AquaNES

AquaNES

Advanced monitoring and modeling interface for an optimized design and operation of the MAR/SAT system of Agon-Coutainville (France)

AquaNES

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People in charge of the innovative practice :

Marie PETTENATI – m.pettenati@brgm.fr

AquaNES, a project launched in 2016 developed water and wastewater purification techniques, combining industrial and natural treatment processes. By demonstrating the impact and benefits of the different systems studied, the AquaNES project aimed to promote more sustainable water purification techniques to manage situations of water scarcity or excess and control the presence of micro-pollutants in the water cycle. Within the framework of the Horizon 2020 program, the project has brought together thirty scientific, industrial and academic partners involved in the water sector. Among its thirteen pilot sites, AquaNES launched the monitoring of subsoil water at the Agon-Coutainville (Manche) wastewater treatment site in March 2016, with the installation of observation piezometers to monitor the quality of natural filters. The site is operated by the company SAUR which manages the city’s wastewater. The system uses an activated sludge system (biological purification by micro-organisms) coupled with bio-filtration processes by reed bed and sand dune. This system makes it possible to protect the shellfish production area on the estuary by not discharging the wastewater directly into the sea. Also, the purified water allows for the artificial recharging of the coastal groundwater table with fresh water, and is used to irrigate the golf course on an occasional basis.
The objective of the studies conducted at this demonstration site is to improve the quality and quantity of purified water by monitoring, managing, and modeling water and transfer processes in the soil and subsoil. The works included advanced chemical analysis and on-line salinity monitoring. The relevance of this combination of industrial and natural processes is studied in the framework of the AquaNES project through risk and life cycle analyses of the system. The valorization of the acquired data contributes to innovation in the water industry, and allows for efficient management of facilities within the water treatment and reuse sector.

Figure 1 : MAR/SAT system of Agon-Coutainville in France.

Responsible entity

The BRGM (French National Geological Survey) is the coordinator of a work package on aquifer management. It is the French public establishment of reference in the applications of Earth sciences to manage the resources and risks of the soil and subsoil. BRGM was created in 1959. It is a public establishment of an industrial and commercial nature (EPIC). Placed under the supervision of the Ministries of Research, Ecology and Economy, it is based in Orléans in France. BRGM’s work covers several activities: scientific research, expertise, innovation and transfer, analysis and experimentation, mine prevention and safety, higher education, continuing professional education, dissemination of knowledge and open science. It employs more than 1,000 people, including more than 700 engineers and researchers, in its 27 regional offices in metropolitan and overseas France. Its teams operate in some 30 countries. Six major scientific and societal issues structure BRGM’s scientific strategy: geology and knowledge of the subsoil, groundwater management, risks and land use planning, mineral resources and the circular economy, energy transition and the underground space, data, services and digital infrastructures.

Detailed explanation

The integrated system is based on the technical treatment by an activated sludge process in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), consisting of a pre-screening, a pumping station, a buffer tank, a rotary screen, oil and sand separators with sand classifiers (separator basins), two aeration basins (4,000 m3), a 470 m² clarifier, a metering channel for the treated water. The WWTP treats and infiltrates via the SAT system ~2,000 m3/day varying from 500 to 5000 m3/day depending on the season and vacations. In winter, the flow is significantly higher because the WWTP also receives rainwater. On the basis of an estimated capacity of 35,300 equivalent inhabitants, the Agon-Coutainville WWTP has a maximum DBO5 treatment capacity of 2,120 kg/day. The treated urban wastewater flows by gravity to one of the three infiltration basins located outside the WWTP. Once in the infiltration basins, the treated wastewater infiltrates through the reed beds to recharge the coastal aquifers composed of a 2 to 10 m layer of Quaternary sand. The three infiltration basins are flooded alternately throughout the year.

Figure 3 : Treatment process on the Agon-Coutainville site.

