Time-lapse microgravity study of the Strengbach catchment (Vosges mountains, France)

Time-lapse microgravity measurements can be used to monitor underground water storage changes. For the first time, this method has been applied to a relatively steeply sloped and forested watershed in a temperate climate. Spatial and temporal measurements were performed on the small granitic Strengbach catchment (Vosges Mountains, France) during the unusually dry spring of 2011. The survey consisted of 11 relative gravimeter measurements for 13 gravity stations from February to June 2011. Temporal variations are significantly different from one station to the other. Nevertheless, the variations have a clearly observable spatial consistency, which could be related to the climatology, the characteristics of the bedrocks and/or the topography. This preliminary result highlights the potential capacity of time-lapse microgravimetry in understanding and constraining the water mass movement within a complex watershed.