On behalf of the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), WRL have recently undertaken a review of artificial reefs for coastal protection in NSW. The review was based on an extensive range of international literature and considered in excess of 150 reference documents. The types of structures considered in the review included artificial surfing reefs (ASRs), multi-purpose reefs (MPRs), as well as submerged breakwaters.

This review is one of the most comprehensive undertaken to date for submerged coastal structures and was broadly divided into four main areas:

1.    Summary of design information;

2.    Assessment of the use of numerical and physical models for artificial reef design;

3.    Assessment of performance of existing artificial reefs;

4.    The potential application of artificial reefs for coastal protection purposes in NSW.

The review has been undertaken by WRL coastal engineers Matt Blacka, James Carley, Alessio Mariani and Dr Tom Shand.

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Downloads

WRL’s report can be downloaded here:

From left: Dr William Glamore, Doug Beckers, Jo Erskine, Duncan Rayner and Jamie Ruprecht

At the Tomago Wetland site, the aim was to create a saltmarsh ecosystem to attract migratory wading birds and improve water quality. This was achieved by reinstating tidal flows to encourage saltmarsh growth and discourage mangroves. A range of innovative modelling, on-ground engineering and monitoring techniques were developed and implemented for the project. The end result is a careful balance that requires coordinated surveillance and management involving researchers, park rangers and community members.

The collaboration between WRL and National Parks and Wildlife Division is particularly important to this project. In addition to those nominated on the award, Dr Glamore wishes to recognise the role of the Catchment Management Authority and the Hunter Birds Observers Club.

The third stage of the restoration plan is now underway. Recognition by the National Trust of Australia is welcome support to the long running project.

Dr William Glamore, UNSW Water Research Lab, 0404 822 080

- Project Engineer -

Nathan Guerry is a Project Engineer at the Water Research Laboratory. He completed a bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering (with first class honours) from UNSW in 2012, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from USYD in 2007. Nathan’s honours thesis established the feasibility of the application of nano- and micro-scale Zero Valent Iron for passive in situ remediation of cyanide contaminated groundwater. As an affiliate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nathan developed a mechanistic model of the Carbon cycle in soils and presented this work at the 2011 AGU fall meeting.

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• Download Nathan Guerry’s CV

- Research Fellow -

Richard Crane is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Water Research Laboratory. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Geoscience, and a PhD in Geochemistry, from the University of Bristol (UK). He has experience of a wide range of laboratorial and field-based analytical techniques related to hydrology and geochemistry, as well as data processing, analysis and hydro-geochemical modelling. His research aims to improve the fundamental understanding of the hydrology and aqueous geochemistry of groundwater systems, namely in quantifying the hydraulic properties and sorption behaviour of different aquitard materials. Applications include: water quality and resource protection; mining and mine site management; waste management; and environmental engineering.

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• Download Richard Crane’s CV

Client: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
Year: 2008-ongoing
Project Reference: 2011018
WRL Technical Report: Rehabilitation of Yarrahapinni Wetlands National Park: Hydrodynamic Modelling of Tidal Inundation (2011/21)

The Yarrahapinni Wetlands national park is located in the Macleay River’s lower estuary on the mid-north coast of New South Wales (NSW) west of South West Rocks. Historically the area was a flourishing tidal wetland with productive environmental value. However, in the late 1960’s a bund levee wall and floodgates were installed at the perimeter of the system to drain the site for agriculture. As a consequence of the works the system became predominately freshwater with oxidation of sulphidic sub-soils and release of acidic ground waters.

Results of numerical modelling of tidal inundation. These results will help plan the rehabilitation in a staged and controlled manner minimising impacts to landholders.

The Yarrahapinni Wetlands

In 2008 the Water Research Laboratory (WRL) was commissioned to perform a hydrologic investigation of the site and prepare a restoration plan for the Yarrahapinni Wetland National Park. It was recommended that the site be rehabilitated through the removal of the floodgates and levee banks using a staged approach.
In 2011 WRL undertook a detailed hydraulic investigation. For this study a data collection program was undertaken to collect bathymetric data, water levels and salinity measurements. Using the collected data a numerical (i.e. computer) model was developed using the DHI software MIKE Flood. The model was calibrated and used to simulate the inundation and salinity optins for site rehabilitation.
It was determined that by using a staged approach the site could be rehabilitated while minimising the potential impacts to landholders in the area. On ground works are commencing soon.

Proposed reflooding option

For additional information about this project, please contact
Dr William Glamore

at: w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

Arndilly Wetland

Client: Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority
Year: 2011-2012
Project Reference: 2011034

Arndilly Wetland is located on the North-Western side of the Broadwater in the lower Clarence River estuary. Since 2003, a range of on-ground management actions have been undertaken at this site to increase tidal flushing, reduce acid soil drainage and improve wetland ecology.

