M2 - Water and Agriculture (EA)

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The module's content is organized into three sections:

1) a section covering the definition of concepts, an introduction to a tool (R), and a review of statistical estimation terminology and its application to the calibration of hydrological parameters;

2) a section on methods for analyzing uncertainties and sensitivity, and

3) a module on data assimilation applied to hydraulic modeling. The course unit will also begin with a presentation by a design firm executive, who will discuss the practical applications of this type of approach in engineering.

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This unit covers the concepts of mass and heat transfer in aquifers, as well as the characteristics of low-to-high-energy geothermal systems.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The vulnerability of the groundwater resource will be assessed, and, where appropriate, methods for protecting the aquifer from pollution will be evaluated. Various techniques for remediating aquifers will also be discussed, particularly through the insights provided by numerical simulation tools.

The principles of geothermal energy will also be discussed using examples of specific systems based on the three types of geothermal energy (from shallow to very deep, and from low temperature to very high temperature).

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As part of this course unit, students will apply project planning and estimating the time required for each task, the FFOM matrix and the “sabotage” exercise, risk management, organizing and facilitating meetings, and oral project presentations. Other aspects of project management may be addressed on a case-by-case basis, such as financial management, the role of the project manager, relationships with partners, and the use of tools such as to-do lists, Kanban, shared calendars, etc.

Building on the Project Management course from the first year of the master’s program, the Project Management course in the second year is designed to assess students’ mastery of the skills acquired the previous year and to take them further by focusing on a longer-term project (ranging from a few weeks to a few months), whether individual or group-based, and whether a course project or a personal project.

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The three major global irrigation models—large-scale hydraulic systems, community irrigation, and private irrigation—are presented in their historical context, based on an in-depth literature review and examples of specific cases, with a focus on the Mediterranean region.

These three different irrigation models are presented (ideology, construction, water management, agricultural development, stakeholders, etc.) using a theoretical framework based on oxymorons. These models are then illustrated through various real-world examples, presented in PowerPoint presentations, videos, and articles.

The various key references for each type of irrigation system will be presented and discussed. Each irrigation model is discussed with the students, who present their analyses through a guided exercise. Once the three irrigation models are understood, the course focuses on the analysis of rural development models related to irrigation. The analysis is based on a critical examination of the dualist theory of development as applied to irrigation systems.

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All future Master’s graduates—whether in the “Professional” or “Research” track—must master the tools and conventions of effective scientific writing. Improving one’s scientific writing skills is essential for showcasing one’s work and communicating it to peers, colleagues, clients, and others…

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This course focuses on the observation and modeling of surface-atmosphere water and energy fluxes, integrated within watersheds or irrigated areas, to estimate and predict crop water requirements and water stress under drought conditions. Attention is given to the effect of spatial heterogeneities on fluxes, from the plot scale to the watershed scale. The effects of topography on surface fluxes are also covered. The course consists of two main parts:

1. Water and energy fluxes within the SPAC at the plot scale: a review of basic concepts in micro-meteorology, modeling surface-atmosphere fluxes for homogeneous crops (“big-leaf” approach), coupling with soil water transfers in the rooting zone, and water stress indicators at the plot scale
2. Water and energy fluxes within the SPAC at the watershed scale: spatial heterogeneity, the effect of advection on the fluxes, topographical effects on radiative and convective fluxes, and water stress indicators at the watershed scale.

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This course unit builds on the process analysis conducted during the “Field Camp” course unit, as well as on the data collected there. It aims to carry out a simulation process in response to a specific question. It consists of several phases:
• Experimental study in the laboratory and in the field: measurement of a water line and hydraulic propagation dynamics
• Development of a simple numerical model (solution of a first-order differential equation)
• Implementation of a model (topological and geometric description, steady-state and transient hydraulic scenarios,
calibration, simulation of scenarios
• Design of a hydraulic management scenario, implemented on a miniature network in the form of a role-playing game: calculation of delay times, calibration of calibration curves, identification of attenuation and delay dynamics, management of control structures, and evaluation of hydraulic performance.

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Geoprospective is a discipline related to geography whose purpose is to anticipate the future in order to envision and design more resilient landscapes. Tools derived from geoprospective, combined with cartographic tools and tools for simulating the behavior of regional stakeholders, make it possible to test the impact of behaviors—whether more or less sustainable—on water resources. A significant portion of the course’s class time will be devoted to using modeling platforms so that students can gain hands-on experience with these tools.

