I am a Senior Scientist and Lecturer in Hydrology at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. I hold a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Rennes, France, where my research focused on fault zone hydrogeology in crystalline media. Over the course of my career, I have developed expertise in fractured rock hydrogeology, mountain hydrology, groundwater-surface water interactions, and the impact of climate change on water resources and dependent ecosystems. I held postdoctoral research positions at international institutions, including Oregon State University and ETH Zurich, before joining the University of Neuchâtel in 2022.

For more than a decade, my research has been inspired by exploring the complex journey of water. As a groundwater hydrologist, I focus on understanding the physical and biogeochemical processes involved in water’s interactions with landscapes and human activities. My research develops along two main directions: 1) studying how landscape heterogeneity influences flow and transport processes to evaluate the sensitivity of water resources to climate change and anthropogenic pressures; and 2) developing innovative in-situ experiments and monitoring technologies to better describe and predict aquifer processes for applications in water resources, ecohydrology, geothermal energy, and CO2 storage.

The ultimate goal of my research is to provide solutions to water resource challenges in the face of climate change and propose strategies for sustainable water management. I am also a passionate educator, teaching courses in hydrology, hydrogeology, and environmental science at the University of Neuchâtel, and mentoring students and early-career researchers.

My current research focuses on evaluating and predicting the impact of climate change on water resources, with a particular emphasis on headwater catchments. I work on improving hydrological models to better represent groundwater-surface water interactions and forecast changes in water resources under various climate change scenarios. As the scientific leader of the Waterwise project, funded by the Interreg Alpine Space Program, I collaborate with a transdisciplinary team to co-design water management solutions with stakeholders across the Alpine Space. This project integrates hydrological, ecological, and socio-economic approaches to assess the resilience of alpine ecosystems to climate change.

I also lead the Poschiavino Critical Zone Observatory, which focuses on understanding cryo-hydrological processes in alpine environments. My collaborators and I are deploying advanced sensing technologies, such as time-lapse geophysics, in-situ mass spectrometers, and fiber-optic sensors, to monitor water flow and solute transport in complex mountain environments. These efforts aim to provide high-resolution data for calibrating and validating predictive models. My research vision includes advancing the representation of interactions between the cryosphere, groundwater, and surface water in hydrological models, in collaboration with leading cryosphere scientists.

I am committed to translating scientific knowledge into actionable solutions for water management—one of the key objectives of the Waterwise project. My work is closely aligned with public policy and community needs, ensuring that my research has a direct impact on water governance and climate adaptation strategies.

Current Research Project

WATERWISE – Co-designing sustainable management solutions for resilient Alpine headwaters. Interreg Alpine Space Program, EU. Main PI with Dr. Monica Tolotti, Fondazione Edmund Mach. Total budget: €2.8M.

I am an enthusiastic lecturer, having taught a variety of courses in hydrology, applied hydrogeology, and environmental science at both undergraduate and graduate levels. My teaching philosophy emphasizes hands-on learning, integrating fieldwork with classroom lectures to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of hydrological processes. At the University of Neuchâtel, I teach courses on hydrogeological processes (hydromechanics), alluvial aquifer systems, and geological modeling within the Master’s program in Hydrogeology and Geothermics. I also co-lead field excursions in Salanfe (Alpine hydrology) and Buix (Applied Hydrogeology) alongside Dr. Landon Halloran. In addition to my regular teaching responsibilities at UniNE, I contribute to professional development programs, including the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Peatland Hydrology and Geothermal Energy.

Floriancic, M. G., Abhervé, R., Bouchez,C., Jimenez‐Martinez, J., & Roques, C.(2024). Evidence of groundwater seepageand mixing at the vicinity of a knickpointin a mountain stream. GeophysicalResearch Letters, 51, e2024GL111325.

A Abhervé, R., Roques, C., de Dreuzy, J.-R., Datry, T., Brunner, P., Longuevergne, L., & Aquilina, L. (2024). Improving calibration of groundwater flow models using headwater streamflow intermittence. Hydrological Processes, 38(6), e15167. 

Oestreicher, N., Lei, Q., Loew, S., & Roques, C. (2023). Bedrock fractures control groundwater-driven mountain slope deformations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 128, e2022JF006885. 

Weber, U.W., Rinaldi, A.P., Roques, C. et al. In-situ experiment reveals CO2 enriched fluid migration in faulted caprock. Sci Rep 13, 17006 (2023). 

Abhervé, R., Roques, C., Gauvain, A., Longuevergne, L., Louaisil, S., Aquilina, L., and de Dreuzy, J.-R.: Calibration of groundwater seepage against the spatial distribution of the stream network to assess catchment-scale hydraulic properties, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 3221–3239.

Roques, C., Rupp, D. E., De Dreuzy, J-R, Longuevergne, L., Jachens, E. R., Grant, G., Aquilina, L.,  Selker, J. S., 2022. Recession discharge from compartmentalized bedrock hillslopes Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4391–4405, 2022. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4391-2022.

Cornette, N., Roques, C., Boisson, A., Courtois, Q., Marçais, J., Launay, J., Pajot, G., Habets, F., de Dreuzy, J-R, 2022. Hillslope-scale exploration of the relative contribution of base flow, seepage flow and overland flow to streamflow dynamics. Journal of Hydrology, 127992, 610. 

Roques, C., Weber, U. W., Brixel, B., Krietsch, H., Dutler, N., Brennwald, M. S., Villiger, L., Doetsch, J., Jalali, M., Gischig, V., Amann, F., Valley, B., Klepikova, M. and Kipfer, R.: In situ observation of helium and argon release during fluid-pressure-triggered rock deformation, Sci. Rep., 10(1), 6949, 2020.

C. Roques, D. Rupp, and J.S. Selker (2017) - Improved streamflow recession parameter estimation with attention to calculation of -dQ/dt. Adv. Water Resource. 108, 29-43.

C. Roques, O. Bour, L. Aquilina, B. Dewandel, S. Leray, J-M. Schroetter, L. Longuevergne, T. Le Borgne, R. Hochreutener, T. Labasque, N. Lavenant, V. Vergnaud-Ayraud, and B. Mougin (2014) Hydrological behavior of a deep sub-vertical fault in crystalline basement and relationships with surrounding reservoirs. J. Hydrol. 509, 42–54.

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