Vertical Surface Deformation Monitoring During 2014 And 2015 Using Precise Leveling Around Soultz-Sous-Forêts And Rittershoffen Geothermal Exploitation Sites, Rhine Graben, France

Abstract

In order to monitor the surface deformation around the two geothermal exploitation sites at soultz-sous-forêts and rittershoffen, france. We established a high precision leveling network in may 2014. A large leveling network (About 38 km) Surrounding the two sites was observed in may 2014 and june/July 2015. A small loop (About 3.5 km) Around the rittershoffen site was measured several times in may, june, july, november 2014 and july 2015. This network is monumented by 43 leveling benchmarks, some theses markers are located close to 13 relative gravimetric sites or some permanent cgps antennas. Preliminary comparisons between 2014 and 2015 altitudes obtained by leveling do not reveal significant signal. These two epochs of measurements serve as a vertical reference vertical before exploitation planned in 2016 at the two sites. The leveling network is planned to be re-observed in may 2016.