The objective of this demonstration site is to improve monitoring strategies and process modeling to evaluate the effectiveness of combining natural and engineered treatment systems in a coastal area and for reuse by:

  • Demonstrating the effectiveness of secondary wastewater treatment combined with reed bed filtration with MAR/SAT on groundwater quality and quantity;
  • Introducing new monitoring, data management, and subsurface modeling methods, including advanced chemical and isotopic analyses, to understand the ability of SAT to improve water quality;
  • Observe the fate of viruses/pathogens and other contaminants in treatment systems;
  • Evaluate the utility of the system in limiting saline intrusion in this sensitive coastal area using a hydrogeological/reactive transport model representing the state of the system;
  • Represent all of these interrelationships in a customized technology and communication tool.

Figure 4 : Conceptual diagram of the innovative practice.

Future outlook

The short-term outlooks are to develop tools oriented towards governance, notably the implementation of tertiary treatment solutions on a part of the watershed, and to weight the criteria by communicating with the ARS, the Water Agencies, and the communities.
In the near future, recharge and reuse sites using non-conventional water will have to be the subject of a “site-specific” analysis in order to estimate the possibility of storage, reuse, and the associated environmental costs/benefits and co-benefits.

 

Institutional setting

The project partners are BRGM, Antea Group, ImaGeau, MicroLan, BioDetection Systems, Cranfield University, Berlin Water Competence Centre, with the help of the municipality of Agon-Coutainville, SAUR and the Coutainville golf course.

Geographical setting

The demonstration site is located in Agon-Coutainville. The commune of Agon-Coutainville is located in France in Normandy, along the western coast of the Manche, between the Pointe de la Hague and the Bay of Mont Saint Michel. The demonstration site is located near a shellfish farming area and consists of a full-scale operational wastewater treatment plant and a MAR/SAT system. The secondary treated wastewater is discharged into a natural reed bed from which it infiltrates the coastal aquifer. The extracted water is then used for golf course irrigation.

Figure 2 : Wastewater treatment plant of Agon-Coutainville.

Historical overview

2016: European funding under the Horizon Europe program, approval number 689450.
One of the key factors that allowed the implementation of this practice is the site of Agon-Coutainville, which is a fragile environmental area since the 90’s and for which it was essential to avoid any discharge. At this site, there was a natural reed bed (2000 m²) in which it was decided to infiltrate wastewater treated by an activated sludge treatment.
The obstacles to the implementation of this solution were mainly financial. Indeed, the financing levers were not well adapted for a reproduction of the approach at the time. On the other hand, the AquaNes project was developed on a pilot scale over a period of 3 years.

Evidence of benefits from implementation

There are advantages of using this innovative practice including a financial gain. The data collected confirm that the SAT system results in an additional reduction in salinity (P50 Cl: 550 mg/L for the WWTP outlet, 125 mg/L in the observation wells), in Escherichia Coli (E.Coli) concentrations up to 2.5 orders of magnitude and in regulated nutrient concentrations (e.g. NO3, Ptot) up to one order of magnitude. Micropollutants, primarily discharged from the WWTP, generally had higher (median) concentrations in the treated wastewater (WWTP outlet), exceeding the recommended environmental quality standards (EQS) for carbamazepine (CBZ) and diclofenac (DIC). The SAT system, in combination with natural recharge, significantly reduces concentrations of contaminants of concern such as benzotriazole, CBZ, and DIC concentrations, which overall fall below the recommended threshold values defined by the EQS. The decrease in concentrations is likely due to the combined effect of dilution of treated wastewater in the aquifer and biogeochemical reactions (sorption and/or degradation).

Figure 5 : Concentration of regulated nutrients in WWTP outlet effluent and groundwater for observation wells.

Replication potential in SUDOE region

The project has a reproducible character, mainly at a large scale (big cities). The human resources implemented require different levels of complementary expertise: researchers, research engineers, technicians, computer scientists, geochemists, hydrogeologists.

Key points of the innovative method

> Combination of natural processing and engineered systems
> Monitoring and modeling interface
> Controlled recharge of an aquifer

Acknowledgements

The innovative practice was suggested by Marie PETTENATI (BRGM) who also participated in the interview.

