Small lexicon and legends :
- RNPC : Navigation restrictions during flood period
- SC : Flood threshold
- RAS : Nothing to report : no restriction for all navigators.
- RNPC : sector in RNPC: navigation is prohibited for pleasure boats and passengers boats with passengers on board.
- : amount lockage allowed, downstream lockage forbidden to pleasure boats and passengers boat with passengers on board
- : amount lockage prohibited to pleasure boats and passengers boat with passengers on board ; authorized downstream lockage
- : lockages prohibited in both directions for pleasure boats and BAP with passengers on board.

Information :

In application of the Rhône Saône Police Particular Regulation of Interior Navigation (RPPNI), navigators are informed of the implementation of the navigation restrictions during the flood period (RNPC), by consulting the website www.inforhone.fr (RNPC section) of the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône and on illuminated message boards present on every lock.

The navigation restrictions during flood period are automatically declared according to the flow-rates recorded at the RNPC reference stations identified by the Rhône Saône RPPNI. No ‘avis à la batellerie’ is published on these situations.

Each of these 6 stations is associated with a hydrologically homogeneous area delimited by kilometer points - KP (look at the RNPC page of the site or regulation button for sector details).

Only the 6 reference stations presented on the RNPC page of the Inforhone site are valid for triggering and removing RNPCs. The flow-rates of the RNPC reference stations have acquisition time steps and delivery frequencies adapted to the RNPC triggering system. The other data of the Inforhone site have different time steps (average hourly data or daily average of the "hydrology" part for example) and can not, as such, be used to infer the state of a sector RNPC.

Each RNPC reference station has several backup devices implemented automatically. In the event of a system failure (lack of data or outliers) the declaration of the states of the sectors (RNPC or RAS for nothing to report) is performed manually by an operator of the Navigation Management Center (CGN), operational center 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It should be noted that passengers boats can navigate during a RNPC period with the flight attendants on board, to the exclusion of any other passengers.

The details of the RNPC sectors, reference stations, rules for opening / closing locks and other figures in the Rhône Saône RPPNI, an excerpt of which is given here. If you have any questions about the regulations, you can contact VNF.

Excerpt from the RPPNI, Rhône Saône Itinerary

In application of the Particular Regulations of the Internal Navigation Police for the Rhône and Saône Itinerary, navigators are informed of the introduction of Navigation Restrictions in Flood Periods (RNPC), by consulting the website www.inforhone.fr (section entitled RNPC) of the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) and by illuminated signs at the locks displaying the letters “RNPC”.
Navigation Restrictions in Flood Periods are declared automatically depending on the flow recorded at the RNPC reference stations. Each of these 6 stations is associated with a hydrologically homogeneous sector delimited by kilometre points – pk (cf. table below).
Only the 6 reference stations presented on the RNPC page of the Inforhone website are authoritative for triggering and withdrawing RNPCs. The flows at the RNPC reference stations have acquisition time steps and update frequencies adapted to the RNPC trigger system. These stations were also selected for their reliability in the RNPC flow range.
The other hydrological data on the Inforhone site have different time steps (hourly average data or daily average data in the "hydrology" section, for example) and cannot, therefore, be used to make inferences about the state of a sector with regard to RNPCs.

Each RNPC reference station has a number of automatically triggered emergency devices. In the event of a system failure (no data or outliers), the statement of the sector status (whether RNPC or RAS ("nothing to report") is made manually by an operator at the Navigation Management Centre (CGN), which is operational 24/7.

Excerpt from the RPPNI, Rhône Saône Itinerary

Article 11a.

“On the lower reaches of the Rhône, there are 6 hydrologically homogeneous sectors, each of which has a reference station. The sector limits are defined by their kilometre points. (cf. table para. 11.b).”

Article 11b.

“On the lower reaches of the Rhône, RNPCs are triggered when the flow of the reference station in the sector concerned rises above the flood threshold +5%. RNPCs end when the flow drops back below the flood threshold -5%.”

* Management of RNPC status on these sections and works in accordance with the RPPNI «Rhône to Sète canal and Petit-Rhône » route.

Article 11c.

“The provisions described below do not apply to service craft of the forces of order, the emergency services or the operator when they are undertaking interventions.

1. General rules

When RNPCs are triggered, all navigation is forbidden, except for that of commercial motor boats or boats in convoy where they are sailing with only crew members on board.
This prohibition does not apply to the Bacs de Barcarin.
Pleasure boats and passenger boats with passengers on board navigating in a sector declared in RNPC must immediately get to a landing pier or a waiting berth and ensure they are in a safe place.
Passenger boats with passengers on board may be permitted to navigate and go through a lock if the safe mooring point so requires. To do this, the passenger boat operator is obliged to contact the lock in advance to provide details of the planned mooring point.

2. Specific rules

On the Rhône, navigating the Bacs de Barcarin is forbidden from a flow of 6000 m3/s measured at the Beaucaire reference station.
On the Rhône at the Port Saint Louis and Barcarin locks, when sector 6, covered by the Beaucaire station, is in RNPC:
• passing through the Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône lock is permitted, in the direction of Fos-sur-Mer, for pleasure boats and passenger boats;
• passing through the Barcarin lock is permitted in the direction of Fos-sur-Mer, for passenger boats.”

Article 11d. Information for users

“2 - The lower reaches of the Rhône

Users are informed of the introduction of RNPCs or flows on the Rhône:
- by consulting the website of the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) www.inforhone.fr – heading RNPC;
- by signs at the locks on the Rhône.
In addition, the officers and masters of the Bacs de Barcarin obtain information about the water levels (marks I and II) by the direct reading of the flood mark specially put in place in the Bacs.”