Water resources - Preservation and management - Les dossiers d'Agropolis International

Water
resources
Preservation and management

Number 14

AGROPOLIS
international
agriculture • food • biodiversity • environment

Agropolis International Agropolis is an international campus devoted to agricultural and
brings together institutions of environmental sciences. There is significant potential for scientific
research and higher education and technological expertise: more than 2 200 scientists in over
in Montpellier and Languedoc- 80 research units in Montpellier and Languedoc-Roussillon,
Roussillon in partnership with including 300 scientists conducting research in 60 countries.
local communities, companies
and regional enterprises and
Agropolis International is structured according to a broad range of
in close cooperation with
international institutions. research themes corresponding to the overall scientific, technological
This scientific community and economic issues of development:
has one main objective– • Agronomy, cultivated plants and cropping systems
the economic and social • Animal production and health
development of Mediterranean • Biodiversity and Aquatic ecosystems
and tropical regions. • Biodiversity and Land ecosystems
• Economics, societies and sustainable development
Agropolis International
• Environmental technologies
is an international space open
• Food: nutritional and health concerns
to all interested socioeconomic
• Genetic resources and integrative plant biology
development stakeholders
in fields associated with • Grapevine and Wine, regional specific supply chain
agriculture, food production, • Host-vector-parasite interactions and infectious diseases
biodiversity, environment and • Modelling, spatial information, biostatistics
rural societies. • Water: resources and management

Agropolis International promotes the capitalisation and enhancement
of knowledge, personnel training and technology transfer. It is a hub
for visitors and international exchanges, while promoting initiatives
Water resources: preservation and management

based on multilateral and collective expertise and contributing to
the scientific and technological knowledge needed for preparing
development policies.

2

Water research
expertise in Montpellier and Water resources:
Languedoc-Roussillon
preservation and management
Seven years after the first
“Dossier d’Agropolis International” on the theme
of “Water: resources and management”, it was
time for giving an update in order to provide
the large number of website visitors (about Introduction Page 4
120,000 downloads of the Dossier, French
and English versions combined) with up-to-
date information and developing visibility
with evidence of the progress made by the
Languedoc-Roussillon region’s scientific water Water resources: identification, Page 6
community. Readers will also find an updated functioning, mobilisation
directory of research, technology transfer and
higher education structures.
Water quality preservation Page 24
This Dossier thus presents 18 research units
from Languedoc-Roussillon and Avignon, and restoration
gathering more than 800 scientists, working
fully or partially on hydrosystems, water
quality and/or water resource management. Management of resources and uses: Page 38

Research units focused on lagoons and coastal institutions, territories and societies
zones are not presented here but in another
Agropolis Dossier about “Aquatic Ecosystems”
published in 2007. The Dossier also presents International Cooperation Page 54
10 international cooperation or valorisation
structures or programmes, in which the
and Partnerships
regional water scientific community is highly
involved. Finally, it also gives a list of 43 higher
Topics covered Page 64
education diplomas, from 2 to 8 years post-
graduate, proposed in the region and more or by the research teams
less tightly linked to the theme of water.

The re-edition of this Dossier in early 2012 is Agropolis International training Page 65
an opportunity to demonstrate the dynamism
and education in the field of “Water”
of the regional water scientific community on
the occasion of the 6th World Water Forum
held in Marseille, France (12-17 March 2012)
Liste of acronyms Page 70
and of the international water exhibition
Hydrogaia in Montpellier (6-8 March 2012). and abbreviations

This is also the first Agropolis Dossier to be
available in Spanish, in addition to the usual
French and English versions.

D isponib
spañol iones le en fra
ible en E
D isponopolis.org/es/publicac
www.agr
opolis.fr nçais
/publicat
ions
www.agr

On the cover
“Chapada dos Veadeiros” National Park in the Brazilian Cerrado
V. Simonneaux © IRD

The information presented in this Dossier was valid on 01/01/2012.

Introduction

I
n recent years, the recognised to offer cooperation in Montpellier in September 2008,
Montpellier scientific and development prospects to all which then favoured the settlement
community has continued its water sector stakeholders. Another in 2010 of the executive board of
consolidation through a number important success is the creation of the International Water Research
of research projects (funded by three research and teaching Chairs: Association (IWRA) on the Agropolis
the French National Research (i) the UNESCO-labelled Chair campus. The first stake of this
Agency, European Union 6th and “Membrane sciences applied to the Dossier is to give international
7th Framework Programmes, environment”, on water treatment visibility to the regional water
French “Investissements d’avenir” by membrane processes, (ii) the scientific community on the
programmes, etc.) and educational “Water for All” Chair in partnership occasion of the 6th World Water
projects (“Water” Master’s degree, with the Suez-Environnement Forum, held in Marseilles, France,
Masters courses, etc.) it has company, offering capacity building in March 2012.
co-ordinated and successfully programmes for utility managers
accomplished. A selection of in the developing and emerging This event has huge ambitions
those projects is presented in this countries and (iii) the Chair “Risks since its objectives are not only to

document. analyses of emerging contaminants take stock of the latest world-wide
in aquatic environments” in developments in water management
Among these projects, the most partnership with the Veolia and shared recommendations for
emblematic success has no doubt company, focused on organic achieving sustainable development,
been the involvement of businesses contaminants in water. but also to provide solutions to
through the creation of a "Water" many issues remaining unresolved
competitiveness cluster with an The aim of the Dossiers d’Agropolis and new challenges likely to arise.
international scope. Its mission is to International is also to support The regional scientific community,
coordinate the actions the French the projects led by the Languedoc- engaged in the event, provides its
“water” clusters from the three Roussillon region’s scientific contribution.
regions of Languedoc-Roussillon, community. For the previous Dossier,
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and the challenge was the organisation Thierry Rieu (AgroParisTech,
4
Midi-Pyrénées. Its leadership is of the XIIIth World Water Congress Centre de Montpellier)


5
P. Wagnon © IRD  The Sabai glacier and the Sabai Tsho lake in Nepal.

© M. Soulié  Spring of Anjar, Bekaa, Lebanon.