The current management of the site, which includes the manipulation of wetland water levels during dry periods, has significantly decreased acid runoff and improved the ecological health of the site. However, further refinement of the on-site water balance may allow for increased drainage following wet periods while not impacting the wetland ecology.

Assessment of the hydrology at Arndilly was undertaken by:

• Field assessment and survey of topography and existing structure/levees
• Development of rainfall/runoff model
• Construction of topographic DEM to assess the stage-volume relationship
• Water balance modelling of different management options

Key outcomes from the investigation were:

• Clarence River water levels are likely to control wetland drainage during wet periods
• Drainage of the wetland during dry periods is limited by the culvert
• The digital elevation model and water balance calculations provide a useful estimate of the volume of water within the wetland but on-ground calibration against water level records would assist in validating these initial estimates.
• Flooding of the site from rainfall within the wetland catchment is likely caused by cumulative monthly rainfall, not individual storms, and occurs regularly.
• Design of a structure to quickly lower water levels following flooding events.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

Three-dimensional wave breaking in the coastal ocean has significant consequences for weather forecasting, marine safety, defence and renewable energy under severe weather conditions. No robust conceptual or computing approach exists for this fundamental process although recent theoretical developments provide a framework to approach this challenging problem. (e.g. see Banner and Peirson, 2007, An observational study of wave breaking onset and strength for two-dimensional deep water wave groups, J. Fluid Mech.)

The Australian Research Council has funded a team of UNSW and European investigators to extend our recent advances in predicting wave breaking onset and strength in directional wave groups as they transition from deep to shallow water. This project will provide the basis for including reliable breaking wave information in forecast models, and will improve their accuracy.

Ph.D. scholarships are available within this research project to undertake novel, large-scale laboratory basin measurements of three-dimensional wave breaking in transitional water depths.  For more information, please download the following pdf.

• Ph.D. programme: Three-dimensional breaking in the coastal zone

Client: Shore Regional Organisation of Councils, Warringah Council, Manly Council and Pittwater Council
Year: 2012-2013
Project Reference: 2012033
WRL Technical Report: Regional Groundwater Resource Investigations - Manly, Warringah and Pittwater Local Government Areas (2012/12)

Groundwater resources in the Manly, Warringah and Pittwater Local Government Areas (LGA’s) have not previously been investigated on a regional scale.  Whilst there are hundreds of licenced bores in the area, relatively little is known about the extent of aquifers, groundwater use, groundwater dependent ecosystems or the extent of groundwater contamination. However, each Council relies upon groundwater to irrigate local parks and playing fields, and many private entities use groundwater to irrigate gardens, golf courses and primary industries.

The UNSW Water Research Laboratory (WRL) was commissioned by the Shore Regional Organisation of Councils (SHOROC), Warringah Council, Manly Council and Pittwater Council to complete a groundwater resource investigation into the sustainability of regional groundwater resources.

• A desktop study and analysis of all available literature  and available data, for example from NSW Office of Water and Council data collection programs;
• Groundwater quality testing of a representative sample of aquifers;
• Mapping and characterising aquifers throughout the study area for parameters such as thickness, standing water levels, recharge, water quality and groundwater dependent ecosystems;
• Determining the groundwater use, entitlements and sustainable extraction limits of aquifers;
• Identifying possible groundwater contamination and mapping the potential for aquifer contamination from different land uses;
• Identifying strategic locations for managed aquifer recharge;
• Determining the current management processes relating to groundwater and identifying opportunities to integrate groundwater management into resource management and planning activities of Councils; and
• Assessing the likely impact of climate change on groundwater.

WRL’s investigation into regional groundwater resources has identified issues of regional significance and improved the understanding of groundwater resources in the study area. This work will help Councils prioritise management actions to improve the sustainability of groundwater use in the Manly, Warringah and Pittwater Local Government Areas.

Further information can be obtained from Alexandra Badenhop at: a.badenhop@wrl.unsw.edu.au or (02) 8071 9800.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

- Senior Project Engineer -

­Doug Anderson has 11 years of experience specialising in hydrogeological site characterisation, groundwater studies, environmental engineering hydraulics and coastal monitoring. Having successfully completed more than 40 projects in the water resources field, he has gained a wealth of practical experience in groundwater modelling assessments, physical modelling, system design, automation, computational software development, data collection, data management and data analysis.

Doug is recognised by his peers as a dedicated, dependable and hard working professional. He has great attention to detail and a careful approach with a focus on technical excellence, efficiency and practicality. Examples of his work have been published in special editions of Coastal Engineering and the Australian Journal of Earth Sciences.

