Monitoring surface waters has long been a tradition in Lausanne, and particularly since the discipline of limnology was first established on Lake Geneva by François-Alphonse Forel around 125 years ago. Since that time, alternative methods of observation have been developed that allow researchers to measure and understand the dynamics of aquatic systems, thanks to the high-frequency monitoring that is achieved using in-situ and satellite sensors as well as those in drones and smartphones. These data sets allow the various processes to be analysed within very short time frames, and even sometimes in real time and on an automated basis. The data so recorded can be used to model the quantity and quality of surface waters, whether they are catchments, urban systems or lakes. One of the current challenges in this area consists in using these new tools to improve watershed management. Eawag’s Info Day in 2022 will give you an overview of recently developed monitoring methods for surface waters and will discuss the opportunities and limitations associated with these new technologies.

Led by: Dr. Damien Bouffard, Dr. Nicolas Derlon, Marianne Leuzinger

Language: French (simultaneous translation to German)