Water resources:
identification, functioning,
mobilisation

6

T he latest UNESCO world report on water
resources was already characterised by
a rather alarming tone. For instance, it
stipulated that "despite the vital dimension of water, this
The regional scientific community has the skills
required to play a leading international role and to
provide answers to some of the society’s concerns.
For this purpose, it has developed proven observation
domain is plagued by a chronic lack of political attention, capabilities on which research is being based:
poor governance and insufficient investment", and that the Universe Sciences Observatory OREME, the
"action is urgently required to prevent a global crisis". Environmental Research Observatories OMERE, AMMA-
CATCH, OHMCV and H+, the KARST Observation
Yet, it is estimated today that global annual withdrawals system, etc. Recently, the regional scientific community
amount to 3,800 billion m3, representing only 25% has received significant equipment subsidies from
of useable resources. But such a relative abundance the French Ministry of Research, thus reinforcing its
does not reflect the huge disparities in the geographic position as a leader in the field of spatial information for
distribution of this vital resource. Indeed, some regions environmental purposes.
are already facing hydric stress (less than 500 m3/year/
inhabitant), while others are hit by disasters caused by The expertise of regional teams in the field of
chronic overabundant rainfalls. Such inequalities raise all underground water has long received the highest
kinds of difficulties and challenges. acclaim, especially in the key area of karsts. This research
field is particularly strategic for the Mediterranean
Given the global population growth, water demand coastal regions as these contain almost 60% of the
increases by 64 billion m3 each year. Water needs are water resources exploited.
becoming increasingly high in relation to strategic
decisions and associated commitments being taken in The regional research community has become a
areas such as agriculture, economic development and reference for its research on surface water. Although the
energy production. fundamental issue of the transformation of rain water
into running water – and hence into a resource available
The disturbances induced by climate change also have an in different forms (infiltration, runoff, storage) – is a
impact on the hydrological cycle. Indeed, in many regions core concern for hydrologists, numerous other issues
of the world, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate are also addressed by the community. One such issue is
Change (IPCC) forecasts all point towards longer the use of water in agriculture, deemed to be essential,
droughts and/or more frequent floods. Such disturbance especially within the Mediterranean context. The issue
further aggravates the degradation of ecosystems, of floods, mainly considered from the viewpoint of
already facing growing anthropogenic pressures. extreme events (destructive floods and rainfalls), is
another key topic to which many experts are devoted.
From the health point of view, 80% of the diseases
affecting developing countries are water-related. This is Finally, other approaches are future-driven. Using
due to insufficient access to drinking water and lack of available climate scenarios based on varying
sanitation infrastructures, owing to both poor funding environmental, economic and demographic hypotheses,
and poor political and strategic decisions. these aim at assessing water resources.

This alarming water situation is further compounded Clearly, the region hosts a wide range of skills and
by the general public’s growing environmental concerns expertise. These are all called on to tackle the challenges
and international and global thinking about water issues. of tomorrow in terms of sustainable management of
“Blue Gold” is slowly emerging as one of the most water resources, which is such a vital issue for the
critical stakes of the 21st century, with the growing societies and every person in the world.
looming threat of “water wars”.
Éric Servat (UMR HSM)
Within such a context, it is more than ever important
to control as completely as possible the resource, in

order to feed the reflexion on how to better manage
and govern water. It is therefore necessary to be
able to locate, identify, evaluate and mobilise water
resources. These are major stakes. They call for the
analysis, understanding and modelling of all water cycle
processes, be they natural or man-made.

