Comité Francais d'Hydrogéologie (CFH)

What Comité Francais d'Hydrogéologie (CFH) does

The Comité Français d'Hydrogéologie (CFH) is a French non-profit professional scientific association (association loi 1901) founded in 1973 as the French national chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH). The organization serves approximately 400 hydrogeology professionals across all sectors of the field in France, including universities and research bodies (CNRS, IRD, INRAE), national and regional administrations, water agencies (agences de l'eau), consulting firms, engineering bureaus, and water distribution utilities. CFH operates from a small team of approximately 5 personnel, with a registered headquarters at 77 rue Claude Bernard, 75005 Paris (Maison de la Géologie), and a secretariat address in Mont Saint Aignan.

CFH's core products and services revolve around knowledge dissemination and professional community-building rather than technology development. The association organizes annual national colloquia and regional technical excursions (continuous programming since 1994), hosts roughly monthly public webinars, publishes scientific reference works including "Aquifères et eaux souterraines en France" (2 volumes, 932 pages) and "Histoire de l'hydrogéologie française" (258 pages), and operates a private member forum (Kunena platform) with ~400 active members and 988 registered users. The association administers two recurring awards — the Gilbert Castany senior prize (since 1996) and the Archambault junior prize (since 2000). Distribution runs through the cfh-aih.fr website, an online boutique (HikaShop), a YouTube channel (@cfhaih4782), a LinkedIn company page, and an internal newsletter archive back to 1996.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues (€15-€485 across individual, reduced-rate, and corporate tiers, with combined CFH+AIH memberships including the Hydrogeology Journal), paid event registrations, and publication sales. Membership applications require a signed form with two sponsors and a CV. CFH co-hosts international events including the 2016 IAH Congress in Montpellier (43rd IAH Congress, co-hosted with the German IAH chapter) and the 2022 Paris conference on Groundwater and SDGs (520 participants from 58 countries), and is affiliated with UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme and the Société Géologique de France.

Name

Comité Francais d'Hydrogéologie (CFH)

Legal name

Comité Français d'Hydrogéologie

Website

https://cfh-aih.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Comité Français d'Hydrogéologie (CFH) is the French national chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists, serving approximately 400 hydrogeology professionals across academic, government, and private sectors in France through memberships, annual colloquia, technical excursions, webinars, and scientific publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Scientific Association (Hydrogeology)

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

Keywords

• Professional hydrogeology association
• Groundwater scientific events
• Hydrogeology publications
• Technical field excursions
• IAH national chapter

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CFH generates revenue primarily through annual membership fees. CFH-only membership ranges from €15 (students) to €400 (corporate/moral person). CFH+AIH combined memberships range from €20 (student online) to €485 (corporate), with €12 supplementary fee for the 'Terre & Sciences' journal. Membership is the core revenue stream supporting association activities.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from paid registrations to national colloquia, international conferences, and technical field excursions. Fees vary by event and membership status, with members receiving priority access and discounts.
3. Publication Sales: Sale of scientific publications and books through the CFH online boutique. Publications include 'Aquiferes et eaux souterraines en France' (2 volumes, 932 pages) and other hydrogeological works.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CFH is a French professional non-profit association (association loi 1901, founded 1973) that serves as the French national chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists. It sells annual memberships (individual and corporate tiers, with combined CFH+IAH options), organizes annual national colloquia, regional technical excursions and international conferences, hosts monthly public webinars, publishes hydrogeological reference books and a member newsletter, and runs a private member forum connecting approximately 400 hydrogeology professionals across academic, government, and private-sector sectors.

