The Genevese transboundary aquifer (Switzerland-France): The secret of 40 years of successful management

The Genevese aquifer is used for the supply of drinking water harnessed from ten wells on the Swiss side and four on the French side. During the 1960s and 1970s, overpumping lowered the groundwater level by more than 7 m, thereby depleting about one third of total groundwater storage over a period of 20 years. While technical and scientific studies were being undertaken to resolve the problem of over exploitation, including possible artificial recharge of the aquifer, negotiations were being conducted with various local and national authorities in France. The aim was to engage in a collaborative effort to fund the work and to establish a joint water management system. This paper will focus on a 40-year assessment of a cross border committee, the identification of the roles and responsibilities of each side and the financial modalities governing the use of the resource. The agreements signed in 1978 and in 2007 attest to the success of the joint management plan.