7

Water resources: identification,
functioning, mobilisation

Main teams
UPR EAU/NRE
Water: New resources and Economy
(BRGM)
14 scientists
Director: Jean-Christophe Maréchal
jc.marechal@brgm.fr Biogeochemistry, of Polytech’Montpellier. Besides, the
 Presentation page 16 whole HSM staff is involved in training
extreme events, from the science degree to Ph.D. levels.
UMR EMMAH
Mediterranean Environment underground water
and Agro-Hydrosystems Modelling Much of its research being based
(Inra, UAPV)
and hydrological cycles on observation, the laboratory is a
40 scientists in Mediterranean and member of the Universe Sciences
Director: Liliana Di Pietro Observatory OREME (see page 13). It
liliana.dipietro@paca.inra.fr tropical regions also participates to several observation
www.umr-emmah.fr
 Presentation page 14 systems (MEDYCISS, OHMCV, AMMA-
The Montpellier HydroSciences Joint CATCH, OMERE), while playing a
UMR GM
Research Unit (JRU) – UMR HSM leading role in the development
Montpellier Geosciences
(CNRS, UM2)
(CNRS, IRD, UM1, UM2) is devoted of the KARST Observation System.
89 scientists to research in water sciences covering In addition to its water chemistry
Director: Jean-Louis Bodinier a broad range of domains from and microbiology equipment, the
bodinier@gm.univ-montp2.fr biogeochemistry to extreme events, laboratory have access to other major
dirgm@gm.univ-montp2.fr including underground water and the technical facilities: the large regional
www.gm.univ-montp2.fr hydrological cycle. technical platform for the “analysis of
 Presentation page 10
trace elements in the environment”
UMR HSM HSM carries out most of its scientific and the collective laboratory for the
Montpellier HydroSciences activity in the Mediterranean and analysis of stable isotopes in water.
(CNRS, IRD, UM1, UM2) tropical regions, in four scientific
57 scientists
fields: HSM strength relies on its involvement
Director: Éric Servat
eric.servat@msem.univ-montp2.fr  Biogeochemistry, contamination in a number of national and
www.hydrosciences.org agents and health. international projects, its extensive
 Presentation page 8  Karsts and heterogeneous network of collaboration with
UPR LGEI environments: hydrogeology, research laboratories and institutions
Industrial Environment hydraulics and transfers. worldwide, giving the lab a high level
Engineering Laboratory  Climate, environmental changes of international recognition.
(EMA) and modelling of their impacts on HSM also works with public partners
45 scientists water resources. (DRE: Regional Directorate for the
Director: Miguel Lopez-Ferber  Hydrological cycle mechanisms, Environment, AFSSET: French Agency
miguel.lopez-ferber@mines-ales.fr
surface-atmosphere transfers and for Environmental and Occupational
www.mines-ales.fr/LGEI
 Presentation page 12 interactions. Health Safety, local authorities:
communities of municipalities,
UMR LISAH
Laboratory for the Study of
In addition, the laboratory develops joint basin organizations, etc.),
Interactions between Soils, four cross-disciplinary technical private consultancy and engineering
Agrosystems and Hydrosystems approaches: (a) hydrodynamic companies (SDEI, BioUV S.A., SOMEZ,
(Inra, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro) modelling and couplings; etc.). HSM has also filed several
34 scientists (b) hydrosphere tracers; (c) modelling patents, especially in metrology,

Director: Jérôme Molénat methods: assimilation, spatialisation and has developed “professional”
jerome.molenat@supagro.inra.fr and sensitivity; (d) information software tools, particularly around
www.umr-lisah.fr
systems. data management. Besides, the study
of organic contaminants is one of
UMS OREME HSM is highly involved in research- HSM’s fields of excellence. It has set
Mediterranean Environment Research
oriented training and education. up, in partnership with the company
Observatory
(CNRS, IRD, UM2) The training courses provided by the Veolia, a training and research chair
3 scientists sensu stricto + 6 linked units laboratory attract French and foreign devoted to the “Risks analyses in
Director: Nicolas Arnaud students alike (especially students relation to emerging contaminants in
nicolas.arnaud@gm.univ-montp2.fr from developing countries): “Water” aquatic environments”. Moreover, HSM
www.oreme.univ-montp2.fr Master’s degree, “Health Engineering” is involved in the “Water” and “Local
Master’s degree, “Water sciences and Vulnerability and Risk Management”
8
...continued on page 10 technologies” engineering degree competitiveness clusters. •••

 Palm grove of Tafilalet, Morocco.
M .N. Favier © IRD
© UMR HSM & Plan Bleu

Water stress indexes in the
Mediterranean Basin.

> W at e r R e s o u r c e s a n d G l o b a l C h a n g e s

Global changes in the Mediterranean:
what will tomorrow’s water resources be like?
The Mediterranean basin is characterised by unevenly emphasising regional disparities concerning the capacity to
distributed and limited water resources as well as by meet various water needs at different periods in the past and
increasing anthropogenic pressures. Hydro-climatic future. Alternative scenarios, such as supply networks with
projections suggest a progressive diminution of the mean improved efficiency, are being tested to assess the efficacy
annual flows in this region, accompanied by more frequent and of adaptative strategies. The team also studies the impact of
severe drought periods. Moreover, water demand has doubled these changes on the water resources at more local scales.

since the nineteen fifties and is likely to continue to grow Hydrological modelling coupled with water uses is thus
as irrigated surfaces increase and urban areas spread. Within implemented in the river basins of Ebre (Spain) and Hérault
the HSM JRU, the RESCUE-Med team focuses its research (France). These research efforts seek to elaborate scenarios
on the prospective evaluation of water resources under of climate change and water demand evolution adapted to
pressure of climate change and uses at different scales in the these working scales. The objective is to assess the volumes
Mediterranean region. and dynamics of flows, taking into account anthropogenic
pressures (storage, withdrawals, consumption and transfers),
As part of a current PhD and in partnership with the “Blue in order to provide water resource managers with decision-
Plan”, the future availability of water resources is modelled making support tools.
at the regional scale according to various scenarios of
climatic and water demand evolution, for agricultural and Contact: Denis Ruelland, denis.ruelland@univ-montp2.fr
household purposes. A hydric stress indicator was developed, 9