Doug has worked on a variety of groundwater related consulting projects involving environmental drilling, field data collection, data management, data analysis and modelling. Related project experience includes feasibility assessment and optimisation of municipal injection and extraction projects, design through to commissioning of effluent reuse monitoring programs, regional source water protection studies, resource and reserve assessment of mineral brines (NI 43-101), assessment of closure options for mine pits, and the peer review of underground mining dewatering impacts.

• Download Doug Anderson’s CV

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WRL recommend the following sites:

University

• UNSW Faculty of Engineering
• UNSW School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• UNSW Connected Waters Initiative (CWI)
• WRL Coastal Imaging

General Information

• ASRIS - Australian Soil Resource Information System
• Australian Government - Murray-Darling Basin Authority
• Australian Rainfall & Runoff
• Bureau of Meteorology - Cape du Couedic Wave Observations
• Bureau of Meteorology - Cape Sorell Waverider Buoy Observations
• Bureau of Meteorology - Climate Data Online
• Engineers Australia
• Geoscience Australia
• ICSM - Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying & Mapping
• MHL - Online Data
• NOAA WaveWatch III Model Data
• NSW Government - Waterinfo
• NSW Natural Resource Atlas
• NSW Spatial Information Exchange (SIX)
• PIANC Australia
• Port of Melbourne Wave Data
• QLD Wave Data - QLD Government Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
• Sydney Ports - Wave Wind and Tide
• WA Wave Data - WA Department of Transport

Engineering Affiliates

• ECMWF - European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts - ERA-40 Data Archive
• EMEC - European Marine Energy Centre
• Geofabrics Australasia
• Ocean Energy Systems
• Oceanlinx
• University of Delaware - Coastal List
• University of Delaware - Java Applets for Coastal Engineering
• USACE - Coastal Engineering Manual
• Xbloc - Delta Marine Consultants

WRL staff sit on panels and committees for the following organisations:

A/Prof Ian Turner - Deputy Director (Research)

• NSW and Academic Representative - IEAust National Committee on Coastal and Ocean Engineering
• Local Organising Committee & Technical Chair - Coasts and Ports 2013, Sydney
• Technical Review Committee - Coastal Dynamics 2013, Bordeaux, France
• Scientific Committee - International Coastal Symposium 2013, Plymouth, UK

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A/Prof Ron Cox - Convenor (ACCARNSI)

• Member - Editorial Board Coastal Engineer Journal, Japan
• Member - Editorial Board Maritime Engineering Journal, UK
• Member - IEAust National Committee Coastal and Ocean Engineering
• Board Member - PIANC Australia
• Member - International Advisory Committee and Scientific Committee (COPEDEC)
• Climate Change Scientific Research Panel, OEH NSW Government
• Coastal Expert Panel Advising Ministerial Taskforce, NSW Government

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Grantley Smith - Principal Engineer & Manager

• Chair - IEAust Sydney Water Engineering Panel
• Technical Advice to Federal Panel for Qld Coal Seam Gas

Recent previous panels:

• Chair - 34th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, 2012

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Matt Blacka - Senior Project Engineer

• Secretary - IEAust NSW Coastal, Ocean, and Port Engineering Panel (COPEP)

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Dr William Glamore - Senior Research Fellow

• Member - IEAust Sydney Water Engineering Panel
• Board Member - PIANC Australia
• Technical Advice to Federal Panel for Qld Coal Seam Gas
• Expert Panel - Geofabric Wetlands and Estuary
• Independent Science Panel - Queensland Nickel
• ASCE’s COPRI Sediment and Wetland Remediation Panel

Recent previous panels:

• Committee Member - 34^th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, 2012
• Independent Expert Panel - Murray Mouth and Lower Lakes Flow Determination

Client: NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries
Year: 2012
Project Reference: 2011050

The Water Research Laboratory has recently completed the design, build, testing and delivery of specialist barochambers for NSW DPI Fisheries. Small-scale hydropower projects have been identified as a potential way to meet future renewable energy targets. However, one constraint to future developments of such projects is the pressure fluctuations that Australian fish species can withstand. The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) fish biologist, Dr Craig Boys, is leading investigations to understand the ranges of pressure changes and turbulence acceptable on Australian fish species.

To undertake their barotrauma experiments, DPI required specialised barochambers that could allow fish of various species and ages to be acclimated before being subjected to rapid pressure changes. Some of the challenges for the design that WRL were able to overcome included:

• Acclimation pressures to 200 kPa
• Pressure changes to as low as 20kPa
• Pressure changes in less than 0.5 of a second
• Large open windows allowing for video and photography
• Installation possible within a portable trailer laboratory

The barochambers rely on water being highly, but not completely, incompressible. A chamber full of water can have the pressure varied by moving a piston in or out of the tank. The chambers were 700 mm x 400 mm x 400 mm built from 16 mm stainless steel with a large 20 mm thick laminated glass window.

