Forêts et crues

Forests and floods

Cemagref Grenoble Unité de Recherche " érosion torrentielle, neige et avalanche ", 2, rue de la papeterie, BP76, 38402 Saint-Martin-d'Hères Cedex

Auteur de correspondance : didier.richard@cemagref.fr

Abstract

Forest is known for attenuating the averaged flows. The situation is however more detailed and variable for what concerns its effect on flood flows. The analysis of processes involved in flows formation allows to unterstand these details and this variability. Many other factors must effectively be taken into account in the flow formation : soils, climate, etc., and it is often difficult to differentiate the specific effects of forest from the influence of these other factors. In the case of soils not very deep and impermeable, the contrast between forested and not forested catchment can be very pronounced for the flood formation as well as in terms of erosion and sediment transport. This particular case is illustrated by the example of the experimental catchments of Draix (high Provence Alps).