Water resources: identification, functioning, mobilisation

SICMED: The evolution of Mediterranean anthropo-ecosystems
The Mediterranean region subjected to global change-induced stresses. It is one of the
 Cultivated landscape in Tunisia.
is one of the focal points components of the MISTRALS (Mediterranean Integrated STudies
of global changes. The at Regional And Local Scales) project, and for the last decade it
region evolves swiftly has been developing a multi-disciplinary research project to study
under the effects of severe biophysical, technical and social mechanisms at work.
climatic and anthropogenic The programme pursues three objectives:
pressures, while the  To identify and analyse the scientific locks preventing efficient
resources produced are forecasting of the evolution of the bio-hydro-geo-chemical
already unable to meet processes subjected to current and future anthropogenic and
the population needs. climatic stresses;
The current intense  To develop knowledge and tools for the rationalised
exploitation of resources management of the systems studied;
aggravates social and  To transfer such knowledge and tools to decision makers and
environmental weaknesses managers in the private and public sectors.
and induces high stresses The SICMED programme is funded by IRSTEA, CNRS-INSU, INRA
© R. Calvez on the hydrological and and IRD. It is based on a broad multilateral partnership involving
biogeochemical cycles. Critical situations and conflicts of use scientific institutions and stakeholders representing various
are increasing in frequency and intensity. The quest for new Mediterranean countries, but also other countries involved in
ways of sustainable development calls for a deeper knowledge research and development towards the Mediterranean region.
of anthropo-ecosystem degradation, resilience, flexibility and
rehabilitation factors. Contacts: Christian Leduc, christian.leduc@ird.fr
Jean-Claude Menaut, jean-claude.menaut@cesbio.cnes.fr
Within this context, the SICMED programme (continental Marc Voltz, marc.voltz@supagro.inra.fr
surfaces and interfaces in the Mediterranean) carries out research, & Maxime Thibon, maxime.thibon@ird.fr
training and transfer activities dedicated to the study of evolving More information on SICMED: www.sicmed.net
Mediterranean rural and peri-urban anthropo-ecosystems More information on Mistrals: www.mistrals-home.org

Other teams involved
UMR ESPACE-DEV
Spatial Analysis for Development Mass and energy  Environmental and climatic
changes with high anthropogenic
(IRD, UM2, UAG, UR)
60 scientists
transfers in porous, impact (coastline evolution, sea
Director: Frédéric Huynh fractured and karstic water intrusion in groundwater).
frederic.huynh@ird.fr GM comprises five multidisciplinary
www.espace-dev.fr aquifers teams working in three scientific
fields:
UMR G-EAU The Montpellier Geosciences Joint  Geodynamics (“Lithosphere
Water Management, Stakeholders, Uses Research Unit – UMR GM (CNRS, Dynamics” and “Mantle and
(AgroParisTech, Irstea, Ciheam-IAMM, UM2) has developed a global Interface” teams)
Cirad, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro) approach to earth dynamics and  Reservoirs (“Basins” and “Porous
75 scientists
their surface manifestations. This Environment Transfers” teams)
Director: Patrice Garin
patrice.garin@irstea.fr takes into account the couplings  Risks (“Risks” team)
www.g-eau.net between the various layers including
 Presentation page 40 the hydrosphere. The objective is to Research on water is undertaken by
UMR ITAP gain a better understanding of the the “Porous Environment Transfers”
Information –Technology – Environmental dynamic processes at different scales, and “Risks” teams. It concerns the
Analysis – Agricultural Processes and to bring this in line with societal characterisation and modelling of
(Irstea, Montpellier SupAgro) expectations such as: mass and energy transfers in porous,

40 scientists  Supply of non-energy resources fractured and karstic aquifers. The
Director:Tewfik Sari (mineral and hydric); main scientific challenges lie in
tewfik.sari@irstea.fr  Energy choices for the future, from the in situ measurement of these
www.irtsea.fr/itap
extending carbon-based reserves to transfers, taking into account the
developing new energy technologies heterogeneities controlling them at
UMR TETIS (natural hydrogen, geothermal all scales. These research works target
Territories, Environment, Remote sensing
energy); four objectives: the development
and Spatial information
(AgroParisTech, Cirad, Irstea)
 Waste storage and confinement of (1) instrumented sites (Majorca,
70 scientists (downstream from the nuclear cycle, Maguelone, Roussillon, Larzac and
Director: Jean-Philippe Tonneau CO2, mining wastes, etc.); Lodève) dedicated to observation and
jean-philippe.tonneau@cirad.fr  Natural hazards (earthquakes, experimentation, (2) devices allowing
10
http://tetis.teledetection.fr tsunamis, gravity hazards, floods, controlled dynamic experiments,
 Presentation page 46 etc.); (3) surface and bore hole

hydrogeophysical measurement and Research Observatory, being in (Marie-Curie, FP7 networks), the
monitoring systems and (4) specific charge of several observation tasks Mediterranean region (North Africa,
digital tools allowing the integration (SO-LTC, GPST2, GEK, Bore Hole Middle East), and all over the world
of data obtained at different scales. Hydrogeophysics). (Taiwan, Japan, India, Australia,
New-Zealand, Iran, Brazil, Mexico
These research works are carried GM is involved in the large and the USA). GM collaborates
out in the framework of several regional technical platform for with the private sector, namely via
projects supported by the French the “analysis of trace elements in the creation of businesses by PhD
National Research Agency (MOHINI, the environment”. It also houses students and for the funding of
GRAIN D'SEL, LINE, COLINER, equipments for the “Gravimetry” research contracts and theses. It
and HYDROKARST-G2) and the and “Experimentation” platforms of belongs to the Geosciences cluster
SOERE H+ (long term observation the National Institute for Universe initiated in 2011 and involving key
and experimentation systems Sciences (absolute gravimeter and regional companies (Geoter, Cenote,
for environmental research in EBSD SEM). imaGeau, Schlumberger, Fugro,
hydrogeology). GM is in charge of Antea, Areva, Lafarge) and R&D and
several SOERE H+ experimental sites GM is also part of a wide national training organisations (GM, BRGM,
around the Mediterranean region. and international cooperation EMA, CEFREM, HSM). A large
GM is a member of the OREME network including countries number of these stakeholders are
Mediterranean Environment and programmes from Europe active in the field of water. •••


OMERE: Mediterranean Observatory
of Rural Environment and Water
The OMERE observatory supports the study of global changes affecting the Mediterranean
hydrosystems/agrosystems. It is located in an intermediate hydrological context, between arid
and temperate environments, subjected to a wide range of hydrological processes stretching
from severe drought events to extreme floods. The observatory also explores the social and
human context, submitted to considerable and rapid changes (intensification of agricultural
productions in favourable areas, abandonment of farmlands in less favourable zones, increased
water withdrawals, hydro-agricultural or environmental planning, etc.). The various climate
change scenarios elaborated by IPCC foresee major rainfall changes in these latitudes: less
winter precipitations, more extreme rainfall events.