References

Unesco (2021). Managing aquifer recharge. A showcase for Resilience and Sustainability. Case study 16: soil aquifer treatment system to protect coastal ecosystem in Agon-Coutainville (Normandy, France). https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379962

INTERNET REFERENCES:
Fiche de demonstration du site d’étude: http://www.aquanes-h2020.eu/UserFiles/files/Site%208%20Agon%20Coutainville.pdf
Projet AquaNES : http://www.aquanes-h2020.eu/Default.aspx?t=1593

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Description and objectives of the project

The scientific community recommends a substantial improvement in the knowledge of aquifers, the establishment of reliable monitoring networks and a greater involvement of the administration and users to achieve a sustainable management of aquifers. The main objective...

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Information on the project

The Llobregat Delta Water Users' Community has designed recharge basins in Molins de Rei to recharge the Baix Llobregat aquifer. View of one of the reloading basins during the test phase The Llobregat Delta Water Users' Community is one of the nine partners in the...

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Success stories in groundwater management

Compilation of groundwater management success stories completed. Throughout April, the 30 cases of innovative practices in groundwater management have already been selected by the clusters participating in the project: PPA, CWP and AV. The task started with the...

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GEO-AQUIFER

GEO-AQUIFER

Improvement of the knowledge and concerted management of the Aquifer System of the Northern Sahara through the use of satellite images

GEO-AQUIFER

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People in charge of the innovative practice :

Not known

GEO-AQUIFER is the continuum of the SASS project and aimed to improve knowledge and concerted management of the Northern Sahara Aquifer System (SASS) through the use of satellite images. The project created an information and knowledge base to support sustainable transboundary management of the Northern Sahara aquifers at national and sub-regional levels. The project has thus improved the living conditions of the population through the development of knowledge and sustainable management of transboundary aquifers through the use of satellite data, in order to increase concerted action between Algeria, Libya and Tunisia.

Figure 1 : Location map of the North Sahara Aquifer System (SASS).

The project was executed by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA), and funded by the African Water Facility (AWF) for a duration of 18 months. The objectives of the project were to: (i) optimize the use of satellite data for the knowledge and management of the SASS aquifer shared by Algeria, Libya and Tunisia; (ii) provide the national agencies in charge of water management in the SASS countries with tools to strengthen and improve the consultation mechanism for an efficient and sustainable management of the shared water resource; (iii) to develop the capacities of the national agencies in the use of satellite data and the appropriation of these new technologies in order to obtain reliable data and information quickly and at a lower cost; and (iv) to ensure the replication to other African basins.
The project has thus contributed to strengthen the capacities (use of satellite and geographic data) of the services in charge of water management in the countries concerned by the SASS aquifer system. It has also provided tools to these countries to better identify the uses, and pressures exerted by both population and climate change on the aquifer system.
GEO-AQUIFER has thus implemented innovative technologies (satellite images), and has contributed to the strengthening of national capacities in a perspective of sustainability and reinforcement of the SASS concerted consultation mechanism.

Responsible entity

The Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) is an international organization that operates in the arid, semi-arid, sub-humid and dry areas of the Sahara-Sahel region. Created in 1992, the OSS has been based in Tunis (Tunisia) since 2000. OSS has 26 African countries and 13 organizations among its members. OSS initiates and facilitates partnerships around common challenges related to shared water resources management, implementation of international agreements on desertification, biodiversity and climate change in the Sahara-Sahel region.

The main actions carried out by the OSS are

  • The implementation of multilateral agreements on desertification, biodiversity and climate change;
  • The promotion of regional and international initiatives related to environmental challenges in Africa;
  • The definition of concepts and harmonization of approaches and methodologies related to sustainable land and water resources management and climate change.

OSS necessarily relies on knowledge transfer, capacity building and awareness raising of all stakeholders.
OSS activities and projects are financed respectively by voluntary contributions from member countries, and by grants and donations from development partners. With effective governance mechanisms and a competent, multicultural and multidisciplinary team, OSS makes a high value-added contribution to the international and African institutional landscape.

