for my concern were all too evident in the Rizzanese valley.

The Rizzanese

A major hydro energy scheme is now well underway in this tranquil valley. Despite large and vociferous protests for the last 10 years the project has continued and is now well into the construction phase. A large dam is being constructed at the confluence of the Codi and the Rizzanese which is scheduled for completion in 2012. This dam will divert water via huge extraction pipes from here to a point further down the valley. These pipes carve an ugly path right through the ancient maquis forests for which this part of the Island is famous. The 150 million euro project will also create a large lake upstream of the dam, drowning one of the most spectacular valleys in Europe. The French energy giant EDF is behind the project but ironically they are also one of the biggest sponsors of canoe sport in France.

Rizzanese whitewater and sunshine.

Kayakers are but one very small group who will be affected by this project. The famous classic middle section of the Rizzanese will become a dry lifeless rock jumble. The lower section may still have some grade II/III water as it slows on it's journey to the sea. The Rizzanese's main tributary, the Codi, will still flow but only as far as the new lake and will possibly lose over half of it's length. The Codi and Rizzanese are true creeking gems with kayakers from all over the world travelling to Corsica just to have a chance to experience them. Many of those who come to Corsica to kayak return year after year. It's amazing just how many visit the Island when you consider that the kayaking season is very short and unpredictable, only 2 - 3 weeks in all. It's a reflection of the superb quality of the whitewater but also the stunning landscapes and the warm welcome extended by the locals have a part to play.

One of the many drops on the Codi.

Jim taking off on one of the dazzling Rizzanese drops.

It is a crime that many of the locals living in the remote villages of the Rizzanese valley will be forced to move their homes when the dam is constructed to make way for an artificial lake. There are also several very rare plants such as the Anchusa Crispa and animals like the European pond terrapin living in the Rizzanese's micro climate which risk extinction. Dam construction is far from a truly green source of power. For instance the vegetation which rots under the artificial lake releases huge volumes of methane over a long period, a gas far more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide. It is also forecast that the sandy beach of Propriano will slowly disappear as a direct result of the dam, since deposits reaching the coast will be greatly reduced. What other effects this project will have on the Island only time will reveal. 

The dam site from high up the valley. These forests will vanish under the lake.

If you are interested in learning more about the fight for the Rizzanese go to www.rizzanese.fr