Given the peculiar situation of the Mediterranean region, the observatory has been collecting
climatic, hydrological, sediment and solute flows in two catchment basins over the last
two decades. These basins differ in terms of soils, hydro-agricultural developments, cultural
practices and evolution dynamics: Roujan (France, mainly wine growing) and Kamech (Tunisia,
polycrops-stock farming). The objectives of the observatory are as follows: i) to understand
the impact of agricultural activities on mass flows in Mediterranean elementary catchment
basins (hydrological regimes and balances, water resource allocation, erosion dynamics,
evolution of water quality); ii) to assess the intensity and speed at which water and ground
resources can change as a function of changing land use; iii) to support the development
of modelling approaches for flows in agricultural environments, by bringing observation in
line with modelling; iv) to supply scientific bases, references and diagnostic tools for the
agro-environmental engineering of agricultural landscapes. The HSM JRU, the Tunis National

Institute of Agronomy, the Tunisian National Institute of Rural Engineering, Water and
Forestry, and the LISAH JRU are the four partners in charge of coordinating and managing
OMERE. The Observatory is a member of the French catchment basin network*.

© M. Soulié  Instrumentation of the Contacts: Patrick Andrieux, patrick.andrieux@supagro.inra.fr
Roujan site (Hérault, France) as & Damien Raclot, damien.raclot@ird.fr
part of the OMERE observatory.
Information: www.umr-lisah.fr/omere
* http://rnbv.ipgp.fr

11


The OpenFLUID platform: modelling and simulation
of the spatial functioning of agricultural landscapes
The spatio-temporal functioning of agricultural landscapes results from
complex interactions between biophysical processes and human activities.
Modelling the functioning of such systems and simulating their changes
under the impact of climatic changes and anthropogenic pressures (pollution,
development, changes in land use), involves taking into account all these
interactions and coupling many processes/phenomena distributed in the area re
studied. In order to implement such modelling processes and run simulations . Fab
J.C
©
based on these coupled models, the LISAH JRU has developed an advanced
and generic software tool.
 Water level simulations within the hydrographic
Thus, the OpenFLUID platform can provide a software environment to network of Roujan (Hérault, France) using the
model and simulate the spatial functioning of agricultural landscapes. It allows MHYDAS model with the OPENFLUID modelling
platform.
models to be developed and implemented during simulations. These models
are developed as plug-in software tools for OpenFLUID. Then they can be used to create coupled models adapted to (i) the modelling
context, (ii) the simulation objectives and (iii) the data available. The simulations are based on digital representations of the landscapes
studied. These include the geometries and properties of the actual landscape elements. OpenFLUID has been used for numerous
projects and Ph.D. theses. It has been applied to Mediterranean and tropical environments, for the modelling of water and pollutant
flows and erosion, especially under the impact of agricultural practices. OpenFLUID also provides software support for the development
and implementation of the MHYDAS (distributed hydrological modelling of agro-systems) model, among others, as well as the digital
representation of agricultural catchment basins, and the simulation of water and pollutant flows. OpenFLUID has a user graphic interface
and can also be used in a command line (in a calculation cluster for example). It is an open-source, free licence software and can be
downloaded from the OpenFLUID internet site*.

Contacts: Jean-Christophe Fabre, fabrejc@supagro.inra.fr & Roger Moussa, moussa@supagro.inra.fr
* www.umr-lisah.fr/openfluid

Analysis of the water and effluents; development of etc.), as well as a test hall for semi-
processes and process couplings for industrial pilot scale experiments.
hydrological cycle for the treatment of water and effluents; Academic and industrial teams have
research, economic and integrated management of polluting access to these facilities through
industrial activities flows (industrial environments, the regional technical platforms,
water resources) according to a including Ecotech LR (Eco-
“local ecology” type approach; technologies for agro-bioprocesses).
The Industrial Environment geomatics and collective intelligence
Engineering Laboratory – UPR LGEI – for decision support. These different Moreover, the hydrometric
is an Internal Research Unit of Alès levels of water cycle analysis make monitoring of experimental
Engineering High School (École des it possible to answer the questions catchment basins is a fundamental
Mines d’Alès, EMA), a national public raised not only by science, but research effort for understanding the
institution reporting to the Ministry also by economic and industrial processes underlying flash kinetics
of Industry. Its research work covers a stakeholders. floods. This research started in 2001
broad field of applications based on in collaboration with the ESPACE-
complementary disciplines: process LGEI is part of the Institut Carnot DEV, HSM and TETIS JRUs. Several
engineering, analytical chemistry and M.I.N.E.S., reflecting its privileged experimental catchment basins in
metrology, microbiology, molecular relationships with the economic the Cevennes are currently being

biology, hydrology, hydrogeology, sector. The laboratory is active monitored. Thanks to the diversity of
geomatics, geostatistical methods, in the “Water”, “Trimatec”, “Local the experimental devices, research
computer sciences and modelling, Vulnerability and Risk Management” work has focused on developing
simulation tools and decision support and “Eurobiomed” competitiveness imaging applied to river velocities
systems. clusters. It collaborates with and flow rates as well as “low cost”
academics and industrialists at devices for extending and refining
Water issues are addressed from national and international levels, distributed hydrometric analyses.
several angles: control of disastrous participating and coordinating
impacts for a resilient environment; several European projects*. * SWIFT: Screening Methods for Water Data
understanding and spatialisation of Information in Support of the Implementation
hydrological processes in catchment The laboratory hosts all the facilities of the WFD.
KNAPPE: Knowledge and Need Assessment on
basins (modelling); diagnosis of the needed in a chemistry lab (HPLC/ Pharmaceutical Products in Environmental
12
chemical and ecological quality of MS/MS, GC/MS/MS, ICP extractors,
, waters

