All the English documents

The 2 days of discussions between scientists and water managers were an occasion to present some 30 partnership-research projects on aquatic biodiversity. Following a status report on biodiversity in aquatic environments, the speakers presented a range of innovative tools for monitoring and restoring biodiversity in a context of global climate change. Recap.

The legal texts stipulate that an action plan must be defined and implemented for priority abstractions with the local stakeholders. In this difficult situation, the local stakeholders are all looking for effective, practical solutions in the field. To assist in this work, a study covering the entire country was carried out to gain information on suitable strategies taking into account specific, local conditions.

Out of the 9 crayfish species inventoried in France in 2013, 6 were introduced during the XX^th century. 3 of them are well-known invasive. In response to an increasing need for more knowledge and solutions, an unprecedented research effort has been led in Brière since 2010. All these studies, along with others led elsewhere in France, were presented during the first French meeting on invasive exotic crayfish.

Natural seawater intrusion, whether coupled with an anthropogenic influence or not, risks contaminating the freshwater contained in the underground reservoirs. This document presents, via examples, a number of tools that can be used to qualify seawater intrusion and the potential impact of a sea-level rise on salinity levels in coastal aquifers.

Scientific research on the relations between hydromorphology and nutrient-transformation processes has increased over the past few years. This review of the literature presents the most noteworthy aspects of current knowledge and a number of examples.

The national symposium on The outlook for managing aquatic biodiversity in rivers and lakes was an occasion to report on some 30 partnership-research projects in the field of aquatic biodiversity. Following a status report on biodiversity in aquatic environments in France, the meeting went on to present a range of innovative tools for monitoring and restoring biodiversity in a context of global climate change.

On the whole, water resources in France are sufficient, however, there are significant differences between regions and times of year. Local shortages have increasingly led to restrictive measures on water usage. Why do water shortages occur? Are water resources in fact becoming more rare? Is this situation linked to excessive human usage or climate change? This document studies the fluctuations in water resources caused by climate factors in order to answer these questions.

The Eels & Installations R&D programme targeted a number of operational goals that resulted in the development and testing of technical solutions designed for rapid implementation in the field. All programme results were presented at the feedback symposium which brought together researchers, water managers, associations and hydroelectric companies. This document presents the results of the programme to restore eel stocks.

France launched a PCB action plan that produced considerable progress in our understanding of PCB transfers from sediment to fish and of the degree to which humans are exposed. The goals of the plan were met, notably concerning the establishment of thresholds for PCB contamination of sediment, above which fish are no longer suitable for consumption. These results raise the question of the lessons to be drawn from this situation for «emerging» contaminants. That was one of the main topics of the feedback symposium for the action plan.

Scientists and water managers discussed the current directions taken by the quantitative hydrology research in France. The discussions addressed in depth the linked issues of climate change and the management of low-flow conditions, a major social and ecological issue. This document reports on progress in research and on the remaining issues.