4.1 Evolution of Main Research Themes
Although the PIREN-Seine programme was not initially planned to last as long as it
has or to encompass so many different topics, it gradually became apparent that it
was very well suited to study many environmental issues far beyond the initial water
resources issues.
The gradual changes in the main themes, as presented in annual reports to our
financial sponsors, are schematized in Fig. 9. The colour coding makes it possible to
represent the permanent themes, such as hydrology and water circulation, biogeochemistry, ecology, basin history, sediment contamination, as well as agricultural
and urban impacts. The main models (Figs. 9 and 10), Riverstrahler [8, 70], ProSe
[9, 12, 71, 72], STICS-MODCOU [73, 74], and ANAQUALAND [75], integrate
many of these subjects. All these models are mechanistic in nature and evolved
towards the next generation for Riverstrahler and MODCOU, now called pyNutsRiverstrahler [76] and CaWaQS [32], respectively. They have been continuously
improved, by integrating new processes, new interactions with the basin society, and
refining the space or time resolution. These models can be considered as general
tools that encapsulate most of the knowledge gained by the programme at a given
stage (see [50]).
In fact, this representation conceals highly specialized scientific work: There is a
great variety and specificity to the research topics published in scientific journals,
such as surface water and groundwater motion, behaviour and transfer of microbial
and chemical contaminants across the river continuum, denitrification processes in
riparian zones, greenhouse gas emissions, analytical improvements for trace contaminant analysis, ecotoxicology or microbiological activity in field-based and
laboratory experiments, databases construction, water use and treatment history,
evolution of environmental concerns, changes in agricultural practices, etc.
4.2 Present Structuration of the PIREN-Seine Research
Programme
The PIREN-Seine programme includes about 100 researchers from 22 research
teams, belonging to research institutions (universities, CNRS, INRA, IRSTEA,
MINES ParisTech, École des Ponts ParisTech, EPHE, to mention the major ones)
that ensure their remuneration and evaluate their research (typically every
1–5 years).
The PIREN-Seine programme by itself is evaluated every 4 years by its financial
partners. The permanent partners since the beginning of the programme in 1989 are
basin actors for water quality management such as the Seine-Normandy Basin
Agency (AESN) coupled with French authority DRIEE, or the EPTB Seine Grands
Lacs, and services for drinking water supply (SEDIF – Syndicat des Eaux d’Ile-deFrance-, Eau de Paris, SUEZ Eau France) or wastewater treatment (SIAAP, Sewage
18
N. Flipo et al.
Although the PIREN-Seine programme was not initially planned to last as long as it
has or to encompass so many different topics, it gradually became apparent that it
was very well suited to study many environmental issues far beyond the initial water
resources issues.
The gradual changes in the main themes, as presented in annual reports to our
financial sponsors, are schematized in Fig. 9. The colour coding makes it possible to
represent the permanent themes, such as hydrology and water circulation, biogeochemistry, ecology, basin history, sediment contamination, as well as agricultural
and urban impacts. The main models (Figs. 9 and 10), Riverstrahler [8, 70], ProSe
[9, 12, 71, 72], STICS-MODCOU [73, 74], and ANAQUALAND [75], integrate
many of these subjects. All these models are mechanistic in nature and evolved
towards the next generation for Riverstrahler and MODCOU, now called pyNutsRiverstrahler [76] and CaWaQS [32], respectively. They have been continuously
improved, by integrating new processes, new interactions with the basin society, and
refining the space or time resolution. These models can be considered as general
tools that encapsulate most of the knowledge gained by the programme at a given
stage (see [50]).
In fact, this representation conceals highly specialized scientific work: There is a
great variety and specificity to the research topics published in scientific journals,
such as surface water and groundwater motion, behaviour and transfer of microbial
and chemical contaminants across the river continuum, denitrification processes in
riparian zones, greenhouse gas emissions, analytical improvements for trace contaminant analysis, ecotoxicology or microbiological activity in field-based and
laboratory experiments, databases construction, water use and treatment history,
evolution of environmental concerns, changes in agricultural practices, etc.
4.2 Present Structuration of the PIREN-Seine Research
Programme
The PIREN-Seine programme includes about 100 researchers from 22 research
teams, belonging to research institutions (universities, CNRS, INRA, IRSTEA,
MINES ParisTech, École des Ponts ParisTech, EPHE, to mention the major ones)
that ensure their remuneration and evaluate their research (typically every
1–5 years).
The PIREN-Seine programme by itself is evaluated every 4 years by its financial
partners. The permanent partners since the beginning of the programme in 1989 are
basin actors for water quality management such as the Seine-Normandy Basin
Agency (AESN) coupled with French authority DRIEE, or the EPTB Seine Grands
Lacs, and services for drinking water supply (SEDIF – Syndicat des Eaux d’Ile-deFrance-, Eau de Paris, SUEZ Eau France) or wastewater treatment (SIAAP, Sewage
18
N. Flipo et al.