 Water staining
experiments for transfers
characterisation and
vulnerability assessment
of the karstic hydrosystem
of the Lez River (France). © V. Leonardi

Observation for a better systems. These range from the basin couplings occurring in the various
scale to the in situ bore-hole scale: compartments. Complex simulations
understanding of the  Geodesic, gravimetric, geophysical/ are necessary to understand these
dynamics and facilitated hydrogeophysical systematic bore- conditions: real-time modelling of the
hole observation at all scales; state of the resource, its uses and their
management of water  Multi-scale observation system of immediate effects. At the core of this
resources flood dynamics and underground process of study, the data collected,
hydrodynamics of fractured and calculated or associated with uses
The Mediterranean Environment karstic systems; must be processed within the
Research Observatory Joint Service  Observation system for the “acquisition-refinement-processing-
Unit – UMS OREME (CNRS, IRD, pollution and biological adaptability decision” continuum.
UM2) is dedicated to the study of downstream from mining sites;
the uncertainties and vulnerabilities  Monitoring of the Languedoc Thanks to its network of partnerships
of Mediterranean environments. coastline, interface between and its expertise, OREME intervenes
OREME focuses on natural hazards, catchment basin and marine at different stages of this continuum,
resources and the impact of global environment. especially during acquisition
and anthropogenic changes on the (sensor network management),
living and inert Mediterranean area. These observation systems – storage, sharing (management
Its aim is to identify such systems’ included in French and international of query standards and norms,
response mechanisms to natural and networks – provide information management of metadata, web
anthropogenic forcing. on water resource dynamics, services, etc.) and decision support
especially karstic aquifers. They (detection of changes, information
OREME’s mission consists in also make it possible to monitor fusion, reasoning, user interactions,
collecting, integrating and sharing the quantity and quality of the visualisation, recommendation,
long-term observation data to resource downstream from the forecasting and real-time operations).
understand the evolution of aquifers. Geophysical methods are
resources and environments. This used to monitor underground water The water resource must be managed

data is also essential for developing movements and link aquifer supplies in such a way as to prevent or better
explanatory and predictive models. with their discharge. The aim here manage crises. This is why resource
is to understand their hydrological modelling must give a picture as
OMERE closely works with public cycles and analyse it both in terms of close as possible to the reality, so
partners (universe and ecology resource quantity and hydrological that risks can be analysed and the
sciences laboratories, information hazards, such as flash discharges. necessary decisions taken in real
science laboratories, local authorities time. For this reason, a shift to
and State agencies) and private The quantity and quality of the operational decision support models
companies (especially IBM). resource available at each utilisation is required. Indeed, to avoid having to
site are the result of complex carry out time-consuming exhaustive
In the field of water, OREME processes. Their assessment needs modelling, “basic” simulations, based
collaborates with other JRUs in order combining models of water storage, on reliable data, has to be performed
13
to develop hydrologic observation flow and physico-biochemical upstream. •••


 The “Fontaine du
Vaucluse” spring (France)
in high water conditions. © UMR EMMAH

Mediterranean human pathogens in these treated with the different processes, on
waters. the one hand, and include new
environment and modelling approaches that take into
modelling of EMMAH’s work is based on the consideration the heterogeneities of
utilisation of remote sensing the environment and processes at
agro-hydrosystems and geophysical data, intensive different scales, on the other hand.
observation of instrumented sites,
The Mediterranean Environment laboratory measurements and The disciplinary expertise and
and Agro-Hydrosystem Modelling methodological development to techniques implemented cover
Joint Research Unit – UMR EMMAH better understand and model the hydrology, hydrogeology, soil
(INRA Avignon, UAPV) is focused on functioning of Mediterranean and water geochemistry and
impact analysis of global changes ecosystems. EMMAH has set up microbiology, agronomy, remote
on water resources, agricultural a monitoring system of several sensing, geophysics, applied
production and their interactions at observation sites representative mathematics, the physics of waves
the local level (from the landscape of different hydro-geological and in porous media, digital simulation,
to the production basin and the agronomic contexts (Crau-Camargue parallel calculation and signal
aquifer). The research works target region, karstic aquifers of the processing.
five cross-disciplinary goals: Fontaine de Vaucluse, Avignon peri-
 Quantification of the impacts of urban zone). EMMAH collaborates with the French
global change on the interactions academic world (INRA: French
between surface biophysical In addition, two sites are dedicated National Institute for Agronomic
processes (agricultural production to the study of hydric flows into the Research, CEA: French Nuclear
and water cycle) and water resources, atmosphere and the water table. and Alternative Energies Centre,
especially underground. EMMAH is also equipped to carry out CNRS: French National Centre for
 Identification of landscape changes biological measurements (biomass, Scientific Research, Universities,
and their driving forces, based on a foliar index, chlorophyll content, etc.) and the international academic
retrospective analysis that stretches etc.), chemical analyses of water and world (Sfax National School of
over several decades. soils (organic and mineral chemistry), Engineering, Tunisia; Spanish
 Understanding of the modifications water isotopic analyses (H 3, C14, C13/ Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
induced by extreme climatic events C12 ratio of dissolved carbon) and and Valencia University, Spain; Dutch

