Drinking Water Sources and Climate Change
Drinking water in the Martigny region Background In the Alpine regions, the climate is warming twice as fast as the global average. In addition to warming, climate projections for Switzerland point to a decrease in snowfall, earlier snowmelt, and significant changes in precipitation patterns. These changes will result in a slight increase in water storage during the winter and a decrease during the summer, with more periods of drought that could lead… 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
GIS Groundwater
Design and implementation of a Groundwater Information and Management System to enhance the value of cantonal subsurface data In close collaboration with the Service de l’environnement(SEN) – Groupe Eaux souterraines du Canton du Valais, CREALP has been involved in setting up a global strategy for groundwater monitoring in the short, medium and long term. This analysis, which considers the various aspects related to groundwater management (quantitative and qualitative monitoring, protection of water… Read More