Syndicat Mixte d’Aménagement de la Vallée de la Durance

What Syndicat Mixte d’Aménagement de la Vallée de la Durance does

Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement de la Vallée de la Durance (SMAVD), founded in 1976 and headquartered in Mallemort, France, is a public territorial establishment (établissement public local) operating under Articles L 5721-1 and following of the Code Général des Collectivités Territoriales. Designated as the Établissement Public Territorial de Bassin (EPTB) for the Durance basin since 2010, SMAVD coordinates integrated water resource management, flood prevention, and ecological preservation across a 14,000 km² catchment spanning more than half of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The organization serves 53 institutional members — 4 departments (Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes), the Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13 intercommunalities, and 35 communes — and indirectly serves over 3 million water consumers, protects nearly 200,000 residents from flood risk across 150+ municipalities, and manages ~90 km of public dikes and ~400 km of waterways (including 25 tributaries delegated under GEMAPI since 2018).

SMAVD's core products include Vigie Durance (a crisis management center providing real-time drought and flood monitoring with biweekly updates from March to September), C3PO (a proprietary climate prospective model simulating water availability through 2100), Atlas Dynamiques des Zones Inondables (ADZI — dynamic flood zone mapping covering 1,500–5,000 m³/s flow scenarios), and Durance ALABRI (a homeowner flood adaptation program offering free diagnostics and up to 80% subsidy coverage). The organization also operates a 120+ km cycling greenway ("La Durance à vélo") and provides internal engineering services (maîtrise d'œuvre interne) with ministerial approval for complete dike and small dam project management.

The revenue model is non-commercial: SMAVD is funded through recurring member contributions from its 53 public members, supplemented by project-specific co-financing from the Agence de l'Eau, the European Union (FEDER funds), regional and departmental councils. Major recent financial programming includes the €89 million River Contract 2025-2030 (212 operations, comprising €63M for the river contract plus €26M for PAPI) and a €7.6 million fish passage restoration project on thresholds 68, 67, and 66. Governance operates through the Comité Syndical and Bureau Syndical, with Philippe GINOUX elected President in June 2026, leading an executive of 17 vice-presidents.

Name

Syndicat Mixte d’Aménagement de la Vallée de la Durance

Legal name

Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement de la Vallée de la Durance

Website

https://smavd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMAVD is a French public territorial establishment (EPTB) coordinating water resource management, flood prevention, and ecological preservation across the 14,000 km² Durance basin for 53 government members and over 3 million water consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

River Basin Management

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• River basin management
• Flood prevention services
• Water resource management
• Ecological restoration
• Hydraulic engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Mallemort

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Member Contributions and Public Funding: SMAVD is funded through contributions from its 53 members: 4 departments (Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes), the Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13 intercommunalities, and 35 communes. Additional funding comes from government subsidies and institutional financing.
2. Project-Specific Financial Partnerships: Large infrastructure projects are co-financed through partnerships with the Agence de l'eau, the European Union (FEDER funds), regional councils, and departmental councils. For example, the fish pass project on thresholds 68, 67, and 66 was funded at approximately €7.6M with contributions from Agence de l'eau (€3.30M), EU/FEDER (€2.41M), and departmental councils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SMAVD is a French public territorial basin establishment (EPTB) that carries out river basin management missions across the Durance valley, including flood prevention, water resource management, ecological restoration of the Durance riverbed, and operation of EDF canal and hydraulic infrastructure under concession. It also provides real-time monitoring and forecasting services (C3PO, Vigie Durance) and supports public participation in basin-scale water management projects.

Product overview

SMAVD operates as a river basin management authority (EPTB) offering a portfolio of interconnected tools, programs, and services focused on integrated water resource management, flood prevention, and biodiversity preservation. The core portfolio includes VIGIE DURANCE (real-time crisis monitoring for drought and floods), C3PO (climate change simulation modeling), DURANCE ALABRI (homeowner flood adaptation support), and Atlas Dynamiques des Zones Inondables (dynamic flood zone mapping). Supporting services include internal engineering expertise for dikes and dams, morphological analysis, hydraulic flood modeling, biodiversity expertise, river technician field services, and vegetation management. Major programs include the Contrat de rivière (89 million euro river contract), PAPI Durance (flood prevention program), and SAGE Durance (water management plan). Public-facing offerings include La Durance à vélo (120+ km cycling greenway) and Natura 2000 site animation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vigie Durance: Crisis management center and monitoring tools developed by SMAVD for water resource management, flood, and pollution crisis situations.
• C3PO
• Durance ALABRI
• Essartement
• Atlas Dynamiques des Zones Inondables (ADZI)