(such as drought/heat wave) on the ground hydrodynamic properties. National Aerospace Laboratory and
functioning of agro-ecosystems. EMMAH also has access to the University of Twente, Netherlands;
 Understanding and modelling Rustrel (Vaucluse) low-disturbance Universities of Maryland and Boston,
the impacts of heavy rainfall on the underground laboratory in the karstic USA, etc.). Moreover, EMMAH also
hydrological and hydrochemical massif of Fontaine de Vaucluse, and develops partnerships with French
functioning of the ground-table to the INRA molecular biology lab institutional or managerial bodies
system. in Avignon. It is also equipped with (Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse Water
 Study of alternative irrigation subsurface geophysical prospecting Agency, irrigators’ and farmers’
techniques, such as the use of instruments (electrical tomography). unions, joint organisations for the
water downstream from waste The researchers develop mechanistic management of underground water
water treatment plants, particularly models for hydrosystem functioning. resources) as well as private partners
14
regarding quantification of the risks These integrate and spatialise the (Veolia, Suez Environnement,
associated with the presence of elementary models associated engineering offices, etc.).

At the crossroad of soil hydrological regimes and the to the resource (a few hundred km²)
evolution of water and land catchment basins;
sciences, hydrology resources;  Development of digital soil mapping
and agronomy: the  The definition of new modes of methods and information systems;
sustainable management for the rural  Analysis of factors and processes of
functioning of cultivated environment; soil erosion and sediment transfer in
landscapes  The training of students on the catchment basins;
concepts and tools used to analyse  Study of the influence of hydraulic
The Laboratory for the Study and model the spatial organisation works (ditches, banks, hill lakes) on the
of Interactions between Soils, and the hydrology of cultivated hydrological functioning of cultivated
Agrosystems and Hydrosystems environments. soil and catchment basins.
Joint Research Unit – UMR
LISAH (INRA, IRD, Montpellier LISAH combines expertise in soil LISAH scientific approach is based
SupAgro) studies the functioning science, hydrology, agronomy and on in situ hydrological studies and
of cultivated landscapes resulting spatialisation. Its structure is based experiments, methodological research
from the interactions between i) the on three research teams: for the acquisition and processing
underlying soil, ii) the agrosystem  Water and pollutants in cultivated of soil and landscape spatial data
that modifies the geometry of the catchment basins; and development of distributed
landscape and iii) the hydrosystem  Erosion and sediment transport in hydrological modelling approaches,
that transfers water and other cultivated catchment basins; taking into account the specific
elements. It serves the following  Spatial and dynamic structure of heterogeneities of rural landscapes.
specific objectives: soils and cultivated landscapes. To this end, LISAH runs the
 The development of knowledge on Mediterranean Observatory of Rural
erosion, water and material transfers LISAH especially focuses on wine Environment and Water (OMERE, see
and the evolution of polluting growing in the Languedoc-Roussillon page 11). The laboratory analyses the
substances (pesticides) in soils and region and banana tree farming impact of anthropogenic actions on
rural catchment basins with respect in the French Antilles, with the the physical and chemical erosion of
to their spatial organisation and following objectives: Mediterranean soils and on the quality
temporal evolution;  Study of soils and water pollution of water. Moreover, since 2006, LISAH
 The elaboration of tools for by phytosanitary products; has been developing the simulation
diagnosing and preventing the  Analysis of the “soil-crop” system platform OpenFLUID (Software
risks induced by human activities hydrological cycle at various scales, Environment for Modelling Fluxes in
(cultivated environments) on from the elementary (a few km²) Landscapes, see page 12). •••

> F u n c t i o n i n g o f c o m p l e x aqu i f e r s

Aquifers in bedrock regions:
a water resource to be managed Drilling
Bedrock (granite, schist, gneiss, etc.) occupies large surface areas
in Europe and France and elsewhere across the planet. The water Alterites Porous
geological medium
resources they contain are used substantially in agricultural
and economic development in the regions concerned. This is
Saturated aquifer

particularly true for emerging economies where the context is Fractured
arid or semi-arid and access to water is limited. geological medium

The BRGM EAU/NRE research unit contributes to the Fractured and altered bedrock
development of knowledge on the genesis, geometry, hydraulic Unaltered bedrock
Discontinuous
properties and functioning of bedrock aquifers. Significant geological medium
0 25 m
progress has been made in this corpus of knowledge. More  Conceptual model of the structure

specifically, it has been demonstrated that climatic alteration and hydrologic properties of the bedrock
aquifers.
processes significantly influence aquifer properties through the © J.C. Maréchal
development of alteration profiles. Moving downwards, these
are made up of (see figure on the right): loose alterites (coarse
sand in granitic zones), characterised by low permeability and regionalisation of hydrodynamic parameters for modelling.
significant underground water storage capacities; a stratabound Other applications concern water resource management tools
“cracked horizon”, 50 to 100-metres thick, also strongly for catchment basins. Indeed, such management is essential for
influenced by alteration processes and to which the bedrock intensive withdrawals for irrigation purposes. These applications
aquifer owes much of its permeability. also cover bore-hole layout techniques and methods leading to
improved success rates for exploitable flow rates.
Numerous practical applications stem from these geological
and hydrogeological concepts. One such application is Contacts: Jean-Christophe Maréchal, jc.marechal@brgm.fr 15
regional mapping of underground water potentialities and the & Benoît Dewandel, b.dewandel@brgm.fr


