Abstract
Karstic aquifers influence flash floods propagation in Mediterranean countries. Near Montpellier, Southern France, discharge data are recorded on the Coulazou River upstream and downstream of the Aumelas Causse. Two gauging stations are used to describe the hydrodynamics of this binary karstic system. The first station characterizes the non-karstic catchment area. The second one is representative of the karstic part of the watershed. Records since April 2004 are used to understand how the river interacts with a karstic aquifer. Hydrograph analysis of three flash flood events is described. Corresponding discharge time series recorded at the two gauging stations are used to describe the modification of the hydrographs by auto- and crosscorrelations analyses. Finally, linear system analyses are used to provide the transfer functions of this binary karstic system according to the three flood events characteristics (initial conditions, volume, spatial distribution of rainfall, etc.). Theses functions summarize the hydrodynamic behaviour of the system: their shapes are indicative of the dynamics of the storage, the release and the contribution to surface waters.
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Notes
An estavelle is a karst opening which acts as a sinkhole or as a discharge spring according to the hydrological conditions.
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Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge M. Grevellec and M. Ruas from the “Conseil Général de l’Hérault”, M. Debaille and M. Coustol from the “Syndicat intercommunal d’adduction d’eau du Bas Languedoc”, M. Hernandez from the HydroSciences Laboratory and the helpful comments provided by R. Bourier of the SpeleoClub of Cournonterral.
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Bailly-Comte, V., Jourde, H., Roesch, A. et al. Mediterranean flash flood transfer through karstic area. Environ Geol 54, 605–614 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0855-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0855-y