Groundwater management

Historically, the question of managing access to water resources first arose in relation to river water, which is highly dependent on current climatic conditions, and water supplied by man-made distribution systems. It is only more recently that groundwater has been considered for management, as it is less subject to cyclical scarcity problems (with the exception of groundwater accompanying rivers). In the majority of cases, access to groundwater is provided on an individual basis, with each user (especially farmers) drilling for water at the point of need. But these underground resources also require management, as they are increasingly exploited and sometimes even overexploited.

This module tackles the issue of groundwater resource management by first presenting the contribution of each physical science discipline (geology-hydrogeology, geochemistry, isotopy) and their tools to understanding aquifers (at geological level: outcrop, drilling, logging, seismic profiling, etc.; at hydrogeological level: piezometry, test pumping, withdrawal points/outlets, quantities withdrawn, etc.): geometry, structure and hydrological functioning.

It goes on to explain the value of groundwater for the various uses to which it is put. The economic value of groundwater is examined in this section (Qureshi et al., 2012). It also explains the difficulties involved in identifying these groundwater withdrawals and the methods used to reveal them.

It then describes the various problems posed by aquifers: current or future overexploitation of aquifers, deterioration in groundwater quality, threat of saltwater intrusion, salinization of soils, etc.

Finally, it lists the various methods available for rebalancing groundwater supply and demand. Firstly, it describes ways of increasing water supply (active groundwater management, substitutions between resources) or avoiding contamination of good-quality water by poorer-quality water. Examples: active management of karstic aquifers (Lez system), artificial recharge (e.g. Seine catchment fields in Paris), inter-seasonal/interannual recharge (Llobregat, Catalonia), recharge with wastewater (California), damming to avoid contamination of freshwater by saltwater.

Secondly, it outlines the solutions that act on water demand. These solutions are based on two drivers of individual decision-making, which can sometimes be combined: maximization of individual utility and inclusion in a society inducing "pro-social" behavior. We will explore solutions that act directly on the demand for groundwater (pricing, quotas, trading of water rights), as well as indirect solutions (purchase of land to protect a resource, agricultural or energy policies that can positively or negatively influence the development of individual abstraction, etc.).

Familiarity with the various aspects of groundwater management: knowledge of the multidimensional aspect of groundwater management; knowledge of the various tools that can be mobilized to better manage groundwater; knowledge of different groundwater management cases and ability to analyze the factors of management success and failure.

Various lecturers (teachers and at least one professional) take part in this module, which combines lectures (and a TD) with contributions from Master's students, who are assigned, in groups of 2 or 3 or on their own, specific cases or questions to illustrate the course. The course is given in French. However, oral and written presentations can be made in English, if students prefer.

Prerequisites* :

No particular prerequisites, as this module is multidisciplinary.

Recommended prerequisites* :

Some possible readings:

Molle F., López-Gunn E. and Van Steenbergen F. The local and national politics of groundwater overexploitation. In Water Alternatives, 2018, 11(3), p. 445-457

Hérivaux C. and Gauthey J. Benefits linked to groundwater protection: why and how to give them a monetary value? French Biodiversity Agency, Paris, September 2018, 72 p., https://professionnels.afbiodiversite.fr/fr/node/339

Rinaudo J.-D., Holley C., Montginoul M. and Barnett S. Sustainable groundwater management: a comparative analysis of French and Australian policies and implications to other countries. Springer, 2020 (from which most of the case studies are taken) https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030327651

And don't hesitate to watch films or documentaries on the subject. Here are a few suggestions: http: //www.water-alternatives.org/

There are three components to the knowledge assessment:

• An assessment of the preparatory work given to each participant (or to pre-designated groups of participants): before the start of the module, each group is asked to send in a file (generally 4 pages long, completed with an evaluation grid of the groundwater management case they have been asked to deal with).
• During the session, students will be invited individually to present part of their preparatory work.
• Finally, an individual written essay will be required at the end of the module to check that students have mastered the concepts and notions explored throughout the module. This will take the form of an assignment to be handed in by a specific deadline.

Physical and human aspects, economic evaluation, supply-side management, demand-side management

Physical and human aspects, economic valuation, supply and demand management