Located in Montpellier on the increasing constraints, i.e. climate Several researchers are involved in
Mediterranean shore, LISAH runs change, anthropogenic pressure, teaching for vocational training,
collaboration programmes with socio-economic evolution, urban for the “Water” Master’s degree and
several Tunisian and Moroccan growth, etc. The following topics others Master’s and engineering
higher education, research and are more specifically studied: courses related to water.
training institutions: Hassan II (i) characterisation of the structure
Agronomy and Veterinarian Institute and functioning of complex aquifers EAU/NRE has developed a strong
in Rabat; National Institute of (karst, fractured ground, volcanic partnership with the French-Indian
Research on Rural Engineering, environments) in order to assess Research Centre on Underground
Water and Forestry in Tunis; National their potentialities; (ii) development Water. This joint BRGM-NGRI
Institute of Agronomy in Tunis; of modelling and decision support (National Geophysical Research
National Engineering School in Tunis, tools for managing these aquifers and Institute) laboratory, based in
National Centre for Cartography forecasting impact of global changes; Hyderabad in the south of India,
and Remote Sensing. It also works in and (iii) development of active has developed research on base
partnership with public and private resource management methods aquifers in tropical regions using
stakeholders in the field of water and (recycling of treated waste waters, the SOERE (H+) observation
soil resource management. artificial recharging of water-tables, system. The lab develops tools for
inter-seasonal storage and controlled managing aquifers that are severely
overexploitation). impacted by agricultural practices
Hydrogeologists and  The development of economic (irrigation pumping, pollution) and
economists working approaches needed to evaluate water by climate change.
on water resource resource management scenarios
at the basin scale. Research efforts EAU/NRE specifically develops
management focus on the economic evaluation of applied research activities directed
incentive programmes and resource to local authorities, water agencies

The Water/New resources and management policies as a function and industrialists. Several projects
Economy Internal Research of uses, the economic optimisation have led to the development of
Unit – UPR EAU/NRE – belongs to of resource management plans methodologies to study mineral
the BRGM Water Department. Its via cost-efficiency analyses, the water deposits and their industrial
permanent staff comprises eight weighting of benefits and drawbacks management (i.e. Nestlé Waters and
hydrologists and six economists between economic development Danone Eaux France). Moreover,
whose research efforts focus on and environmental policies, the EAU/NRE is involved in the
water resource management. EAU/ comparison of approaches (analysis “Water” competitiveness cluster. 
NRE’s activities comprise two main of costs avoided), the contingent
scientific focuses: evaluation based on enquiries and
 The development of alternative the elaboration of medium and
16
solutions to conventional water long-term water use scenarios
resources, that are suffering from (prospective analysis).

 Water sampling in the non-
saturated zone of the karstic
aquifer in the low-disturbance
laboratory of Rustrel (Vaucluse,
France).

>The Mediterranean
karstic aquifers:
complex systems
© UMR EMMAH

Karstic aquifers contain a significant
share of water resources in France > F u n c t i o n i n g o f c o m p l e x aqu i f e r s

Study of the functioning of non-saturated
(35% of the country), all the more in
the Mediterranean region (> 50%).
Their heterogeneity makes these
zones complex (with voids varying in
size from cracks of a few centimetres
zones of karstic systems
to sinkholes several meters wide), The functioning of the non-saturated zone (NSZ) of karstic systems, which can reach up
which are characterised by a specific to tens or even hundreds of metres in size, remains poorly known and modelled. Yet, it
hydrologic functioning. Because is now obvious that it plays a major role in transfer dynamics and storage characteristics.
of their complexity, they are still The Rustrel (Vaucluse) Low Disturbance Underground Laboratory (LSBB) is located in
underexploited. Moreover, the use of an artificial gallery (opened for no hydrogeological reasons). The site of the laboratory
this resource must take into account spans flows within the limestone massif of the Mont de Vaucluse covering a distance of
characteristics specific to the karstic 3,800 metres and reaching depths ranging from 0 and 500 meters.
systems, especially their vulnerability
to pollution and overexploitation. The site provides direct access to the karst NSZ, hence offering an exceptional
In regions where water is already research opportunity. Thanks to direct (geological, hydrodynamic, hydrochemical) and
scarce and within a context of global indirect (hydro-geophysical) measurements carried out on this site, the EMMAH JRU is
change, a better understanding of developing an operational model of the karstic aquifer NSZ. Eventually, it will be possible
their functioning has become essential to precisely assess the impact of the NSZ on the global functioning of these aquifer
to ensure they are optimally and systems. The experimental site of the LSBB, located in the supply basin of Fontaine de
sustainably exploited and protected. Vaucluse, will serve as a reference site for the development of this model, which will

To this end, the regional research then be validated and refined through its application to other systems.
units develop different complementary
approaches. In addition to studying the karstic aquifer as such, the work carried out in the Fontaine
de Vaucluse catchment basin includes the whole upstream area: vegetation, land use,
definition and mapping of drainage units. The impact of the karstic system on the
environment downstream from the spring is also studied under different aspects (flood
warning, biodiversity and green tourism).

Contacts: Christophe Emblanch, christophe.emblanch@univ-avignon.fr
Charles Danquigny, charles.danquigny@paca.inra.fr
& Kostantinos Chalikakis, konstantinos.chalikakis@univ-avignon.fr
17

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