Institutional setting

The GEO-AQUIFER project is in line with the 2010 OSS strategy and the priorities of its “Water” program, which in its initial phase focuses on large transboundary aquifers in Africa. The project is consistent with the AWF’s areas of intervention, namely the management of transboundary water resources by supporting the joint development of shared waters and by supporting the improvement of knowledge in the fields of information systems and water resources management. GEO-AQUIFER is also part of the 2005-2009 operational program of the African Water Facility, by improving the framework of knowledge and concerted management of the SASS aquifer system shared by Algeria, Libya and Tunisia. The project is also perfectly in line with the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) priorities of integrated management of transboundary water resources and with the poverty reduction strategies of the SASS basin riparian countries, which have made water resources management a priority for sustainable development.

Geographical setting

The GEO-AQUIFER project covers the Northern Sahara Aquifer System (SASS) and the Tunisian-Libyan coastal aquifer of the Djeffara. The SASS covers more than one million km2 in Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. The extension and the thickness of the layers have favored the accumulation of considerable reserves, which are renewed little and are exploitable only in part. Over the last 40 years, the annual exploitation of the SASS has increased fivefold, reaching 3 times the average level of its natural recharge, and the aquifer is facing several major risks: strong transboundary interference, salinization of water, disappearance of artesianism, drying up of outlets, and excessive pumping heights. The Djeffara refers to the Tunisian-Libyan coastal plain, containing an aquifer system whose continental part extends over 40,000 km2. In terms of risk, the Djeffara is distinguished by a pronounced level of alert: in 40 years, withdrawals have also increased fivefold. This has resulted in significant drops in the water table in the coastal areas where exploitation is concentrated with very dangerous salt water intrusions.

Detailed explanation

The technical developments made during the project are:

  • The extension of the digital mapping of the land use of the AQUIFER project;
  • The creation of surface water maps on the SASS-Djeffara basin (Algeria, Tunisia, Libya);
  • The elaboration of detailed land cover maps and land cover change maps on about 15 sample areas;
  • The extension of the DTMs of the AQUIFER project and derived products on the SASS-Djeffara basin;
  • The creation of a hydro-geographic repository on the SASS-Djeffara basin, a regional virtual globe, and a data dissemination tool;
  • The development of capacities with the continuation of the trainings undertaken following the AQUIFER project, in particular in the techniques of production, management and exchange of geo-scientific data or research support.

Future outlook

In the near future, the OSS intends to replicate GEO-AQUIFER in other basins, thus fulfilling its vocation as a partnership platform and center of excellence for sustainable development in Africa. At the end of the project, a number of challenges remain:

  • better knowledge of the irrigated perimeters on the whole Libyan Djeffara;
  • better knowledge of the water withdrawals on the SASS and the Djeffara;
  • full access to the possibilities offered by the GEO-AQUIFER website;
  • better use of geo-scientific data and satellite images for the management of water resources and the ordinary functioning of the SASS Consultation Mechanism.

All these challenges, which are natural extensions of the project, should be part of future cooperation programs between the Sahara and Sahel Observatory and the African Water Facility.

Historical overview

The GEO-AQUIFER project reinforced and completed the AQUIFER pilot project initiated by the ESA which concerned 5 pilot areas of the SASS. It constitutes its extension to the whole basin.

Figure 2 : Location of the area of interest and the study sites.

The experimental project AQUIFER, stemming from the TIGER program, is an ESA initiative which aimed at valorizing satellite data, in particular those issued from ESA’s ERS and ENVISAT satellites, for applications related to the management and monitoring of water resources in Africa. Within the framework of the TIGER initiative and under the impetus of the OSS, ESA has chosen the SASS (Algeria, Tunisia, Libya) and Iullemeden (Mali, Niger, Nigeria) basins to concretize its commitment to support the implementation of the Johannesburg Action Plan. ESA is financing the AQUIFER project, to the definition of which OSS has closely contributed by participating in the drafting of the terms of reference of the call for tenders, by assisting the consultancy firm in charge of the implementation of the project and by ensuring the coordination of the final users for the implementation of the project.

The Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) requested support from the African Water Facility (AWF) to improve the state of the art and management tools of the transboundary groundwater resources of the Northern Sahara Aquifer System (SASS).

The project started on June 6, 2007 in Tunis with a workshop gathering representatives of institutions in charge of water management in Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia. The project ended in 2009.

Evidence of benefits from implementation

The sustainability of the project’s achievements is ensured by the functioning of the SASS consultation mechanism set up by the three countries sharing the same resource. The SASS consultation mechanism, which constitutes a first experience at the world level of common groundwater management, has an operational structure financed by the countries for its functioning and the implementation of permanent activities (management of the networks, production of indicators). The GEO-AQUIFER project, which has certainly benefited from the establishment of the mechanism, has in return strongly contributed to the consolidation of the mechanism by putting into practice the concept of consultation. During the three years of the project, GEO-AQUIFER has indeed mobilized around the same objective the institutions of the water sector of Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, as well as engineering offices and consultants of the three countries around the same objectives. Through its contribution to the inventory of irrigated areas, and to the good knowledge of water withdrawals, it has contributed to ensure an objective, equitable, and sustainable operation of the consultation mechanism. For the national water agencies, it was important to properly locate the irrigation water withdrawal areas and thus facilitate the decisions within the framework of the SASS concertation mechanism with objective, transparent, neutral and comparable data.

Replication potential in SUDOE region

The project has a strong potential for replication thanks to the strong involvement of the OSS in the implementation of this project. All other African countries are beneficiaries of the methodologies implemented, which can be used for multiple applications related to water resources management. The project shows a strong replicability on other transboundary systems: at the condition of having an executing agency with the solidity of the OSS coupled with the pre-existence of an international consultation mechanism. The potential for replication at other scales, particularly trans-regional, is also significant. From a technical point of view, the project can be considered as an original and replicable model considering the following results: (i) the elaboration of digital maps of irrigated areas to serve as complementary and contradictory data, and to ensure a better reliability to the estimation of underground withdrawals, which are generally not very accurate; (ii) the elaboration of a common geographical reference frame for the three riparian countries of the transboundary system and the dissemination of the project’s products on the internet, and (iii) the training of hydrology practitioners in remote sensing techniques and hydro-geographical analysis methods.

The cost of the project was estimated to €564,300, and it benefited from grants from the African Development Bank and the OSS.

The key success factors were: (i) the stability of the project team, (ii) the involvement of national policymakers, (iii) the establishment of the concerted consultation mechanism, and (iv) the proactive role of the OSS. However, the project did not have the expected impact because it did not initiate a substantial communication program.

Key points of the innovative method

> Improved knowledge of transboundary systems through the use of satellite imagery
> Information and knowledge base to support transboundary management

Acknowledgements

The innovative practice was suggested by Yvan KEDAJ (Aqua-Valley) and Abdel Kader DODO, Lamine BABA SY, and Nabil BEN KHATRA (OSS) participated in the interview.

References

FAE (2006). GEO-AQUIFER : amélioration de la connaissance et de la gestion concertée du système aquifère du sahara septentrionnal (SASS) par l’utilisation de l’imagerie satellitale. Rapport d’évaluation de la Facilité Africaine de l’Eau. https://www.africanwaterfacility.org/sites/default/files/AWF-Project-appraisal-report-MULTIN-GEOAQUI_3.pdf 

OSS (2010). Rapport d’achèvement du projet GEO-AQUIFER. https://www.africanwaterfacility.org/sites/default/files/AWF-Project-completion-report-GEOAQUI_3.pdf

Internet references:

OSS : http://www.oss-online.org/
FAE : https://www.africanwaterfacility.org/fr/
ESA : https://www.esa.int/
NEPAD : https://www.nepad.org/
Article en ligne “Démarrage du projet GEo-AQUIFER » : https://www.webmanagercenter.com/2007/06/06/29319/gestion-de-l-eau-demarrage-du-projet-geo-aquifer/ – consulté le 26 janvier 2022

aquifer
news

Discover more on the Aquifer project news and on aquifer management

aquifer news

Description and objectives of the project

The scientific community recommends a substantial improvement in the knowledge of aquifers, the establishment of reliable monitoring networks and a greater involvement of the administration and users to achieve a sustainable management of aquifers. The main objective...

