Sandra Lanini, Hydrogeological modeller, BRGM (testimony from the “Explore2 project, hydrological projections to adapt water resource management” dossier – 2024)
“I develop different types of model depending on the complexity of the hydrosystems to be studied. In Explore2, I am using the RECHARGE model, which provides, for the whole of France and for each body of water, an estimation of the proportion of rainfall that infiltrates and potentially recharges the aquifers. To model groundwater, we use several other hydrogeological models to simulate changes in the hydraulic load and to reproduce as closely as possible observations of flow and groundwater levels at catchment scale. In order to model the impact of climate change on groundwater, we applied these models over the recent period to calibrate them on the basis of our observations, and then applied them to simulate scenarios in which external conditions varied. In Explore2, the models were run many times using different climate projections. In addition to the average results, it is important to note that the results vary widely depending on the climate projections used.”
Testimonial from our thematic dossier
Thematic dossier
The Explore2 project: hydrological projections to adapt water resource management
Explore2 is a first-of-its-kind project in Europe because of the sheer volume of data produced. These projections and the associated technical documents, drawn up thanks to the collaboration of a large scientific community and two user committees, make it possible to undertake regional studies on the availability of water resources throughout the 21st century and to anticipate their management.
