Today’s official status appears below. The rules that determine it follow, and they differ markedly from those of rivers open all year.
- Official status
- Paddling prohibited
- Regulated stretch
- The Salm downstream of the Vielsalm dam
- Reference gauge
- Trois-Ponts
- Permitted range
- — – 9.7 m³/s
- 72-hour average
- 1.8 m³/s
An Annex 1.C river
The order places the Salm, downstream of the Vielsalm weir, in the category of non-navigable waterways open only in winter (Annex 1.C). The regulated stretch runs from this weir, which forms the Doyards lake, to the confluence with the Amblève at Trois-Ponts. It shares this regime with the Warche downstream of Robertville, the Houille, the Our and the Sûre.
Season and hours
Outside this period, the river is closed whatever the flow. During the season, the hours are the same every day. On the opening day of trout fishing, the third Saturday in March, navigation is banned: since the season ends on 15 March, this closure only matters when that Saturday falls on the 15th. The second annual closure, in early June, falls outside the season.
The only threshold: a maximum
- The reference station is Trois-Ponts, just before the confluence with the Amblève.
- Annex 2 sets no minimum flow for the Salm.
- The maximum is 9.7 m³/s: the day is closed if the observed hourly average flow exceeds it, or if the 8 a.m. forecast predicts it will be exceeded during opening hours.
This regime explains why a river can look very low without being closed because of flow. In that case, it is practicality that limits the outing, not the law.
Bans by ministerial decision
The minister may suspend navigation on certain watercourses to protect nature, notably during severe droughts, sometimes for all Annex 1.C rivers at once. The status block then shows the ban and the published reason, even if the season and flow comply. Lifting the measure reopens the river.
Craft and launching
- Allowed craft are kayaks and canoes seating up to three, inflatable boats seating up to ten and rafts of recognised youth organisations, non-motorised.
- Launching and landing take place only at the areas designated by the SPW. Respect private banks.
- Clubs affiliated to the Royal Belgian Canoe Federation have a ministerial exemption, dated 14 December 2020, for their winter training, provided the Trois-Ponts gauge reaches at least 57 cm. It does not apply to rental companies or individual paddlers.
Legal basis
The reference text is the Walloon Government order of 19 March 2009: Annex 1 for the list, Annex 2 for flow, Article 4 for season and hours, Article 6 for the daily status, Article 8 for restrictions. To read the measurement and plan your trip, see the Salm water level; the common framework is in navigable flows in Wallonia.