La réalimentation artificielle des nappes profondes : faisabilité et conséquences

¹ Lyonnaise des Eaux, Cholet
² CIRSEE-ENSG, Nancy

Abstract

The authors consider as a confined aquifer, any non-surface water, that is to say, any aquifer which is not unconfined. Therefore, the depht is not defined as an abstraction related to the distance, but as a structure notion. This concept is indeed more relevant and seems to be more adapted to the natural environment in applied hydrogeology.

The artificial recharge of confined aquifers is studied through three orientations: active management of the aquifer, subsidence control and oilfield exploitation.

Since the technical feasibility of this project proved satisfactory, the relevance of such a process must be considered from an economic standpoint and the cost/benefit evaluation remains, in fine, the decisive element. After drawing up the inventory of the sites where artificial recharge of confined aquifers is carried out, the authors propose some reflexions on the opportunities brought by this process in order to optimise the water resource management for the coming centuries. A patrimonial management of the artificial aquifer recharge seems to be the only reasonable solution to supply in water the coming populations.