Water qualty In normandy under climate and agricultural change – WATER-RECALL

The deterioration in the quantity and quality of water resources is among the major anticipated consequences of climate change in northwestern Europe, particularly in light of predicted changes in hydrological regimes and an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (floods and droughts) in a global context of decreasing rainfall volumes and rising temperatures. The Normandy region is particularly vulnerable to these effects, as evidenced by recent reports from the Normandy IPCC. On the one hand, the increasing frequency of heavy precipitation events tends to exacerbate soil erosion processes and facilitate the transfer of sediments and associated contaminants from slopes to rivers. On the other hand, the increase in the duration of dry spells, resulting in more pronounced periods of low water and agronomic drought, as well as a decline in the average level of aquifers, will lead to an increase in the concentration of contaminants of various origins due to reduced dilution. However, strategic adaptations in farming practices, such as intercropping, grass strips, limited plowing, and the implementation of agro-ecological infrastructures, have the potential to mitigate the effects of climate change by either reducing or offsetting the alterations in the climatic signal. The advancement of crop phenology in response to rising average temperatures may exert a positive or negative influence on soil exposure to precipitation events. Consequently, the issue of future water quality and quantity in Normandy is intricately linked to the evolution of agriculture.
In light of these circumstances, the objective of this project is to furnish novel insights into the manner in which climate change and alterations in agricultural practices could affect the water, sediment, and pesticide continuum within Normandy's hydrosystems.
The objective of this study is to characterize the current state of hydrosedimentary transfers and associated pesticides (dissolved and particulate phases) and to explore their potential evolutionary trajectories by the year 2100. To this end, a multidisciplinary approach will be employed, integrating field observations, laboratory analyses, and numerical modeling. The Seulles watershed, a small coastal hydrosystem in Normandy, will serve as the primary research site. The study will focus on the changes in rainfall patterns, the increased frequency of extreme weather events (floods and droughts), and shifts in cropping systems, including phenological responses and the adoption of agroecological infrastructures such as hedges and grass strips.
A significant component of the project entails the formulation of prospective spatialized scenarios, encompassing both the repercussions of climate change and the potential shifts in agricultural practices and land use. These scenarios will be evaluated through the utilization of hydrosedimentary and pesticide transfer models, with the objective of quantifying the relative contributions of climatic and anthropogenic factors under various future scenarios. Subsequently, the project endeavors to transpose the findings to the broader context of Normandy, with the objective of identifying and prioritizing regions that necessitate localized mitigation measures.
In addition to the production of scientific publications, the objective of this project is to promote the dissemination of results to the general public by contributing to the development of scientific mediation tools based on augmented reality. Furthermore, the establishment of a long-term environmental observatory will provide the community with new tools to address the challenges posed by a changing climate.