The associated instrumentation was controlled from bespoke Labview software and a National Instruments A/D cards including:

• An electromagnetic linear motion actuator to drive a piston
• Pressure transducers to monitor pressures and provide active feedback
• Temperature thermistors
• Actuated control valves to adjust the acclimation pressures
• Isolation valves
• Pumps to circulate flow and provide the acclimation pressure

The chambers, electronics and software were all developed at WRL and installed into DPI’s mobile laboratory. The software was automated with active feedback loops, allowing the DPI researchers to upload particular configuration files of desired pressure time-series.

A 17 day old Murray Cod showing evidence of injury (bubble in gut) resulting from rapid pressure changes.

WRL project leader, Brett Miller also attended workshops targeting international collaboration on this research topic and contributed though his knowledge of fundamental hydraulics. At a three day workshop at the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute (PSFI), Dr Boys of DPI stated:

“Only a small number of these facilities exist throughout the world. Of these, the one at Port Stephens is the most sophisticated. PSFI now has the research and development capacity to be a world leader in ‘fish friendly’ hydropower research and development.

Over the next twelve months, researchers at PSFI will be studying the tolerances of native freshwater fish such as silver perch, golden perch and Murray cod to simulated passage through a turbine, during larval and juvenile stages.”

WRL would like to acknowledge the support and collaboration of NSW DPI, the involvement of Waratah Power and the technical advice for building barochambers given by the staff of the USA’s Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNNL).

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

International Conferences

A large contingent of WRL staff and students, past and present, contributed to ICCE2012 (the International Conference on Coastal Engineering) in Santander, Spain in early July 2012. The conference brought together over 500 worldwide representatives from universities, industry and coastal administrations to showcase the latest advances in coastal engineering.

The rapid expansion of groundwater research at WRL in recent years, primarily through the Connected Waters Initiative, enabled 6 past and present staff/students to attend the 39th International Association of Hydrogeologists Congress at Niagara Falls in September. Nine hundred delegates from 62 countries around the world gathered to consider the theme “Confronting Global Change”. Amongst the attendees was Doug Anderson a previous WRL staff member, who will be returning to WRL in February 2013.

Internationally, WRL staff and students also presented at:

• 8^th PIANC International Conference on Coastal and Port Engineering in Developing Countries (Chennai, February)
• 12^th International Coastal Symposium (Plymouth, April)
• 9^th International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry (Portugal, July)
• 6^th International Conference on Scour and Erosion (Paris, August)
• Association of Pacific Rim Universities (San Diego, September)
• American Geophyiscal Union Fall Meeting (San Francisco, December)

International Visitors

In 2012 WRL welcomed many international visitors including:

• Professor Herbert Huppert, Professor of Theoretical Geophysics and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, University of Cambridge
• Dr Kate White, senior lead for global and climate change, US Army Corps of Engineers, Institute for Water Resources
• The U.S. National Ground Water Association 2012 Darcy Lecturer, Professor Seyed Majid Hassanizadeh of Utrecht University
• John Headland, Commissioner to PIANC USA and a Board Director for the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute
• Professor Mark Donelan of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami

Many of our visitors, including those from overseas, continue to contribute to our Seminar Series, in our recently renovated Lecture Room.

Developing International Collaborations

During 2012 Associate Professor Ian Turner, Dr Chris Blenkinsopp, Dr Martin Andersen, Dr Gabriel Rau and Daniel Howe were all involved in a major European Union funded coastal engineering experiment at the Delta Flume in the Netherlands. The project, BARDEX2 (standing for BARrier Dynamics EXperiment), is a follow-up to a previous successful experiment and is a collaboration between leading coastal researchers from the Universities of Plymouth, Southampton, Delaware, UNSW, Utrecht, Algarve Bordeaux and New England. The experiment involved the construction of a sandy barrier-beach at prototype-scale in the Delta Flume facility with WRL providing specialist expertise on wave tracking and ground/surface water interactions.

Alessio Mariani is WRL’s third Churchill Fellowship recipient. The focus of Alessio’s 2012 fellowship was the mitigation of beach erosion. His fellowship included collaborative visits to the Port and Airport Research Institute (located at the entrance of Tokyo Bay, Japan); the Hazaki Oceanographic Research Station (on the Japanese east coast); the commercial beach drainage installation (Les Sables-d’Olonne, French Atlantic coast) and Deltares (Delft, the Netherlands).

