ERORUN Observatory

ERORUN Observatory

Scientific context

Located in the Réunion Island, the ERORUN observatory surveys water and matter fluxes in a context of tropical climate setting with extreme rainfalls controlled by tropical cyclones. Réunion Island young volcanic island with high relief (3,000 m). Flash floods dominate periods of heavy rainfall with very high flow and significant solid transport.

Summary

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Starting year: 2016

Location : Réunion island (France)

Keywords: hydrology, erosion 

Database:
Geosur

Web site:
https://osur.univ-reunion.fr/observations/soere/rbv/

PI: Jean-Lambert Join
 

Partie amont de la Rivière des Pluies (>500m) avec les accumulations détritiques du "Grand éboulis".
Upstream part of the Rivière des Pluies (>500m) with the detrital accumulations of the “Grand éboulis”.
© ERORUN

Scientific questions

The Reunion Island is marked by major environmental and social issues concerning the components of the hydological balance: rainfall/flow/erosion. ERORUN observatory serves to monitor and study these processes in a tropical context with a high relief.

Sites and measured variables

The main site of ERORUN is the watershed of the Rivière des Pluies. All the components of the hydrological balance are measured: rainfall, water flows, solid and dissolved matter flows. Rainfall is measured by a network of rain gauges and two S band radars and one UHF radar. Water balances are monitored at several stations as well as geochemical and sediment fluxes.

Vue d'ensemble du bassin versant de la Rivière des pluies profondément encaissée et surmonté en rive droite par la "Plaine des Fougères" à plus de 1000m au dessus.
Overall view of the watershed of the Rivière des pluies deeply incised and surmounted on the right bank by the “Plaine des Fougères” at more than 1000m above. © ERORUN
Station hydrométrique à l'aval immédiat du "Grand éboulis", bassin d''érosion de la Rivière des Pluies(Alt:450m)
Hydrometric station at the immediate downstream of the “Grand éboulis”, erosion basin of the Rivière des Pluies (Alt:450m) © ERORUN
Station météorologique dans la "forêt de nuages" de la Plaine des Fougères et son capteur de brouillard "Juvik" Alt:1330m
Meteorological station in the “cloud forest” of the Plaine des Fougères and its fog sensor “Juvik” (Alt:1330 m) © ERORUN

Partners and further information

ERORUN is supported by the UMR Géosciences Réunion, Météo-France and Réunion University. Hydrometric measurements are carried out by the Water Office of the Réunion Island. ERORUN observatory is part of the Observatory for Universal Science of the Réunion Island (OSU-R).

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