WATERWISE
Co-designing sustainable management solutions for resilient Alpine headwaters Climate change and human pressures are having an increasing impact on alpine waters, the main sources of freshwater in the Alpine Space. Significant alterations in water availability and quality pose significant challenges to Alpine communities and have profound implications for the ecosystem services on which they depend. WATERWISE involves 12 project partners from France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. This project aims to… Read More
WATER – IS IT OBVIOUS?
Exhibition as part of the INTERREG RESERVAQUA project The result of a collaboration between CREALP, the Valais Environment Department and the Alpine House Foundation, the exhibition on water and its climatic challenges presented at the Centre de Géologie et Glaciologie in Les Haudères in the Val d’Hérens was closely linked to the cross-border cooperation project between Switzerland and Italy, entitled “RESERVAQUA – knowing water resources for better management (2019-2023)”. Its primary objective… Read More
Rhône Festival
35th Rhône Festival from September 5 to 8, 2024 PROJECT BACKGROUND: The Fêtes du Rhône tell the story of a long history of friendship between France and Switzerland. In the towns along the river, they brought together a fervent community around a popular festival, cultural events and a congress. The committee hopes to use the occasion of these celebrations to create a federative action that will last for years to come. A… Read More
Water resources management (Peru)
Glaciers + Project > Optimal management of water resources in mountain regions and in a context of climate change, Peru The multi-objective Glaciers+ project(Proyecto Glaciares+) was launched following the Glacier 513 project, which highlighted the potential of optimal water resource management in the Chucchún Valley. The aim of Glaciers+ was to reduce the risks associated with glacier retreat (flooding, block falls, etc.), and to optimize the management of water resources in mountain… Read More
Impact of climate change in the mountains: water resources and natural hazards (ATTENUATE)
In the mountains, climate change is having a particularly severe impact on available water resources, leading to an increase in natural hazards. It is now necessary to improve knowledge and inform the public about the rapid changes taking place in Alpine environments. Warming in the Alps is twice as great as on a global scale, with direct consequences such as melting glaciers, degradation of permafrost and shorter periods of snow cover at… Read More
Support for groundwater protection zones
Support for the SEN in the approval procedure for groundwater protection zones to guarantee the quality of our drinking water In the Valais, drinking water is almost entirely supplied by groundwater reserves. It is therefore essential to ensure the quality of the water we consume. In order to guarantee the long-term protection of the groundwater that feeds the public interest catchments (springs and wells) used to supply the population with drinking water,… Read More
Numerical hydrogeological models
Numerical hydrogeological models for the third Rhone correction CREALP supports the project managers of the Third Rhone Correction project in analyzing the modeling work carried out by the engineering groups in charge of developing the anticipated and priority measures. The aim is to ensure the best possible quality of prognoses and associated uncertainties, through the use of scientific methods and robust working hypotheses; the model results form the basis for assessing the… 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
INTERREG Italy-Switzerland cooperation > RESERVAQUA project
Understanding water resources for better management Water resources in the Alps are under increasing pressure: shortages and deteriorating water quality are just some of the consequences of population growth, the impact of various human activities and climate change. The project is supported by the European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG V-A Italy-Switzerland cooperation program and the Canton of Valais. Its aim is to assess the factors conditioning the distribution of resources… Read More
SAGE – Adaptation strategies for integrated water management
In response to climate change, the Canton of Valais adopted a Water Strategy in 2014, aimed at sustainable management of water resources through a catalog of priority measures. It is with this in mind that CREALP has drawn up the SAGE project, which aims to develop and make available new water management tools to facilitate adaptation to the climate changes that could impact the resource by 2100. To address one of the… Read More