VigiNappe application – Public access.
© BRGM
The need
The Adour-Garonne basin has a system that enables real-time monitoring of the piezometric levels of unconfined aquifers at over 500 measurement points and provides a three-dimensional hydrodynamic tool to model the behaviour of certain key aquifers (such as the alluvial aquifers of the Garonne, Tarn and Aveyron rivers in the Tarn-et-Garonne département). However, prior to the recent work carried out by BRGM and its partners, there was no tool for forecasting groundwater levels or usable groundwater volumes in the Adour-Garonne basin.
The results
As part of the INTERREG SUDOE AQUIFER project, data from 10 piezometric measurement points – six of which are used for the groundwater monitoring bulletins (BSN - Bulletin de Suivi des Nappes) – were modelled in order to provide forecasts of changes in piezometric levels over the coming months, according to different weather scenarios. These forecasts are made available and updated on a monthly basis in the MétéEAU Nappes application. They can be compared with reference piezometric levels and, when coupled with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, enable resource managers to better anticipate the volume of usable groundwater available over the low-water period. These volumes are defined for each management polygon implemented in the model. They are established on the basis of objective low-water levels, i.e. levels that have been determined statistically from available piezometric records, which are sufficient for the resource to be renewed during the following year's recharge period.
The forecasts of usable volumes are made available to water managers via the VigiNappe application.
VigiNappe application – Restricted access.
© BRGM
Using the results
The VigiNappe application allows the general public to consult the situation of unconfined groundwater resources at monitoring points with a historical record going back over 15 years, regardless of who produced the data, by displaying the Standardised Piezometric Indicator (IPS) for the current month, or for a past month selected by the user. This application also enables water managers to view forecasts of usable volumes and volumes historically abstracted from groundwater, for each of the management polygons pre-defined in the hydrodynamic model.
The plan is to extend the geographical area covered by the platform, both in terms of resources that are open to the "general public" and those that require authenticated access. However, any expansion of the geographical scope or further functional developments remain subject to additional funding.
The partners
- European Union
- AQUA-VALLEY water competitiveness cluster, France
- Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME), Spain
- Comunitat d’usuaris d’aigua de la vall baixa i delta del Llobregat (CUADLL), Spain
- Asociación Catalana para la Innovación y la internationalización del sector del agua, Spain
- Comunidad de regantes del campo de cartagena, Spain
- Aguas do Ribatejo, Portugal
- Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Portugal
- Associação Parceria Portuguesa para a Àgua, Portugal
Public reports
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SUDOE-AQUIFER project - Catalogue of innovative aquifer monitoring equipment - Final report
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Network for monitoring the alluvial aquifers of the Garonne, Tarn and Aveyron rivers in Tarn-et-Garonne. Work carried out within the framework of the Interreg SUDOE AQUIFER project. Final report
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SUDOE AQUIFER Project - Forecasting groundwater levels: an innovative solution to support groundwater management. Final report