In June, WRL Director Bill Peirson visited the North China Electric Power University in Beijing to discuss the future of wave power in China and Australia with senior staff within their School of Renewable Energy and Research Institute of Water Resources and Hydro-Electric Engineering. After presenting at ICCE in early July, Bill met in New York with representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. National Oceans and Atmospheric Administration to discuss on-going collaborative projects. Bill then visited the University of Valpariaso in Chile to discuss possible future collaborations in coastal engineering. Subsequently, Dr Chris Blenkinsopp was invited to participate in field experiments along the coast of Chile.

WRL Projects Manager Grantley Smith was invited to deliver a keynote address at the DHI Modelling forum. He subsequently visited hydraulic laboratories at HR Wallingford, DHI in Copenhagen as well as those of NUS and NTU in Singapore. During these visits he discussed possible collaborations with these organisations and presented recent WRL work on people and vehicle stability as well as 2D Numerical modelling approaches to floodplain management and evacuation planning.

During 2012, WRL was commissioned to assess the coastal adaptation needs for extreme events and climate change of the Cook Islands. The focus of this investigation is Avarua in Rarotonga - the administrative, economic and tourism hub of the Cook Islands. Late in 2012, Project Engineers Matt Blacka and Duncan Rayner travelled to the Cook Islands to undertake a detailed topographic survey of the Avarua area, with a specific focus on the coast and the fringing lagoon system - regions that are difficult to capture using conventional or airborne techniques.

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To view WRL’s 2012 highlights, click here:

Client: Manly Council
Year: 2012
Project Reference: 2011016

The iconic Sydney suburb of Manly occupies the northern shores of Sydney Harbour. It includes low energy harbour-side beaches as well as the famous Manly Beach dominated by the swells of the Pacific Ocean. Manly beaches are susceptible to significant erosion during extreme storm events and have a long history of failure of their protection works. The Water Research Laboratory (WRL) of the University of New South Wales was commissioned by Manly Council to undertake a comprehensive investigation to identify and quantify coastal risks on sandy beaches within the local government area.

Coastal risks considered included:

• Beach erosion due to storm events
• Shoreline recession caused by long term sediment imbalance
• Coastal inundation as a consequence of elevated water levels
• Wave overtopping of seawalls and coastal protection works
• Impacts of sea level rise

The study commenced with a field survey of existing coastal protection works (seawalls and revetments). A wave propagation model was then implemented to determine the nearshore wave conditions during design storm events. Based on the wave modelling results and the analysis of available data (including historical photogrammetry, council and resident records, beach survey and wave buoy data), WRL identified coastal hazard zones and made recommendations for the coastal risk management.

The project was led by WRL coastal engineer Alessio Mariani with support from James Carley (WRL), Dr Tom Shand (WRL), Duncan Rayner (WRL) and Doug Lord (Coastal Environment).

For further details please contact Alessio Mariani at: alessio.mariani@wrl.unsw.edu.au

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Downloads

• Project Sheet
• Coastal Engineering - Numerical Modelling Solutions
• Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Adaptation Solutions

- Research Associate -

Dayna has over four years of experience in stratigraphic and geochemical analysis in sedimentary and mineralised units within Australia and PNG. With a BSc. Geology with Spatial Information Systems (Honours 1), Dayna has recently joined the UNSW Water Research Laboratory and is responsible for the geotechnical centrifuge and geochemical laboratory. Her current work involves preparing and analysing drill cores from clayey sediments and shales for geotechnical characterisation of porewater, mineralogy and hydraulic conductivity.

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- Technical Officer -

Rob joined the WRL team in 2012 as a Technical Officer (Toolmaker), assisting both the WRL project staff and academic staff with the construction of physical models and specialist instrumentation. He is also responsible for assisting students with the setup and operation of experiments. Rob is a highly skilled professional toolmaker with over 20 years of experience in high-end surgical instrument manufacture.

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- PhD Student -

Rebecca began her PhD at WRL in July 2012. The title of her project is “Backward Erosion Piping in Cohesionless Soils in Dams, Levees and their Foundations”. The initial aim of the project is to investigate the behaviour of backward erosion piping by experimentation. The intention is to use the experimental results to develop predictive models which will aid in the design of new dams against backward erosion and aid in the assessment of risk of its occurrence in existing dams. The project is sponsored by a group of 13 organisations from the dams industry. Rebecca’s supervisors are Dr Kurt Douglas, Associate Professor Bill Peirson and Emeritus Professor Robin Fell.

Rebecca completed a double degree in BE (Civil Engineering: Geotechnical) and BSc (Geology & Geophysics) with honours in 2007 at The University of Sydney. In 2005 Rebecca began working for URS Australia and continued to do so until commencing her PhD studies. At URS Rebecca worked in the Dams Engineering Group on various projects including risk assessments and dam upgrades at all stages of design.

