TOUR DU VALAT

A research centre for the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands

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Prediction and management of the impacts of global changes on the natural and modified hydrological regimes of Mediterranean wetlands: application to the Camargue

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Project leader: Philippe CHAUVELON (See the CV)

Team:

Marc Pichaud, Alain Sandoz


The embanking of the Camargue makes the functioning of wetland ecosystems closely dependant on irrigation from the Rhône, primarily for agricultural needs. Sea-level rise increases the difficulties for the drainage of excess water, promotes the salinisation of the delta and increases the risk of floods. The management of the water in the Camargue raises a number of questions in particular concerning:

  • The inter-sectoral management of catchment areas for their water resources: management of water in the Camargue with or without rice-growing, with a water resource of lower quality
  • The management of floods and low-flows, effects on coastal hydro-systems and associated ecosystems (including agriculture)
  • The exchanges of water and salts between the sea and the lagoon and the consequent problems of salinisation and increasing hydrosaline variability.

The decision-makers do not have models available to them that enable the hydrological functioning of the delta to be simulated and/or that will guide them regarding development (long-term) or crisis management (floods).

The aim of the project is to develop a hydrological modelling tool for the hydro-systems which simulates outcomes, in terms of water levels and salinity, in different hydro-climatic contexts, for assisting in decision-making (in particular in crisis situations); and to ensure the transfer of this tool to end users in charge of the hydraulic management of the deltaic area.


Contents:


Activities:

Contribution to the IMPLIT project (Impact of extreme events (sea storms and sea surges) linked to climatic change on the hydrosystems of the French Mediterranean coast), funded by the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development (MESD) within the framework of the program GICC: Management and impact of climatic change.
Withtin this project, our task concerns the analysis of the limits of hydraulic management in the « Ile de Camargue » hydrosystem, in an extreme hydro-climatic context, with the purpose to think on new works and/or hydraulic management rules to foreseen in response to climatic change.
Within the framework of the LITEAU 2 program from MESD, we are coordinating the GIZCAM project (Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Isle of Camargue) and executing the hydrological modelling task (lien vers page liteau 2-GIZCAM).


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