Quantifiable outcome

• Flood protection for nearly 200,000 people and 100,000 jobs exposed to flood risk
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EDF (Électricité de France)coreTechnology or IntegrationEDF is the concessionnaire for hydroelectric installations on the Durance. EDF and SMAVD collaborate on several fronts: annual essartment (vegetation removal) campaigns on the riverbed (EDF Hydro Méditerranée leads operations), fish pass improvements on thresholds managed by EDF (thresholds 68, 67, 66), and flow management during flood events. SMAVD participates in environmental monitoring committees for EDF works.
• SMADESEP (Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement et de Développement de Serre-Ponçon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMADESEP manages the Serre-Ponçon lake and the Upper Durance basin. Close partnership through the hydrographic basin management committee (régie du bassin hydrographique de la Durance). SMADESEP participates in the drought anticipation instance and manages major water storage infrastructure critical to downstream water supply.
• SMIGIBA (Syndicat Mixte de Gestion Intercommunautaire du Buëch et de ses Affluents)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMIGIBA manages the Buëch watershed and its tributary the Méouge. Partner in the hydrographic basin management committee managing the Durance basin.
• Parc Naturel Régional (PNR) du QueyrascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPNR du Queyras intervenes on the Guil watershed within the Durance basin. Partner in the basin management partnership network.
• Parc Naturel Régional (PNR) du VerdoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPNR du Verdon manages the Verdon watershed. Has its own SAGE (Schéma d'Aménagement et de Gestion des Eaux) but shares common issues with the Durance. Participates in inter-SAGE dialogue and the drought anticipation instance. Partner in the Vigie Durance Verdon interface.
• Parc Naturel Régional (PNR) du LuberoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPNR du Luberon intervenes on the Calavon-Coulon, Largue, and Laye watersheds, which have their own SAGE but share management challenges with the Durance basin.
• SIRCC (Syndicat Intercommunal de Rivière du Calavon-Coulon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRCC manages the Calavon-Coulon watershed. Has its own SAGE but coordinates with SMAVD on basin-scale water management issues.
• DREAL PACA (Direction Régionale de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDREAL PACA works with SMAVD EPTB on developing and implementing the SAGE Durance. Coordinates state-level environmental and water management policies in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
• Fédération de Pêche du GardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided fish photography (alose species) for the fish pass project documentation on thresholds 68, 67, and 66.
• Météo FrancecoreTechnology or IntegrationMeteorological data provider for the Vigie Durance drought and flood monitoring systems. Provides weather forecasts, precipitation data, and temperature information essential for water resource anticipation and flood prediction.
• SCP (Société du Canal de Provence)coreTechnology or IntegrationManages the regional canal concession supplying water to southeastern France. Partner in the Vigie Durance Verdon interface and drought anticipation instance, contributing water consumption and distribution data.
• Commission Locale de l'Eau (CLE) du SAGE DurancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CLE is the governing body of the SAGE Durance, bringing together 105 members representing territorial authorities, state representatives, water users, and environmental associations. SMAVD serves as the technical and administrative animator of the SAGE, supporting CLE work and providing resources for SAGE document development.
• Commission Locale de l'Eau (CLE) du SAGEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMAVD is animateur (animator/manager) of the Natura 2000 site in Durance, implementing actions from the Document d'Objectifs (DOCOB). The COPIL (steering committee) includes territorial authorities, associations, users, and administrations, presided by Jérôme Dubois, mayor of Volx.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB): National public agency responsible for biodiversity, water resources, and policing. Comparable as a public authority operating at greater geographic scope than SMAVD but overlapping on ecological monitoring, Natura 2000 animation, and aquatic habitat restoration.
• Agence de l'eau Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse: French water agency responsible for programming financial aid and policy coordination across the RMC hydrographic district. Comparable as a large institutional counterparty that funds and co-governs the same basin-scale water management agenda as SMAVD.

Direct peers

• Compagnie d'Aménagement des Coteaux de Gascogne (CACG): French mixed-economy company managing hydraulic infrastructure, irrigation canals, and water resources in southwestern France. Comparable to SMAVD in combining engineering, irrigation/water supply, flood management, and basin-scale coordination across multiple members.
• EPTB Seine Grands Lacs: French Établissement Public Territorial de Bassin managing water resources and flood prevention on the Seine basin via large upstream reservoirs. Directly comparable to SMAVD as a peer EPTB with statutory basin-wide mandate, member-based governance, and integrated engineering capabilities.
• EPTB Loire: Etablissement Public Territorial de Bassin coordinating water management and flood prevention on the Loire basin. Directly comparable to SMAVD in scale, statutory mandate, multi-departmental governance, and integrated hydraulic/ecological engineering.
• EPTB Rhône-Méditerranée (Symarval / EPTB RM): EPTB structure coordinating water policy on the Rhône-Méditerranée hydrographic district. Highly comparable as a Mediterranean-climate basin authority facing similar drought, flood, and ecological continuity challenges to SMAVD's Durance basin.
• Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement du Bassin de l'Yèvre (SABV - now intégré EPTB Cher): Syndicat mixte / EPTB managing a French river basin with multi-member governance and flood-prevention competence. Comparable structure to SMAVD at smaller scale, illustrating the federation of basin-level public operators.

Regional players

• Voies Navigables de France (VNF): French public operator managing navigable waterways and associated hydraulic infrastructure. Comparable as a state-affiliated waterway manager with engineering and maintenance functions, but with a national remit and transport focus rather than basin governance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/durance_smavd
• Facebookfacebook.com/SMAVDurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smavd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Syndicat Mixte d’Aménagement de la Vallée de la Durance