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- PhD Student -

Landon Halloran is a PhD candidate at the Water Research Laboratory, working in conjunction with the Connected Waters Initiative and the NCGRT. His research, commenced in 2012, focuses on using temperature measurements to investigate groundwater recharge in arid environments. His lab work at WRL and field work at various locations around Australia, including Fowlers Gap, is directed by Senior Lecturer Martin Andersen and Professor Ian Acworth.

In 2008 Landon completed a BSc (Hons) in physics at the University of Victoria in Victoria, BC, Canada. He went on to obtain his MSc in materials physics in 2010 from McGill University in Montréal, QC, Canada. Prior to commencing his PhD, Landon has worked on research and development projects in various fields of expertise, including thermal engineering, optics, ocean acoustics and atomic physics.

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- Postdoctoral Fellow -

Ander is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Water Research Laboratory. He holds a BSc in Geology from the Public University of Bask Country (Spain) and an MSc in Geophysics from Barcelona University (Spain). His PhD thesis was entitled “Geoelectrical characterization of Sulphate Rocks”. Ander has expertise in geoelectrical techniques. He also has experience in other geophysical techniques such as GPR, EM31 and seismics.

As part of the Connected Waters Initiative team, Ander’s current research focuses on the characterisation of aquitards based on geophysical logging, gravity, seismic and electrical resistivity techniques together with hydrological data.

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- Project Engineer -

Chris is a Project Engineer at the Water Research Laboratory. He completed his Honours Thesis at UNSW in 2011 in Civil Engineering, which investigated the vulnerability of the Central Coast to sea level rise, projected to occur due to climate change. This was evaluated using SBEACH erosion modelling combined with synthetic design storms. In 2012, Chris volunteered in Cambodia and was involved in the design and implementation of biodigester systems in floating communities to improve sanitation. While working at WRL, Chris has completed physical model investigations for coastal structures such as breakwaters and marinas. His primary fields of interest are in coastal engineering including coastal erosion assessments and related physical and numerical modelling.

• Download Chris Drummond’s CV

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Client: Montgomery Watson for HK Environmental Protection Department
Year: 1998
Project Reference: 95162

This project involved detailed three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality modelling of the Western Waters of Hong Kong. The RMA-10 and RMA-11 models were calibrated against field data and subsequently used to simulate long term impacts of sewage disposal options.

A bottom mounted ADCP acting as an Ocean Reference Station (ORS) provided twelve months of continuous current, temperature and salinity data at a location within the western waters. During eight field survey exercises, further data was collected including ADCP transects, temperature, salinity, DO and sediments at various locations throughout the study region.

A further understanding of the regional processes including flows from the Pearl River, ocean stream currents, tidal phasings and density structures was gained by a literature review and the analysis of previously gathered data.

Eight individual calibration reports were supplied, each documenting the model behaviour against the collected data. Subsequent to the last calibration exercise it was deemed that the model was able to reproduce the conditions of both the dry season and the stratified wet season. This complex model was able to reproduce the observed high degree of stratification, strong currents and complex water quality of the Western Waters.

Water quality parameters simulated included:

• Dissolved oxygen
• Biological oxygen demand
• Organic nitrogen
• Ammonia
• Nitrate
• Nitrite
• Organic phosphorous
• Phosphate
• Chlorophyll-a
• E-Coli
• Total kjedahl nitrogen
• Total oxidised nitrogen

Utilising the hydrodynamic and water quality models, the resulting water quality from differing treatment options were assessed using the full range of water quality parameters at sensitive receiver sites such as beaches. Testing was undertaken for both the dry season and wet season refined calibration periods.

Model tests investigated the change in impacts at sensitive receivers through varying the quality of discharge from Pillar Point and Urmston Road outfalls during one month of the dry season and one month of wet season. A future population case was adopted and all discharges from other outfalls, streams, nullahs and drains were fixed to appropriate values.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

WRL was heavily involved with modelling environmental flows and saline dynamics of the Hawkesbury-Nepean estuary between 2000 and 2004 as part of the Independent Expert Panel of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Management Forum. 

The modelling had the following key aspects:

• Tidal currents and freshwater inflows to the Hawkesbury-Nepean estuary have been simulated using the hydrodynamic model RMA-2.
• The longitudinal salinity distribution in the Hawkesbury-Nepean estuary has been simulated using the water quality model RMA-11.
• Boundary conditions comprised an ocean tide, catchment, STP and riverine inflows (with varying environmental flow release rules) and water extractions.
• The hydrodynamic model was calibrated against tide level and tidal flow data during four one-day gauging exercises on the Hawkesbury River between April and August 1981.
• The salinity model was calibrated against salinity surveys of the Hawkesbury-Nepean obtained by the Electricity Commission.

