The ORACLE observatory is located 70 km East of Paris, France. Most of the area, in a sedimentary basin, is made of a relatively flat plateau (Alt. 140 m a.m.s.l.), which is incised by the Grand Morin and the Petit Morin rivers (Alt 100m). Several aquifers are associated with layered tertiary formations (Eocene and Oligocene). The Morin Rivers are affluents of the Marne River, known to have contributed to large historical floods in Paris in the 20th century. The observatory is mainly rural (76%) with small towns, villages and hamlets, the whole covering 7% of the area. Forests cover up to 20% of the area. The dominance of agricultural activity within the catchments means that diffuse pollution is regarded as the main environmental pressure. Several perennial device of environment observation are installed since 1962. This site is used for multivariable observations (water cycle, water quality, biodiversity, agricultural practices, sociology…) and multiscale observations (from the canopy to the aquifer, from one m² to 1200 km²). Temporary observations also exist, like soil property measurements, remote sensing data, depending on the specific collaborative projects between different research and operational units. These two observation approaches, the perennial and the temporary ones, are a real advantage to investigate environmental issues. The Observatory and its embedded sub-catchments allow to conceptualize the change in scale and to study sub-catchments with different behaviors.

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General Characteristics, Purpose, History

Site Status:

existing

Year Site Established:

1962

Size :

120 000.00ha

Purpose of Site :

The creation of the ORACLE / BVRE Orgeval Research Observatory grouping together the watersheds of Orgeval, Grand Morin and Petit Morin, enables the study and understanding of the hydrological and biogeochemical functioning of anthropized rural areas, mainly sedimentary. The joint efforts of Irstea for more than 50 years and all of its partners have made it possible to set up and maintain this system of long-term observation of the environment. This system is now used to (i) identify the processes responsible for water and pollutant transfers at different scales, (ii) the establishment of hydrological and biogeochemical balances at the watershed scale, (iii) Term monitoring of the periodicity and stationarity of these assessments with regard to climate and anthropogenic changes as well as their ecosystem impact. The ORACLE / BVRE Orgeval research observatory is also an essential tool for reflection on environmental observation strategies, both for research questions and for operational objectives. Thus, the scientific project of the Observatory revolves around the following three axes:  Multi-scale and multi-parameter monitoring for the study of processes and the establishment of hydrological and biogeochemical balances (diffuse pollution) at the watershed scale;  Long-term monitoring to assess the periodicity and stationarity of the assessments in the light of global changes and their ecosystemic implications;  Measurement strategies and reflection on the modes of representation of systems: Optimization of data acquisition methods; Assimilation; Optimal representation scale; Conceptualization. The exceptional nature of this system means that it must be sought, on the one hand, for the best possible valuation, and on the other hand for extrapolation and comparison with data and results obtained elsewhere. It also leads to the implementation of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to improve knowledge and modeling of the territorial entity that the watershed represents at different spatial and temporal scales. All these operations involve the provision of data, as well as the coordination of research and measurement devices deployed on the ORACLE / BVRE Orgeval Observatory.

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Landscape of the observatory ORACLE / BVRE Orgeval

Geographic

Coordinates:

Latitude: 48.900000000000
Longitude: 3.100000000000

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Site Details

Ecosystem and Enviromental Characteristics

Elevation Range FROM:

80.00msl

Elevation Range TO:

180.00msl

Elevation - Average:

150.00msl

Temperature Range (Monthly Minimum) FROM:

1.00°C

Temperature Range (Monthly Maximum) TO :

23.00°C

Temperature: Average Annual:

11.00°C

Precipitation Minimum Monthly :

54.00mm

Precipitation Annual :

674.00mm

Precipitation Maximum Monthly :

63.00mm

Biome :

Agricultural

GEO-BON Biome:

Fresh water rivers

Ecosystem and Land Use:

Agricultural

Biogeographic Region:

Continental

Geology:

Geologically, ORACLE is located on the Brie plateau (137, 5 m of altitude). The main aquifers are: 1) the aquifer of the Brie limestone (or Oligocene aquifer), 2) the aquifer of the Champigny limestone (or upper Eocene aquifer). Other aquifers exist deeper but they may not interfere in the hydrology of the watershed. Rivers are incised in this Brie tableland and many springs, corresponding to the Brie and to the Champigny aquifers, can be seen along hill slopes.

Hydrology:

Oriented east- west , the layouts of the Grand and Petit Morin present a very undulating course of 120 km for the Grand Morin (divides into two arms) and 86 km for the Petit Morin. The mean annual flows are 3,4 m3/s and 7,6 m3/s for the Petit and Grand Morin respectively. The Orgeval sub-catchement, 12 km oriented north-south, presents a mean annual flow about 0.6 m3/s.

Vegetation:

The Morin basins are primarily agricultural (80% agricultural, 15% forester, 5% urban), and consistent with field crop regions.

Soils:

ORACLE is characterized by an hydromorphic silty loess soil. The tertiary substratum is covered by a quaternary loess deposit (up to 10 m thick). The upper layer is constituted of loess silt and the lower one is enriched in clay and sand. This silty glossic leached brown soil is characterized by low permeability resulting in temporary waterlogged soil in winter, and the presence of a shallow aquifer. Soils are naturally poorly drained. Subsurface drainage has been installed starting in the 1960s.

Network Affiliation

Networks/Projects:

IR OZCAR
RBV-CZO
ISMN - International Soil Moisture Monitoring Network
Critical Zones
LTER

Site Type (Spatial Design):

Platform

ExpeER Classification:

Highly Instrumented Observational AND Experimental Site

Short name :

CZO_FR_15

LTER related

LTER Site Code:

RBV_FR_05

LTER Site Classification/Category:

Master

Protection Status and Resource Management

0 - 25%

Management of Resources :

Yes

Management of Resources - Percent of Site:

0 - 25%

Management of Resources - Notes:

16% Forestery

Design and Scale of Site

Scale of Observation:

sub-catchment within catchment

Design of Observation:

mainly observation

Scale of Experiments:

catchment scale

Design of Experiments:

partly experimentation

Infrastructure

Value of the Infrastructure :

700-2000 k

Accessible All Year :

Yes

All parts of Site Accessible:

Yes

Access Type:

regular car

Permanent Power Supply:

Yes

Infrastructure:

Energy and data infrastructure › Data transmission › Data Transmission Type (from Site) › Telephone line
Energy and data infrastructure › Data transmission › Data Transmission Type (from Site) › GMS/UMTS
Energy and data infrastructure › Energy supply › Permanent Power Supply Location › All over site/catchment
Supporting infrastructure › Lodging at site › 1 - 5 beds
Supporting infrastructure › Staff room at site › > 2 places
Supporting infrastructure › Transportation › Vehicle 4WD
Observation device › Measurement tower › Less than 10 m above canopy
Observation device › Temperature Controlled Container
Data infrastructure › Data storage › Paper
Data infrastructure › Data storage › Structured file
Data infrastructure › Data storage › Relational database
Data infrastructure › Data storage › Spatial database (GIS)
Data infrastructure › Data services › Data portal

Operation

Operations Cost:

30-100 k

Permanent Operation:

Yes

Sampling Interval:

Every 1 days

Maintenance Interval:

Every 2 days

Data Management

General Data Policy:

Formal acknowledgement of the dataset providers

Data Policy URL:

dx.doi.org

Data Storage Location :

Central

Number of data storage locations :

Data Storage Format :

XML Database

Data services :

Data portal

Data Request Format :

Online (Reference for access)

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