Consequently,
Valais: la fonte du permafrost new: However. Furthermore,
Valais: la fonte du permafrost:
Risk of landslides
La Fonte du Permafrost jeopardizes seven Valais lakes
Researchers have identified 89 unstable rocky walls in Valais. In addition, several of which threaten restraint lakes. Consequently, An alarming cantonal study has remained confidential.
Aerial view of the Moiry dam, in Valais.
Staudamm © Hulda Jossen/Aura
- Permafrost weakens seven Valais dam lakes, threatened with major landslides.
- The thaw of permafrost dangerously destabilizes the rock walls at altitude.
- Dams operators regularly monitor geological dangers.
Recent landslides above the Great Dixencein the Bas-Valais, left traces. Furthermore, Six thousand cubic meters of rock broke down last week. However. valais: la fonte du permafrost these falls of stones remain tiny in the face of the gigantic dimensions of the dam. Nevertheless, This corresponds to the size of seven individual houses. Similarly, Part of the rock fell into the restraint lake, another hit the wall. Nevertheless, Faced with the 6 million cubic meters of concrete that make up this massive work, valais: la fonte du permafrost new it seems derisory. For example, The operator was reassuring. However, Wall safety is not compromised. Similarly, Access to tourists remains, however, prohibited as a precaution.
The incident raises a larger question. Therefore, To what extent are high mountain infrastructure threatened by the font you permafrostthe instability of the slopes. Moreover, the increase in natural risks?
In reality, a much more important danger hides upstream of the most powerful European dam. Similarly, About 1.3 million tonnes of rock could detach from the valais: la fonte du permafrost flank of “perratseche”. In addition, The dam itself is outside the danger zone. Therefore, But the road would be buried, which would compromise access to the wall. This is revealed by a study commissioned by the canton of Valais and the Federal Environment Office (OFev). However, the results of the valais: la fonte du permafrost new restraint lakes have gone unnoticed so far. A research team led by the Institute for the Study of Snow. Avalanches (SLF) identified 89 potentially unstable rock walls in the canton. These areas threaten not only homes, but also several dams.
Valais: la fonte du permafrost new
Valais: la fonte du permafrost
Locks could touch restraint lakes
The study was made public after the landslide of Blatn. which occurred on May 28, 2025, when some 6.4 million cubic meters of rock fell into the valley, almost entirely destroying the village. The flank of Petit Nesthorn Also valais: la fonte du permafrost appeared in the 2022 study. It identified some 5.5 million cubic meters of unstable rock. The calculations have proven to be frightening.
It turns out to be that several dam lakes are also threatened. In valais: la fonte du permafrost new total, seven lakes are in the potential landslide, including four large tanks intended for electricity production.
The Moiry dam in the Years is one of the sites concerned. According to geologists. more than a million cubic meters of rock are likely to swallow the west side of the sorebois ridge. This mass would be enough to cover about 1.3 million square meters of water surface and cause a tidal wave. Lake Tatretemagne also presents risks. On the eastern slope of Wängerhorn, 168,000 cubic meters of rock threatens to collapse in the valley. Debris would cover an area equivalent to valais: la fonte du permafrost five football fields. probably cause a tsunami, threatening the agglomerations situated downstream, like Tatremagne.
In the Leng valley. near Binn, the valais: la fonte du permafrost new slope of the Vordere Helse, which rises to 3106 meters above sea level, is also unstable. About 3.6 million cubic meters of rock are likely to detach themselves, more than half the volume of the landslide Blating. In an emergency, the chummibort dam would be fully buried. It is one of the sixteen hydroelectric installations which must be created according to the new electricity law.
Beyond these large facilities. researchers believe that smaller tanks are also threatened. such as the Zermeiggern compensation pool in the SaaS valley or Lake Märetschi near Loèche.
The Dégel du Permafrost represents a major risk factor valais: la fonte du permafrost for all of these dams. It acts like a natural glue in the rock: when it melts, whole slopes can be detached. If such an event occurs valais: la fonte du permafrost new near a restraint lake. it can cause tidal waves, dam overflows or damage forced pipes and access roads.
More recently. institutions such as the Federal Institute for Forest Research. Snow and Landscape (WSL), the SLF and the OFEV have focused in depth about these risks. International research programs confirm this: all over the world. alpine permafrost loses its stability, at the same time threatening the security of many infrastructures.
Valais: la fonte du permafrost new
Valais: la fonte du permafrost
A study that has remained confidential
However. the conclusions of the Valais study have not yet been transmitted to the operators of the reservoir lakes concerned. For what reason? According to valais: la fonte du permafrost Raphaël Mayoraz. head of the Natural Dangers Service of the Canton of Valais. “the precision and valais: la fonte du permafrost new reliability of the study are not sufficient to make it an instrument of risk management». The project currently enters its second phase. which incorporates new criteria, uses more recent models and includes controls in the field.
These works should be completed by the end of 2026. The municipalities and the operators concerned will only be informed in a second step. According to the law. the security of the deduction lakes is the responsibility of the respective operators. for example Alpiq for the tanks of Moiry, Tatremagne and Grande Dixence.
An Alpiq spokesperson said: “We are aware of the study and aware of the risks. In the current state of things. however, there is no need to worry, the safety of the valais: la fonte du permafrost facilities is not compromised. ” In addition, independent geologists and on valais: la fonte du permafrost new -site staff would regularly monitor natural risks.
Translated from German by Emmanuelle Stevan
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