GEOTHERMOVAL project

Inventory of the hydrothermal capacities of the Canton of Valais through the study of resurgent hydrothermal springs Initiated in 1988, the GEOTHERMOVAL program was designed to research, evaluate and develop potential geothermal resources in the canton of Valais as an alternative energy source, in particular for space heating and domestic hot water. This geothermal prospecting program was carried out by the CRSFA (Centre de Recherches Scientifiques Fondamentales et Appliquées de Sion, formerly… Read More

Geocadastre | geological surveys

Le cadastre cantonal des sondages géologiques – a web portal for consulting and editing subsoil data for the Canton of Valais Launched at the end of 2013, Géocadastre – the cantonal geological survey cadastre – has gradually established itself as a reference tool for practitioners. The Geocadast web portal not only enables consultation of subsurface data, but also provides information on the cantonal cadastre. The quaternary data contained in the Geocadastre are… Read More

Groundwater monitoring

Monitoring groundwater in the Rhône plain and mountain aquifers In Switzerland, groundwater and springs cover more than 80% of water needs. With an annual production of over 1 millionm3, they are the main source of drinking and industrial water. Long-term monitoring of groundwater quality and groundwater levels is therefore of particular importance. This is all the more the case in Valais where, due to the specific nature of the recharge regime for… Read More

Thermal balance of the water table

Inventory of groundwater use for heating and cooling in Sion, implementation of a temperature monitoring network. Groundwater is an important energy resource. It can be used to generate heat and cooling throughout the year. The groundwater table in the Rhône plain is often the focus of particular attention from planners, due to its high exploitation potential and proximity to the surface. There are around 150 installations in operation in the Sion area…. Read More

Geothermal potential in Valais (GEOTHERMOVAL II)

Geothermal potential of high-permeability conduits at the base of the glacial Rhone valley in Valais The aim of the Géothermoval II project, which follows on from the GEOTHERMOVAL project, is to estimate the geothermal potential of the Rhône valley in order to determine whether this resource can be exploited to meet the growing energy needs arising from the densification of lowland regions. In order to identify areas of interest for geothermal drilling,… Read More