The OPE: the Perennial Environmental Observatory

Missions of the OPE: define the initial state of the environment and monitor its evolution

The Perennial Environmental Observatory has been set up since 2007 in order to precisely describe the environment of the future industrial geological disposal facility (Cigéo) and to follow its evolution over the long term. Due to the specific characteristics of this observatory, Andra wished to seize the opportunity to broaden the missions associated with the OPE in order to also respond to the broader scientific challenges of long-term environmental monitoring.

Monitor the environment of Cigeo installations

As part of its project to set up a deep disposal center for radioactive waste, Andra must put in place a coherent set of means of observation, experimentation and conservation of the environment. The OPE must thus allow to:

• establish over 10 years an inventory of the repository environment, both physical and chemical, biological and radiological,
• to preserve the memory of this environment,
• prepare an environmental monitoring plan for the future repository,
• to understand the interactions between the different environmental media and to follow their evolution in order to precisely assess the impact of the repository,
• to define the origin of any observed disturbance.

For this, the OPE implements a multidisciplinary observation program (water, air, flora, fauna and man) over a period of at least 100 years.

Contribute to national and international research

Beyond the industrial objectives of carrying out the Cigeo impact study and an environmental monitoring plan, setting up any compensatory measures and controlling the origin of any pollutant, Andra wished to make its observation resources available to the scientific community.

Andra's wish is to create a true research center in order to develop programs that answer the main current environmental questions: long-term development in the face of global climate change, changes in agricultural and forestry practices, and local industrial establishments in the region. site and regional planning likely to support the implementation of an industrial project of this magnitude.

These monitoring and associated research programs are used to better understand the dynamics of environmental components in order to assess the role of the different spatio-temporal scales and therefore to define in relevant observation and sampling strategies, but also to reveal the sensitivities of the different environments as well as the criteria for establishing priorities within the observation and conservation system.

These studies are also used to model, anticipate and differentiate the impacts and to develop new monitoring tools targeting indicators that are even more relevant to the quality of the environment. This work is based on a scientific approach carried out in partnership with French and international scientific research players.

Preserving the memory of the environment: the Ecotheque

Sample storage

The ANDRA Ecotheque offers three storage options for samples, based on their type and analytical purpose:

1. cryogenic storage at -150°C
2. deep-freezing at -80°C
3. dry storage at 18°C, in a soil sample storage facility.

All types of environmental samples may be preserved . The intention is to conserve a wide range of samples in the OPE, be they biotic or abiotic and wherever they may come from (forests, meadows, crop fields, aquatic environments or the agricultural supply chain).

Samples are guaranteed to be conserved over a very long period of time, with the equipment used having an operational lifespan of at least 30 years. This notably includes cryogenic tanks, which can store samples in liquid nitrogen for a very long time without damaging their integrity and composition, thus providing us with a long series of perfectly preserved samples.

The sample archiving capability is the only one of its kind in the world, as ultimately the Ecotheque will be able to store:

• 4 tonnes of dry samples
• 1.2 tonnes of cryogenically-frozen samples
• 1 tonne of deep-frozen samples.

These samples are received, treated, packed and stored in a "processing area" measuring 1,000m².

The entire process of receiving, treating and packing the samples is based on high-quality procedures and tested protocols. The quality of the equipment used must be combined with equally high-quality and rigorous working protocols. An ISO 5 cleanroom makes it possible to conduct ultra-trace analysis on the stored samples.

Ambitious scientific goals

The Ecotheque is part of the infrastructure that will help meet crucial scientific aims in the field of environmental research. It will archive OPE samples, and allow scientists to carry out retrospective analysis and studies that will help improve:

• the definition of baselines in critical environments subject to increasing pressure from human activity;
• understanding of the long-term changes in chemodiversity in the environmental compartments observed;
• identification of appearance of new contaminants;
• retrospective analysis of environmental quality, using more advanced and refined analytical strategies that will be developed in the future.

Infrastructure unique to France and the world

The ANDRA Ecotheque is one of the most advanced storage facilities of its kind in the world, similar to those of NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in the US and Fraunhofer in Germany. The storage of environmental samples in specially-designed facilities has been the subject of scientific study for over 30 years. The importance of having a long series of environmental samples that has been preserved in excellent condition by high-quality equipment has long been recognised by the scientific community and public figures. Only this type of equipment is able to guarantee long-term environmental monitoring. In 2009, ANDRA became involved in the international environmental specimen bank.

 

Environmental observations

The geographical context

• A continental domain
• Low demographics
  • Density 17-31 inhabitants / km2
  • Relatively homogeneous distribution
  • Demographic decline
• "Weak" industrialization, mainly located along rivers

 

• Mainly agricultural activity
  • (48% Crop) Rotation Wheat, Barley, Rapeseed
  • (13% Prairie)
• Forestry
  • (35% Forest)

 

The OPE'S monitoring and testing resources

• A forest test siteincluding:
  • a 45-metre tall flux tower
  • three biogeochemical monitoring stations
  • the Osnes-le-Val farmland test site which measures flows of matter and energy between the soil, water, air and biosphere of forest and farmland ecosystems. It is also where we carry out tests into ecosystem response to forcing (test plots used specifically to study ecosystem manipulation).
• An atmospheric station for monitoring the climate and air quality and for taking air and particle samples.
• 16 water and aquatic monitoring stations spread out over three subwatersheds, 5 of which have the capacity to take continuous measurements.
• Satellite and aerial images provided by remote sensing equipment.
• Observation and inventory networks covering:
  • flora
  • forest
  • fauna (2000 observation points)
  • agricultural production
  • physical, chemical and biological soil quality (around 100 monitoring points)
  • water (over a dozen stations).

Together these networks capture 85,000 data points every year:

The samples collected are kept in the ecothèque,

 

data processing and valorization

Acquired data is processed  to produce:

• maps
• comparative studies
• tendancies studies
• publications

 

The local environment presented to the general public

 

In addition to its scientific vocation, the Ecothèque has an information space on environmental sciences and local ecosystems. Its objective is to raise public awareness of biodiversity, observation and protection of its environment.

The scenography, built around the parameters being studied by the OPE and its partners, makes it possible to discover the complexity of the local environment by addressing all the facets that constitute it: soil, water, air , biodiversity and the different ecosystems of the area. Touchscreen tablet in hand, the public is invited to interact with the fresco to view the multimedia content of the exhibition.

A tool open to the scientific community

The methodologies used in the OPE are based on the expertise of several national and international partner organizations, each specializing in a specific environmental field of research (CNRS- the French National Centre for Scientific Research , ONF the National Forests Office , LNE- the National Metrology Laboratory, INRIA- the National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology, water agencies, etc.). These public bodies are, for many, responsible for carrying out measurements and analyzes in their domains

The entire system generates more than 85,000 data per year, thus contributing to national and international research in environmental sciences.

A review is carried out every two years in order to compile all the results and data.

As such, the OPE received the SOERE label, a recognition as a long-term Observation and Experimentation System for Research and Environment. This label is awarded by the AllEnvi Environmental Research Alliance, which selects projects that contribute to the consistency of environmental research at the national level.