Water resources data
Climate change is gradually increasing pressure on water resources, particularly in Mediterranean regions where hydrological balances are already fragile. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and the growing frequency of drought events are now forcing stakeholders to anticipate hydrological conditions that may differ significantly from those observed today.
In Corsica, these challenges are of major strategic importance. Water resource availability directly affects domestic, agricultural, and tourism-related uses, as well as the territory’s future hydraulic infrastructure projects.
Within this context, the Corsican Hydraulic Equipment Office (OEHC) commissioned Hydroclimat to conduct a study dedicated to the evolution of water resources in the Ercu watershed, at the Lozzi intake site.
The study aims to analyze the evolution of hydroclimatic conditions within the Ercu watershed using available historical data and future climate projections.
It pursues several complementary objectives:
The selected methodology is based on a progressive analysis of climate impacts in order to better understand the future evolution of water resources in the Ercu watershed across different time horizons.
The first phase of the study consists of collecting, structuring, and analyzing all available hydroclimatic data within the Ercu watershed. This phase relies notably on data from the DRIAS Eau portal, as well as several reference hydroclimatic and hydrological databases.
The analyses focus on both climate variables (precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration) and available hydrological data in order to better characterize the current functioning of the watershed.
The objective of this phase is to provide a clear understanding of observed trends across the territory, identify recent changes in hydrological conditions, and highlight early signals linked to climate change. This step also makes it possible to assess the quality, consistency, and limitations of the datasets before analyzing future projections.
It therefore constitutes an essential foundation for understanding the territory’s hydroclimatic dynamics and ensuring the robustness of the prospective analyses carried out in the following phases.
Once the historical data analysis is completed, the study focuses on assessing future water resource projections at the scale of the Ercu watershed.
This phase is based on the use of prospective climate scenarios derived from IPCC research and climate datasets available through reference platforms such as DRIAS Eau. Analyses will be conducted for several time horizons, particularly 2040 and 2070, in order to better understand the progressive evolution of climate impacts on water resources.
The objective is to identify the main future hydroclimatic trends and assess their potential consequences on the hydrological functioning of the watershed. The analyses will notably examine:
This approach will provide a better understanding of possible trajectories for future water resource evolution and help anticipate the hydrological conditions the territory may face over the coming decades.
The analysis of climate and hydrological projections therefore represents a key step in supporting future planning decisions and territorial adaptation strategies in response to climate change.
The study also aims to develop hydrological indicators adapted to territorial challenges and future water abstraction projects. This phase seeks to transform climate and hydrological analysis results into operational tools directly usable for decision-making support.
The developed indicators will help better characterize the future evolution of water resources, particularly regarding low-flow periods, seasonal water stress, and changes in available river flows. They will be designed to meet the operational needs of water managers and territorial stakeholders.
The objective is to make hydroclimatic projections more understandable and easier to integrate into discussions related to water resource management and future hydraulic infrastructure planning.
This phase will also identify the most relevant indicators for monitoring changes in watershed hydrological conditions within a climate change context, while integrating the uncertainty levels associated with projections.
By transforming complex data into operational analytical tools, this approach aims to sustainably support water managers in their adaptation strategies and in anticipating future territorial water needs under changing climate conditions.
The study will result in the production of several operational deliverables intended to support the Corsican Hydraulic Equipment Office in understanding and managing future water resources within the Ercu watershed.
The main expected outcomes include:
Together, these deliverables will provide a clear, progressive, and scientifically grounded vision of the future evolution of water resources within the Ercu watershed.
Beyond technical results, the study also aims to facilitate the appropriation of hydroclimatic data by managers and territorial stakeholders by translating complex analyses into elements directly usable for planning and decision-making.
This approach will therefore help better anticipate future pressure on water resources and integrate climate-related challenges into discussions surrounding hydraulic infrastructure planning and sustainable water management in Corsica.
This study represents an important step toward anticipating the impacts of climate change on water resources in Corsica, in a context where water stress is becoming increasingly frequent and severe.
By combining historical data analysis, climate projections derived from IPCC scenarios, and the study of future hydrological trajectories, this approach will improve understanding of possible changes in river flows, drought periods, and water resource availability within the Ercu watershed.
The study also aims to transform complex hydroclimatic data into operational tools directly usable for decision-making support. The hydrological indicators developed will support future hydraulic infrastructure projects and territorial adaptation strategies.
More broadly, this approach highlights the growing need to integrate prospective climate data into water management policies. Future hydrological conditions may progressively diverge from the historical references traditionally used until now.
Through this study, Hydroclimat supports the Corsican Hydraulic Equipment Office in strengthening the long-term water resilience of the territory in the face of future climate changes by providing a clear, progressive, and operational vision of water resource challenges.
