Pertinence de la notion d'indicateur pour la caractérisation du bassin-versant

Abstract

The concept of indicator can often be a way around the difficulty of measuring a physical parameter and is extremely useful for the spatial characterisation of catchment areas. A review of the indicators used to date has led to an arbitrary classification based on the four spatio-temporal dimensions of this geographical object. Indicators are particularly useful for modelling a catchment area, assessing the risk of flooding, determining water quality or simply characterising the catchment area for a later comparison. This paper presents an example of the catchment areas of the Guyana Plateau and concludes with methodological recommendations for expanding the use of these indicators, on the interface between hydrology, geography and remote sensing.