Model domain

Scenarios of environmental flow releases from the dams were modelled through 87 years (1909-1995). Key scenarios are listed in the following table and variation in flows in the following figure.

 
Key scenarios considered

Flow variability

Model results were interpreted as distance from the estuary mouth to various salinity thresholds. These long time series were then presented statistically for the various ecosystem facets. Expert ecologists could then be compared between natural conditions, current conditions and various environmental flow release rules for ecological impact or response.

 
The variability in salinity in the estuary over 87 years

Statistics of various salinity thresholds

Key Reports:

• WRL Technical Report 2003/01 “Hawkesbury-Nepean Estuary Saline Dynamics Model Calibration”
• WRL Technical Report 2003/10 “Hawkesbury Nepean Estuary Saline Dynamics Long Term Model Simulations” 

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

Client: Hunter Water Corporation
Year: 2011-2012
Project Reference: 2011051
WRL Technical Report: Riverbank Vulnerability Assessment of the Seaham Weir Pool (2012/05)

The Seaham Weir Pool has a long history of recreational boating. Hunter Water Corporation and other government agencies working with private landholders, farmers, industry, community groups and volunteers have made significant contributions to maintain and improve the Seaham Weir Pool during the past twenty years.

WRL was engaged by Hunter Water Corporation to conduct a riverbank vulnerability assessment of the Seaham Weir Pool using the Decision Support System (DSS) developed at WRL. The DSS provides a method for assessing and prioritising the susceptibility of a riverbank to erode based on a variety of environmental factors. The DSS is:

• An objective method for assessing the susceptibility of a riverbank to erode from boat wake wave action;
• A robust and repeatable ranking system for assessing the erosional state of the riverbank;
• A detailed methodology to assess the impact of boat numbers, distance restrictions, and limited wake zones; and
• A means for prioritising riverbank remediation works.

Wind data was obtained from regional wind stations and applied to the Seaham Weir Pool to determine wind energy on the waterway for comparison with boat wake waves. An ARI was calculated for the boat wake waves, compared with the likely wind wave conditions on site, for both the maximum wave and attenuated waves over an extended time period. Data collected on site about the erosion potential of the riverbanks was compared with an equivalent wave ARI to determine one of three recommendations: ‘Allow’, ‘Monitor’, ‘Manage’. Outcomes were determined for the entire length of the Seaham Weir Pool for a range of different boat pass scenarios with a variety of results observed.

The detailed process, in particular the field based assessment undertaken by WRL staff, delivered greater understanding of the issues surrounding riverbank erosion and wake waves on the Seaham Weir Pool and provides a baseline for future analysis through the objective and repeatable methodology. The observations detailed in this study were combined within the DSS as a management tool. The key field assessment factors allow for prioritisation of future riverbank remediation works. Finally, the different boating scenarios (type, operating speed and number of boats) can assist with development of boating management plans and encourage riverbank remediation.

Further information can be obtained from Dr William Glamore at: w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au or (02) 8071 9868.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

Client: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
Year: 2011
Project Reference: 2011069

WRL was commissioned by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) to undertake wind wave hindcasting in Melville Bay, Northern Territory. The project was a part of a wider research program on circulation and water quality being conducted by AIMS. This was a desktop study that summarised the methods and findings from analysis of wind wave hindcasting, wave orbital velocities and wave loading on a submarine diffuser pipeline.

Extreme waves for 1, 10, 100 and 1000 year ARI events (conservatively assumed for a normal marine structure in AS4997:2005 Table 5.4) from 8 cardinal wind directions, reaching the proposed outfall location within Melville Bay may be generated by two distinct sources. Firstly by local winds within Melville Bay and secondly by tropical cyclones further offshore within the Arafura Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria. While the offshore cyclonic waves are likely to be substantially larger than locally generated wind waves, energy is lost as these waves propagate into Melville Bay through shallow water processes such as refraction, diffraction, bed friction and depth-induced breaking.

Wind wave heights were estimated using the principles of the US Army Coastal Engineering Manual (CEM: EM 1110-2-1100, 2002) and the software ACES (version 4.0.3.1). These methods are accepted engineering practice for initial estimates.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet
• Coastal Engineering - Numerical Modelling Solutions

(Left) RTK-GPS rover and mobile cart used for land topographic surveying; (Right) Project Engineer Duncan Rayner setting up GPS base station.

