Three students from Grenoble INP-Ense3 (water engineering) and ENSAG (architecture) asked our help to contribute to the study of water quality in an high altitude refuge in the French Alps. We obviously responded positively to their request and accompanied them to refuge on March 2021.
It took us about 3 hours of hike combining walking and snowshoeing in order to reach the Chatelleret refuge overlooked by the impressive summit of La Meije at 3983m above sea level.
The water taken from the river near the refuge, acting as a collection source, was subjected to in-situ measurements (temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity) and laboratory measurements (BOD5, nitrates, phosphorus, and others) performed by the students the next day.
The results of the analyzes will be used by FFCAM (French mountains manager) for the upcoming rehabilitation of the refuge in order to guarantee quality water to consumers even in high mountains!
