Here is the official state of the river, as the Walloon authorities publish it. The rules that produce it are detailed afterwards.
- Official status
- Paddling prohibited
- Regulated stretch
- The Viroin
- Reference gauge
- Treignes
- Permitted range
- 1.6 – 23.0 m³/s
- 72-hour average
- 4.0 m³/s
A river open from end to end
The order names the Viroin without dividing it: its whole course is in Annex 1.B, the one for non-navigable waterways where navigation is allowed all year. There is therefore no closed stretch and no seasonal ban, unlike rivers such as the Salm. The Viroin is nevertheless subject to the paddling hours, the two closure days and the flow thresholds.
Station and thresholds
- Below the minimum, calculated over 72 hours, the day is closed: this protects the rocky bed and the life it shelters.
- Above the maximum, the day is closed if the observed hourly flow exceeds it or if the 8 a.m. forecast predicts it will be exceeded during the permitted hours.
- Inflatable boats seating 4 to 10 require both the 72-hour average and the hourly flow to be above five times the minimum, that is 8 m³/s.
The Viroin is a small river that reacts quickly to rain: its status can therefore change from one day to the next.
Hours and closures
| Period | Permitted hours |
|---|---|
| 1 October to 15 June | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| 16 June to 30 September | 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Navigation is also banned on the third Saturday in March, the opening day of trout fishing, and on the first Saturday in June, the general fishing opening. Next dates: 20 March 2027 and 5 June 2027.
When flow alone doesn’t decide
A good flow does not always open the river. Article 8 of the order allows the minister to ban navigation temporarily for nature or river management reasons, for example during a drought. The status block then shows the ban and its reason, and the river reopens as soon as the measure is lifted.
Put-in and conduct
- Launching and landing take place only at the areas designated by the SPW, after consulting the municipality.
- Allowed craft are kayaks and canoes seating up to three, inflatable boats seating up to ten and rafts of recognised youth organisations, non-motorised.
- Do not enter a mill race or a diversion channel, and do not camp outside the designated areas.
- Take your rubbish with you and carry your boat rather than dragging it along the bank.
For the Viroin, the rules do not specify compulsory equipment, enforcement or penalties. The order does not require a life jacket, but the authorities consider it essential for children under 12.
Legal basis
Navigation is governed by the Walloon Government order of 19 March 2009: Annex 1 for the list of watercourses, Annex 2 for flows, Article 4 for hours and Article 6 for the daily status. To read the flow steps, go to the Viroin water level; to compare with the other rivers, see navigable flows in Wallonia.