read more

Information on the project

The Llobregat Delta Water Users' Community has designed recharge basins in Molins de Rei to recharge the Baix Llobregat aquifer. View of one of the reloading basins during the test phase The Llobregat Delta Water Users' Community is one of the nine partners in the...

read more

Success stories in groundwater management

Compilation of groundwater management success stories completed. Throughout April, the 30 cases of innovative practices in groundwater management have already been selected by the clusters participating in the project: PPA, CWP and AV. The task started with the...

read more

PROPOSE AN
INNOVATIVE PRACTICE

You are in charge of an innovative practice regarding aquifer management and you want to referenced it on the Aquifer platform ?

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Aquifer offers a range of innovative water management practices. You can download all our fact sheets here.

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DOCUMENTATION

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MétéEAU Nappes, a tool for monitoring and forecasting groundwater (France)

MétéEAU Nappes

a tool for monitoring and forecasting groundwater (France)

MétéEAU Nappes

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People in charge of the innovative practice :

Bruno MOUGIN – b.mougin@brgm.fr

MétéEau Nappes is an innovative web platform to help groundwater management in France. It is developed administered and hosted by the French Geological Survey (BRGM). Its development was initiated in a context of climate change and conflicts of uses, leading to an increase in pressure and therefore the need to optimize the management of water resources in France. The objective of this management practice is to inform/alert near real time, on the level of water tables, to anticipate a possible drought situation in low water, and finally to foresee a period of high water with flooding possible problems. The platform offers a set of innovative services allowing: (i) the collection and dissemination of water cycle data, (ii) the display of the situation of the water tables in real time and the monitoring of the past or future behavior of aquifers in France, (iii) a decision support service with forecasts for the management of water resources in sensitive territories, and (iv) an API associated with the website.

Meteorological, hydrological and piezometric data are put online in real time and in interoperable format on several representative sites in metropolitan France. It is thus possible, for the monitoring points currently proposed and associated with a global hydrological model, to view the most recent measurements from the national piezometric network and especially forecasts of groundwater levels. These data are made available in the form of maps and dynamic curves based on modelling and forecasting of low and high water levels. Associated with the global models used (Gardénia, EROS and Tempo ©BRGM), these data allow to forecast the water table level. These forecasts, launched up to 6 months in the future, are compared to piezometric thresholds of drought from the prefectural orders of restriction of use in progress. The forecasts can also be self-refreshing (currently monthly).

The year 2021 marks the opening in February of the web platform to the general public. The main users are: (i) groundwater experts (French Ministries (MTE/ DGALN and DGPR), Institutionnal (DREAL, DDT(M), Flood Forecasting Services, Water Agencies…), (ii) private partners, (iii) local authorities, EPCIs, EPTBs, the Mixed Syndicates of the basin, (iv) farmers, (v) consultancies, universities and (vi) the press.

The perspectives of evolution of this groundwater management practice are, the extension of the number of monitored sites, the deployment on a European or even international scale, and the integration of new modeling tools (artificial intelligence methods, mesh models, semi-distributed models) to obtain other predictions.

Responsible entity

The BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières) is responsible for MétéEAU Nappes. BRGM is the French national geological survey. It is the French public establishment of reference in the applications of Earth sciences to manage the resources and risks of the soil and subsoil. BRGM was created in 1959. It is a public establishment of an industrial and commercial nature (EPIC). Placed under the supervision of the Ministries of Research, Ecology and Economy, it is based in Orléans (France). BRGM’s activities cover several areas: scientific research, expertise, innovation and transfer, analysis and experimentation, mine prevention and safety, higher education, continuing professional education, dissemination of knowledge and open science. It employs more than 1,000 people, including more than 700 engineers and researchers, in its 27 regional offices in metropolitan and overseas France. Its teams operate in some 30 countries. Six major scientific and societal issues structure BRGM’s scientific strategy: geology and knowledge of the subsoil, groundwater management, risks and land use planning, mineral resources and the circular economy, energy transition and the underground space, data, services and digital infrastructures.

