AUVERWATCH
AUVERWATCH Project
Long-term monitoring of water bodies
water bodies
The AUVERWATCH Observation Service is a long-term monitoring network for Auvergne’s water bodies (volcanic, alluvial, crystalline aquifers, surface water, rainfall).
Operated since 2014, jointly by researchers and regional public and private players in the water sector, AUVERWATCH raises the question of changes in the quality and quantity of regional waters in the face of increasing pressures linked to both human activities (urbanisation, population growth, competition for water resources, contamination ….) and climate change.
AUVERWATCH currently comprises 9 sites, measured from the point of view of hydrodynamics and physical chemistry, and sampled monthly with a view to analysing 100 to 500 parameters (mineral, organic, isotopic chemistry and microbiology) depending on the site.
The scientific questions developed in AUVERWATCH are based on 3 axes:
1. characterising changes in the quantity and quality of water resources in the face of global, climatic and socio-economic change
and socio-economic change;
2. assessing the reactivity of alluvial hydrosystems, which are crucial to regional water use (70% of all uses), to the effects of climate change.
uses), to contamination;
3. compare studies and the needs of regional stakeholders to help them manage water resources more effectively.
National/international accreditation:
SNO H+ (national network of hydrogeological sites, INSU), SNO RENOIR (national network of isotope observations in precipitation, INSU) IR OZCAR (critical zone observatory: applications and research, INSU)
eLTER (European Long-Term Ecosystem Research infrastructure, ESFRI), Global Network for Isotopes in Precipitation (IAEA, UN).
Project duration: 2014 – 2024
Funding: €50k/year
Coordination: Hélène Celle-Jeanton
Gilles Mailhot
University partners: Université Clermont Auvergne (ICCF, GEOLAB, LMV, FRE), Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté (Chronoenvironnement, Femto ST), Université de Corse (SPE), Université de Poitiers (IC2MP), Université de Rennes (Géosciences), Université de Reims (GEGENAA)
