The agency described the situation as the worst ever recorded for this time of year, with 43% of monitoring stations reporting affected watercourses.
“With 43% of monitoring stations affected, this is the most critical situation ever recorded at this time of year,” the OFB said.
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A total of 1,373 watercourses have been affected by interrupted flows or have dried up completely, according to the agency.
The OFB said the current situation has surpassed the historic drought recorded in 2022, with 112 more watercourses now dried up. It also described conditions as twice as severe as those recorded in 2025.
The drought is affecting every region of France, although some areas are facing particularly severe conditions.
The OFB identified a broad area stretching from Vendée to the Grand Est region, along with parts of central southern France, as among the most affected areas.
Creuse, Vendée, Loire-Atlantique, Aveyron, Côte-d’Or, Nièvre, Deux-Sèvres and Charente-Maritime were also listed among the most vulnerable areas.
The agency warned that the consequences extend beyond water availability, with increasingly dry rivers threatening ecosystems and wildlife.
“Beyond the available water resources, this situation seriously threatens biodiversity and the overall functioning of aquatic ecosystems,” the OFB said.
The warning highlights the growing severity of France’s drought as water levels in smaller rivers reach unprecedented lows for this point in the year.
