Department Surface Waters - Research and Management

The Aquatic Physics Group is dedicated to understanding and constraining physical processes in lakes through a three-pillar approach.

• The first pillar recognizes that lakes can serve as natural-scale laboratories for studying fluid mechanics, allowing for the isolation and detailed examination of physical processes at the field scale. This approach provides fundamental insights into fluid dynamics, as demonstrated by Doda et al. (2023), who explored the role of littoral-pelagic water exchanges.
• The second pillar emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, where our understanding of physical processes serves as a foundation to quantify biogeochemical fluxes and better constrain biogeochemical cycles.  Examples of this collaborative effort can be found in the recent works of Janssen et al. (2022) on Chromium dynamics or of Perga et al. (2023) on under-ice lake oxygen dynamics .
• The third pillar focuses on informed management, where our comprehensive understanding of lake ecosystems enables us to provide scientifically sound recommendations for water resource management. A recent example of this is the pilot project on lake monitoring (in collaboration with the System Analysis group, led by PI M. Schmid), that uses a combination of modern tools including high frequency real time observations and operational hydrodynamic models to inform scientists and stakeholders on the evolution of lakes.

To support these pillars, our research is grounded in high-quality in-situ observations. D. Bouffard's role as chair of the LéXPLORE research infrastructure on Lake Geneva exemplifies our commitment to high tech data collection. We complement these observations with various modeling approaches to enhance our understanding of lake systems. In alignment with our second and third pillars, we have adopted a strict open research approach, providing full access to observational data through Datalakes and hydrodynamic model outputs via alplakes. This openness facilitates collaborations and knowledge transfer across the scientific community and beyond.
Our current research focuses on unraveling the complexities of lateral transport, including inter-basin exchanges, and exploring the intricate connections between littoral and pelagic zones. A mid-term goal is to reconnect lakes with their watersheds, adopting a more holistic view of aquatic systems. This approach, which includes a Lagrangian perspective on lateral transport, is crucial for informing society about risks associated with climate change, particularly in the context of extreme events. The recent floods in Switzerland in June 2024 underscore the importance and relevance of this comprehensive approach to understanding and managing lake systems in a changing climate.

Given the ad. personam Associate Professor position of Damien Bouffard at UNIL, part of the group is also located at Uni Lausanne (See here and here).