Product overview

The Comité Français d'Hydrogéologie (CFH) is a professional association serving as the French chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH). The organization provides a portfolio of services including publications (technical books and reports on French aquifers and hydrogeology history), events (annual conferences and technical excursions), public webinars, digital newsletters, and a members-only forum. CFH offers individual and organizational memberships with tiered pricing, and operates an online shop for event registrations and publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CFH / CFH-AIH Annual Membership Annual membership giving individuals and organizations access to the CFH private forum, internal newsletters, reduced conference/registration fees, priority access to technical field excursions, and (for combined CFH+IAH tiers) the Hydrogeology Journal.
• Annual National Colloquia and Technical Excursions Paid, in-person national colloquia on current hydrogeology themes and regional technical excursions (50–80 participants) with site visits, technical presentations and CFH general assemblies; priority and reduced registration for members.
• CFH Public Webinar Series Public, free webinar series (~monthly) on hydrogeology topics with recordings subsequently published on the CFH YouTube channel.
• Aquifères et eaux souterraines en France (2 volumes, 932 pages) Two-volume French-language scientific reference work on French aquifers and groundwater resources, sold in PDF and print through the CFH online boutique.
• Les eaux souterraines en France / Groundwater in France (58 p.) Bilingual French-English overview publication on groundwater resources in France, sold through the CFH online boutique.
• Histoire de l'hydrogéologie française (258 p.) 258-page book documenting the history and evolution of the French hydrogeology discipline, sold via the CFH online boutique.
• Henry Darcy – 150ème anniversaire de la loi de Darcy (115 p.) 115-page commemorative volume on the 150th anniversary of Darcy's law, sold through the CFH boutique.
• CFH Private Member Forum Private online forum (Kunena platform) reserved for CFH members to facilitate professional discussion, networking and access to member directories.
• Gilbert Castany Hydrogeology Prize Annual senior hydrogeology prize awarded by CFH recognizing an outstanding career contribution to French hydrogeology.
• Archambault Junior Hydrogeology Prize (Prix Archambault) Annual junior hydrogeology prize awarded by CFH (since 2000) recognizing outstanding contributions by younger hydrogeology professionals.
• CFH Member Newsletters (Lettres d'information) Internal digital newsletters distributed to CFH members, with archives back to 1996, providing updates on CFH activities and hydrogeology news.

