Observations d’événements extrêmes historiques dans le monde, selon les climats et les réseaux de mesure

Observations of historical extreme hydrological events in the world, with contrasting climates and measurement networks

¹ Cemagref, 3 bis quai Chauveau, CP 220, F-69336 Lyon cedex 09
² LTHE (Laboratoire d’Etudes des Transferts en Hydrologie et Environnement) INPG, UJF, CNRS, IRD BP 53 38041 Grenoble cedex 9

Auteur de correspondance : eric.sauquet@cemagref.fr

Abstract

Numerous severe hydro-meteorological events have been observed for centuries. However, a quantitative knowledge of such extreme phenomena has been available for only one or two centuries. Based on observations we display the great variability of heavy rainfall precipitations and extreme discharges in space in terms of magnitude and extent. Basic statistical analyses shows that each hydrological time series has its own characteristics that seem stationary at medium time scale (a few human generations).