Forecasting the trajectories of water resources. The Souffel catchment
The Souffel River (67-Bas-Rhin) encompasses a catchment area of 120 km², with over 85% of its surface dedicated to large-scale farming, situated at the entrance to the Strasbourg Eurometropolis (EMS). Urban areas (12%) further contribute to the release of biocides, perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS), and antibiotics into the river through two wastewater treatment plants. Consequently, the Souffel is notably susceptible to agricultural and urban pollution, as well as drought due to its low specific flow rate compared to other rivers in Alsace. The combined pressures of pollutants on surface water and groundwater, coupled with its intrinsic vulnerability to pollutant transfer and its severely degraded conditions, have spurred concerted efforts and engagement with stakeholders to enhance biodiversity and restore the ecological, physical, and chemical integrity of the Souffel. The initiation of the WEFE living lab in 2019, as part of the PolIso project involving the ITES laboratory and the Rhin Meuse Water Agency, marks a significant step in this endeavor. The WEFE Living Lab is involved in the CTEC contract (Water and Climate Territory Contract) "Agissons ensemble pour la Souffel," which is funded by the Rhine-Meuse Water Agency and entails a unique collaboration with local stakeholders, farmers, citizens and academics.
Key issues and how the observatory will help to tackle them
According to the criteria outlined in the Water Framework Directive, the Souffel water body is classified as severely impacted, both in terms of ecological and chemical status. The WEFE Living Lab pursues 3 primary objectives: 1) To develop innovative socio-ecological approaches aimed at mitigating uncertainty biases in the estimation of hydroclimatic extremes and tipping points. 2) To comprehend and forecast the functional and evolutionary impacts of various human interventions on hydrosystem processes and their biota, with the aim of implementing appropriate renaturation schemes. 3) To co-create pioneering governance models grounded in the identified power dynamics among stakeholders, thereby delineating opportunities for collective action in water governance.
In pursuit of these objectives, the WEFE Living Lab endeavours to foster the development of multi-scale (from lab microcosm experiments to catchment-scale modelling) and multi-disciplinary methodologies. The living lab encompasses a surface water monitoring station located at Mundolsheim, which has been equipped with an automatic water sampler since 2020. Additionally, it features a network of piezometers and wells utilized to supply a portion of the drinking water for the EMS from groundwater sources. Moreover, the methodology fosters numerous and close collaborations with local stakeholders and actors. In pursuit of these objectives, the WEFE Living Lab endeavours to foster the development of multi-scale (from lab microcosm experiments to catchment-scale modelling) and multi-disciplinary methodologies. The living lab encompasses a surface water monitoring station located at Mundolsheim, which has been equipped with an automatic water sampler since 2020. Additionally, it features a network of piezometers and wells utilized to supply a portion of the drinking water for the EMS from groundwater sources. Moreover, the methodology fosters numerous and close collaborations with local stakeholders and actors.