Detailed explanation

The services and functionalities offered by MétéEAU Nappes are : (i) a web interface;

nappes du fossé Rhénan

(ii) a historical and real time display of meteorological data, groundwater and surface water data provided by the SCHAPI, Météo-France and BRGM; (iii) maps of the groundwater situation on the current date or forecast outputs according to various climatic scenarios; (iv) curves superimposing piezometric levels (historical, real time data, forecast levels; drought/flood piezometric thresholds), river flows and rainfall in real time; (v) automatic monthly refreshment with Gardénia of the forecasted groundwater level data with recent meteorological data; (vi) provision of metadata associated with forecasts: model used, time step, calibration period, correlation coefficient, taking into account or not of withdrawals, coast of the natural ground at the right of the piezometer, bibliographical sources of the piezometric thresholds. and (vii) a dynamic private application programming interface (API).

This web platform contributes in particular to the national hydrological situation bulletin for the groundwater component, but also to the forecasting of the evolution of surface water by grouping together the regional hydrogeological models on a national platform (AQUI-FR project).

The technological means used to achieve these services are: GPRS technology (currently deployed on nearly 1500 stations of the national piezometric network) allowing to provide daily measured data, as well as a dedicated technical architecture based on international standards and on recent technologies allowing the crossing of real time data from different sources and the valorization of modelling already done.

MétéEAU Nappes is a real decision-making tool for water resource management in high-stake territories which offers a set of varied services useful for the management of low water levels and risks of flooding by rising water tables: (i) display of the situation of the water tables on the current date and in the future thanks to the use of the web service of calculation of the SPI (Standardised Piezometric Indicator) for the piezometric data in real time but also for the forecasting data; (ii) collection and diffusion in real time of the groundwater data (about 1500 works of the 1600 managed by the BRGM allow an automatic daily provision of the data); (iii) provision of the most recent data on the surface water and the pluviometry; (iv) decision support service for water management on the territories (integration of piezometric thresholds of restriction of the drought decrees); (v) maps and curves refreshed at each connection date (dynamic information); (vi) possible automatic monthly refreshment of the predictive data of groundwater levels; (vii) reserved access allowing to have access to specific models, a particular geographical sector; (viii) API (Application Programming Interface) allowing to exchange directly data with MétéEAU Nappes.

Météeau Nappes

Institutional setting

The platform is edited, managed and subsidized by BRGM. The stakeholders of this practice are BRGM and its institutional partners (Météo-France). Within the framework of the implementation of the GEMAPI and in a climate change context, knowing in real time the availability of water resources and being able to forecast the level of the water tables are essential information for the actors of the water sector. Indeed, they allow to: (i) characterize the particularities of a site, (ii) optimize resource management by adapting groundwater withdrawals and managing conflicts of use, (iii) make decisions in the face of a water shortage or overflow, and (iv) test scenarios to anticipate the effects of climate change.

Geographical setting

The practice takes place on several sites representative of the metropolitan France. The geographical framework of this practice is intended to extend to the European and international scale, in particular in England via the INTERREG Water for Tomorrow project, in Spain and Portugal via the INTERREG SUDOE AQUIFER project, and in South Africa (in Cape Town).

Historical overview

The main steps in implementing this practice were:

  • 2015: launch of the BRGM internal research project;
  • 2017: deployment of a prototype;
  • 2019: website went into production (dedicated URL accessible only to BRGM);
  • 2020: restricted opening of the website;
  • 2021: opening of the website.

The main triggers of this implementation were: the desire of the press, of the public and state services to have information on the probability of floods or droughts in relation to the current level of the water table, support from BRGM in terms of funding, the multidisciplinary expertise of BRGM to realize a proof of concept, and strong support by BRGM innovation, valorization and transfer unit (value proposition, business model).

The obstacles encountered were the need to argue to prove the viability of the project, and the interoperability of the data which was sometimes limited.

