Abstract ID: 3.11922 | Accepted as Talk | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

As part of the National Action Plan for the Prevention of Glacial and Periglacial Hazards, French scientific, technical experts, and mountain area managers collaborate to anticipate risks. Our objectives are fourfold: 1. identifying areas at risk from glacial and periglacial hazards, 2. developing tools and methods for characterization, 3. fostering a community of interest and exchange, 4. and supporting local authorities in their prevention efforts.

One of the effects of climate change is the cryosphere degradation. While many processes focus on upstream areas, we propose shifting attention to the transmission of these processes downstream by the way of the sedimentaruy cascade. Glacial retreat, permafrost degradation of rock faces, and destabilization of rock glaciers result in a sediment overproduct in the headwaters. When these sediments are mobilized and transported, they can pose a significant hazard to downstream streams and valley floors during floods or debris flows. The torrent thus becomes central to this sediment transfer, approached through the concept of sediment cascade. This concept allows us to conceptualize the efficiency of sediment transfers between geomorphological units of the watershed, emphasizing the interactions between these units rather than focusing solely on each of them.

I hold a background in geography, and since November 2024, I am working to prepare a PhD in geomorphology. My research addresses the issue of sedimentary connectivity in torrents within the context of climate change. As part of this, i am conducting an inventory of cryosphere-affected watersheds and identifying the parameters that explain the functioning of the sediment cascade. Our approach combines both local and regional scales. Several local case studies help to identify the diversity of sediment cascade efficiencies and examine explanatory parameters. The regional inventory allows us to map and characterize torrent-prone watersheds in the northern French Alps.

My ultimate goal is to synthesize this work into a susceptibility index of sediment cascade efficiency to better characterize watersheds. Our aim is to produce an atlas of torrent-prone watersheds as a reliable and accessible tool for both managers and researchers.