Quantifiable outcome

• 520 participants from 58 countries at the 2022 international conference on Groundwater and Sustainable Development Goals in Paris
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Services Industriels de Geneve (SIG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026CFH, SIG (Services Industriels de Geneve), and the Canton of Geneva co-organized a 3-day technical excursion (29-31 May 2026) on groundwater exploitation in the Canton of Geneva, covering the Genevois aquifer, geothermal energy, and karst hydrogeology of the Jura.
• Canton of GenevacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026The Canton of Geneva partnered with CFH and SIG for a 3-day scientific excursion (29-31 May 2026) exploring groundwater resources, cross-border cooperation, and managed aquifer recharge in the Geneva basin.
• Voies Navigables de France (VNF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2025CFH and VNF co-organized a 3-day technical excursion (14-16 November 2025) on the Canal du Midi water supply system from Montagne Noire, exploring interactions between the canal and local water resources. VNF logo appears alongside CFH on event materials.
• AHSP (Association des Hydrogeologues de Service Public)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2025CFH and AHSP co-organized the technical excursion in the Parc naturel regional des Grands Causses (13-15 June 2025), marking the 30th anniversary of hydrogeological studies in the park. The AFK (Association Francaise de Karstologie) also participated.
• AFK (Association Francaise de Karstologie)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2025AFK participated in the joint CFH-AHSP technical excursion in the Grands Causses, bringing a karstology perspective to cross-disciplinary discussions with hydrogeologists.
• Parc Naturel Regional des Grands Causses (PNRGC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 June 2025PNRGC collaborated with CFH and AHSP on the 3-day technical excursion (June 2025), hosting visits on karst hydrogeology across its territory. The park's 30 years of hydrogeological studies were highlighted during the excursion.
• AFK (Association Francaise de Karstologie)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024AFK and CFH co-organized 3-day scientific days (20-22 September 2024) on chalk karst and aquifers in Normandy, with events in tribute to Jean-Claude Roux. BRGM, Le Havre Seine Metropole, CNEK, CRSN, and IDDEA also aided in organization.
• BRGMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres) was one of 4 organizations aiding the 2024 AFK-CFH scientific days on Normandy chalk karst, providing technical support and expertise.
• AGAP-Qualite (Association Geophysique Appliquee)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2024The CFH technical excursion on the Seuil du Poitou (March 2024) was reprogrammed following AGAP's scientific days in Poitiers (26-28 March 2024), with both events sharing attendance interest. AGAP-Qualite is an association of geophysics professionals focused on quality practices.
• UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (PHI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2022The 2022 international conference on Groundwater and Sustainable Development Goals was organized in contribution to the 9th phase of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (PHI). UNESCO speakers participated in the opening and closing sessions, and 40 speakers received financial support from UNESCO or IRD.
• BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2022BRGM was a scientific partner for the 2022 international conference on Groundwater and SDGs, contributing to session organization, poster presentations, and research outputs. BRGM researchers participated in multiple technical sessions and workshops.
• International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2016CFH is the official French national chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (AIH), a 1901-law association born of French initiative at the 1952 International Geological Congress in Algiers. CFH co-hosted the 43rd IAH International Congress in Montpellier (September 2016) with the German IAH chapter.
• Partenariat Francais pour l'Eau (PFE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFH is a member of the French Water Partnership (Partenariat Francais pour l'Eau), which brings together French water sector stakeholders. CFH co-organized the 2022 international conference on Groundwater and the SDGs with PFE, contributing to UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (PHI).
• Societe Geologique de France (SGF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFH is a member of the Geological Society of France (Societe Geologique de France). The SGF is also affiliated with the International Union of Geological Sciences. Both organizations share scientific goals related to earth sciences and hydrogeology.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières): France's national geological survey, a recurring scientific partner for CFH conferences and excursions. Comparable position at the intersection of groundwater research, public-sector engagement, and reference publications.
• International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH): CFH's parent global body and the umbrella organization for national hydrogeology chapters worldwide. Directly comparable mission of advancing groundwater science and offering membership, conferences, and publications.
• Partenariat Français pour l'Eau (PFE): Multi-stakeholder French water-sector coalition of which CFH is a member; co-organized the 2022 Paris groundwater/SDGs conference. Operates a comparable convening model across French water organizations.

Direct peers

• Société Géologique de France (SGF): CFH is a member of SGF; both are learned French scientific societies publishing journals, organizing conferences, and providing member networks in earth sciences with direct topical overlap in hydrogeology.
• AFK (Association Française de Karstologie): French karstology association co-hosting scientific days and excursions with CFH (Normandy 2024, Grands Causses 2025). Overlaps on professional scientific association structure and groundwater/karst subject matter.
• AHSP (Association des Hydrogéologues de Service Public): French association of public-sector hydrogeologists, regularly co-organizing technical excursions and scientific days with CFH (e.g., Grands Causses 2025). Operates a parallel membership model targeting a subset of CFH's constituency.
• National Ground Water Association (NGWA): US counterpart professional association for hydrogeologists and groundwater professionals; offers membership, conferences, training, and publications analogous to CFH's portfolio.

Emerging players

• AGAP-Qualité (Association Géophysique Appliquée): French association of applied geophysics professionals focused on quality practices; co-programmed excursions with CFH (Poitou 2024). Comparable volunteer-driven scientific association model with adjacent groundwater methodology.
• OneWater (Fondation OneWater): French water-research foundation co-hosting webinars with CFH (e.g., 2025 groundwater indicators session). Operates in adjacent groundwater science convening space with an applied-research orientation.

Regional players

• Société de l'Industrie Minérale (SIM): French mineral industry association hosting an annual congress where CFH regularly participates. Comparable professional society structure and conference-driven member engagement in French geoscience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cfhaih4782
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/comit%C3%A9-francais-d-hydrog%C3%A9ologie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Comité Francais d'Hydrogéologie (CFH)