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The EU aims to help students gain practical experience and develop a high-level perspective on hydrological modeling of watersheds dominated by agricultural activities and affected by climate change. The EU’s approach is based on four key perspectives:

1. Watershed hydrology and its place in the history of science,

2. Characteristics of Agricultural Landscapes and Implications for Modeling,

3. The issue of changing scales,

4. Practice and Critique of Hydrological Modeling.

The EU will provide advanced knowledge on production functions, transfer functions, and global and distributed modeling. It will enable students to independently apply various hydrological models (Green and Ampt, reservoir, Curve Number, unit hydrograph, reservoir cascade, etc.) and to gain a broader perspective on the parameterization, calibration, and validation of hydrological models.

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This learning unit is conducted in a group or individually. It consists of two parts:
• Preparation: Identify a topic based on your career plans
• Formulate a research question based on your literature review and present it in the form of a literature summary that highlights the question to be addressed
• Develop an experimental plan by identifying the data and resources needed to carry out the project.

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The module's content is organized into six sections:

1) Introduction by the EU: scientific and operational challenges related to biogeochemical issues and water quality in agricultural watersheds;

2) Physicochemical and hydrological processes that determine the availability and mobility of pesticides in a watershed;

3) TD: modeling tutorials on the transfer of pesticides;

4) The biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus in agricultural systems;

5) Nitrogen cycle and balance in agricultural watersheds;

6) Tutorial: Assessment of the nitrogen balance in a watershed; diagnosis of surface water contamination

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The module's content is organized into 5 sections:

1) Irrigation equipment and infrastructure;

2) Irrigation management;

3) Socioeconomic analysis, consultation methods;

4) Professional conferences;

5) Case Study: Conversion of an Irrigated System

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The content of the module depends on the host organization chosen by the student, which may be a company, an association, an NGO, a public agency, or an international organization.
Students are expected to complete a phase of defining a research question based on a rigorous review of the current state of the art, a phase of im
ing an approach, and a phase of implementation and analysis of results.
The entire project must be submitted in accordance with the terms agreed upon between the host organization and the academic advisor. A thesis, structured around a research question, is required for academic evaluation. This thesis—which is by no means an activity report—may be supplemented by deliverables requested by the host organization, which may or may not be incorporated into the thesis.
Confidentiality of evaluations (written or oral) is possible.

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The goal of this interdisciplinary course is to give students from various academic tracks who are interested the opportunity to organize an event project on a current topic related to water, in line with their personal commitments, their career goals, societal challenges, and issues surrounding global transitions and changes….

The project is led by the students, from its initial planning through its implementation during the event, with occasional support from the faculty at key stages of the project.

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The objective of this course, offered jointly with AgroParisTech’s specialized post-master’s program in “Water Management,” is to provide students with a background in development with a framework for understanding the challenges and the organization of development projects related to water (drinking water, sanitation, and agricultural water).

This teaching unit alternates between testimonials and insights from experts and professionals in the development sector on water-related issues, and testimonials from learners (enrolled in the specialized Master’s program in Water Management) or students who already have international experience in the fields of water or agriculture.

This course unit is offered as an elective to students in the Master’s program in Water Sciences, subject to a cap on the number of students.

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Water resources and their management are often discussed in terms of knowledge and principles established in developed countries in temperate zones. However, countries in the Global South—starting with the Mediterranean and Africa—present us with an extreme diversity of social and environmental situations that compel us to significantly adjust our perspectives and question the validity of certain approaches that are too detached from the reality on the ground.

Researchers working primarily in the Global South draw on their practical experiences to examine the unique characteristics of hydrological and geochemical processes in very dry or very humid tropical regions, the consequences of human activity, and the challenges of managing water resources in a sustainable manner, where possible.

A significant amount of time is devoted to the critical analysis of scientific articles dealing with water resources and their management in the Global South.

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The objective of this learning unit is to present the current and future impacts on all sectors related to the field of water.

How are climate extremes—such as droughts and floods—changing, and which regions are affected by these extremes? How does this impact groundwater and surface water resources, as well as farmland and irrigation methods?

What are the trends regarding rising sea levels and coastal areas? How does this affect current and future population movements, and what solutions can be proposed for coastal management …?

Through a series of lectures delivered by experts in various fields—covering all tracks of the Master’s in Water program—this course unit will present the latest developments in this area.

Through tutorial and lab sessions, students will work in groups on a specific topic (using an example) that combines climate change with a water-related field, in order to provide a concise overview of the subject. This project will be presented in the form of a mini-seminar and will serve as the basis for the assessment of this course unit.

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This course unit is conducted in groups or individually. It follows the "Scientific Project 1" course unit. It consists of three phases:
• Implementation: Students conduct the experiments and analyze the results (the rooms and equipment needed for the experiments are provided).
• Presentation: Students prepare a presentation (oral presentation + a 5-page article in English) of their experiment, apply a critical perspective to it
, and present it to the sponsors, the teaching staff, and their fellow students.
• Critical Analysis: Students evaluate each other’s articles (through a peer-review process) and finalize their own articles based on the feedback received.

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