Evidence of benefits from implementation

There is no evidence of the benefits of this practice as there is no real feedback yet. However, there is evidence that the practice is evolving and that there are benefits to using it. Notable developments are: (i) an agreement with Veolia for the creation of a new value proposition to their customers, (ii) the addition of around twelve points modeled for the MTE/DEB Department (contribution to the national map of drought risk on water bodies for the summer), and finally (iii) the agreement within the framework of the AQUIFER Sudoe project which will allow for the addition of 6 more points.

Replication potential in SUDOE region

The management practice is not intended to be replicated, but the number of points is bound to increase. The implementation of MétéEau Nappes has required a multidisciplinary team of 5 part-time people (hydrogeologists, modelers, computer developers, sensor specialists, etc.). The project did not benefit from subsidies but was self-financed by BRGM. It should be noted that since 2021, several projects of support to public policies, research projects and international projects have been signed.

Future outlook

The short term evolution perspectives are : (i) the agreement with partners to add points in MétéEAU Nappes; (ii) the addition of several points thanks to programs (INTERREG SUDOE AQUIFER, Val de Saône, Water For Tomorrow, …); (iii) forecasts in relation to meteorological factors but also in relation to abstraction scenarios (VEOLIA and Water For Tomorrow); (iv) the use of the ERA5 climate database for climate data (20×20 km grid) which will allow to associate to each model the forecast data at D-5 i; (v) the integration of forecasts coming from other software (mesh, global, reservoir, semi-distributed models? ); (vi) deployment on a European scale.

The long-term perspectives are: (i) moving towards new AI-based modeling tools to obtain predictions; (ii) adding a batch process with recovery of results from other models; (iii) displaying information associated with climate change (climate scenarios, hydrological balances, water level forecasts), (iv) international deployment.

Key points of the innovative method

> Monitoring of the situation in real time and forecasting of groundwater
> Collection and dissemination of data on a web platform open to the public and experts
> Decision support service for sustainable water management in the territories

Acknowledgements

The innovative practice was suggested by Sandra BERANGER (BRGM), and Bruno MOUGIN (BRGM) participated in the interviews.

References

BRGM, (2020). Rapport d’activités. https://rapport-activite.brgm.fr/sites/default/files/2021-09/brgm_rapport-annuel_2020.pdf, pages 8-22-23.

Mougin B., Nicolas J., Vigier Y., Bessière H., Loigerot S. (2020). « MétéEAU Nappes » : un site Internet contenant des services utiles à la gestion des étiages. La Houille Blanche, numéro 5, p. 28-36. https://doi.org/10.1051/lhb/2020045

Surdyk N., Thiéry D., Nicolas J., Gutierrez A., Vigier Y., Mougin B. (2022). MétéEAU Nappes: a real-time water-resource-management tool and its application to a sandy aquifer in a high-demand irrigation context. Hydrogeology Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-022-02509-1

INTERNET REFERENCES:

Bienvenue sur le site web MétéEAU Nappes : https://meteeaunappes.brgm.fr/fr

MétéEAU Nappes, un outil de suivi en temps réel et de prévision du niveau des nappes : https://www.brgm.fr/fr/solutions/meteeau-nappes-outil-suivi-temps-reel-prevision-niveau-nappes

Communiqué de presse, MétéEAU Nappes, une plateforme pour aider à la gestion de l’eau souterraine : https://www.brgm.fr/fr/actualite/communique-presse/meteeau-nappes-plateforme-aider-gestion-eau-souterraine

Site web MétéEAU Nappes : https://www.brgm.fr/fr/site-web/meteeau-nappes

MétéEAU Nappes, guide d’aide à l’utilisation du site web : https://meteeaunappes.brgm.fr/sites/websites/meteeaunappes.brgm.fr/files/documents/2022-05/BRGM_Guide_aide_utilisation_M%C3%A9t%C3%A9EAU-Nappes_2022.pdf

BRGM : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_de_recherches_g%C3%A9ologiques_et_mini%C3%A8res – consulté en ligne le 24 janvier 2022

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