Watercouses

Introduction

Water does not recognise national boundaries. For a long time, cross-border rivers were the main communication routes between countries and, when they formed the border itself, they allowed the emergence of veritable cultural melting pots, such as in the Upper Rhine region.

Rivers in France, as in the rest of Europe and the world, can also cross borders and require strong cross-border cooperation to fairly address upstream-downstream water management issues. The concept of a watershed is essential to consider in the context of cross-border cooperation, beyond cases of border rivers. Indeed, upstream-downstream management reminds the different stakeholders of the importance of communication and regulation of river uses. Rivers are also synonymous with territorial identity for the inhabitants of the region concerned. This riverine identity can be found particularly along the Danube River, which over time has enjoyed a great literary and musical tradition in its celebration, but also along smaller waterways, which local and institutional actors seek to promote through contemporary projects and within the framework of European funding programs.

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