The data from the surveying campaign is vital in order to undertake physical and numerical wave process modelling for the area, as well as for mapping hazards to houses and infrastructure from wave impact and inundation during extreme cyclone events. This analysis is being undertaken in Stage 3 of the project, which is presently underway. Later stages of the project will see future adaptation strategies canvassed in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, with conceptual designs for the most suitable strategies developed.

(Left) WRL Project Engineer Duncan Rayner surveying the crest of a seawall; (Right) WRL Senior Coastal Engineer Matt Blacka undertaking survey of lagoon bathymetry.

WRL are undertaking this project for Climate Change Cook Islands, with funding provided by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, under the Pacific Adaptation Strategy Assistance Program (PASAP).

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Laser scan of Hanbar armoured breakwater, with displaced unit showing as white in colour.

Laser scan of Xbloc® armoured breakwater, with shifted units showing as white in colour. 

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Presentations were given within the Aquitards session by Dr Wendy Timms on the latest results from the NCGRT centrifuge permeameter based at WRL, and the use of biomarkers in aquitard research. Professor Ian Acworth presented results from the Namoi GEIF site demonstrating the effect of tree water use on surface waters, and demonstrated how cross-hole seismicity could be used to derive aquifer storage parameters. Alexandra Badenhop presented her findings from several projects in the Namoi Catchment regarding variable salinity changes.

The CWI/NCGRT team was further represented by Professor Andy Baker, Monika Markowska (completing honours within CWI) and Helen Rutlidge (NCGRT postdoc).

Wendy Timms, Doug Anderson, Ian Acworth and Alexandra Badenhop

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The data loggers can be mounted on the sea or harbour floor, existing structures, or attached to a mooring line. Up to 30 million data samples can be internally logged, and with recent upgrades to battery life, these instruments can now be deployed to measure wave data for several months or tide data for over a year.

Analysis of data is undertaken with RBR’s Ruskin software which provides post processing estimates of:

• Mean water level
• Tide time series
• Wave time series
• Significant wave height (Hs)
• Min and max elevation from mean
• Mean wave period
• Mean zero crossing period
• Peak period
• Significant wave period
• Total energy

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During June and July, a team of research staff and students from WRL including Associate Professor Ian Turner, Dr Chris Blenkinsopp and Dr Martin Andersen were involved in a major European Union funded Coastal Engineering experiment at the Delta Flume in the Netherlands.

The project, BARDEX2 - standing for BARrier Dynamics EXperiment - is a follow up to a previous successful experiment and is a collaboration between leading coastal researchers from the Universities of Plymouth, Southampton, Delaware, UNSW, Utrecht, Algarve Bordeaux and New England. The experiment involved the construction of a sandy barrier-beach at prototype-scale in the unique Delta Flume facility.

The Delta Flume is owned and operated by Deltares and is the 2^nd largest wave flume of its kind in the world measuring 240 m in length, 5 m in width and 9.5 m in depth. The flume is equipped with a wave paddle capable of generating wave heights of up to 2.5 m, allowing researchers to simulate full-scale coastal processes in controlled laboratory conditions.

The experiment was completed to provide detailed new information about the response of a sand barrier-beach to changing wave and water level conditions. The beach itself measured 100 m in cross-shore extent, was 4.5 m high and was constructed from almost 3,000 tonnes of sand.  During the experimental runs, in excess of 100 different instruments were deployed in the flume to measure a comprehensive range of parameters including wave height, flow velocities in the surf and swash zone, suspended and bed load sediment concentrations, bed and swash surface elevation and through barrier groundwater flows. 

The data obtained from the project will be analysed over the next two years by six subgroups from within the BARDEX2 team who will focus on the following areas: barrier hydrology, swash and berm dynamics, barrier overwash, swash-surf zone exchange and bar dynamics, sediment re-suspension and bed morphology and numerical modelling. Initial results will be presented at a specific session of the International Coastal Symposium in Plymouth, England in 2013.

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- PA/Publications Officer -

Coral joined WRL in March 2012 as an Administrative Assistant and Publications Officer. Located in the Reception Office, Coral welcomes WRL’s visitors and students. In the role of Publications Officer, she is responsible for the proof reading, editing, production and distribution of the WRL Technical Report series. Coral began her career in secretarial studies and achieved a Bachelor of Social Work. Her career has been diverse as it includes working in the corporate, University, public health and community development sectors.

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Client: Greater Taree City Council
Year: 2012
Project Reference: 2012021

In conjunction with Greater Taree City Council, WRL has recently been commissioned to undertake a hydrologic study of a large coastal floodplain located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. In the early 1900s the site was extensively drained to encourage agricultural expansion and reduce local flooding. This drainage has lowered the groundwater table, encouraging sulphide oxidation, and the site is now identified as one of the worst acid sulphate soil hotspots for poor water quality in New South Wales.

This hydrology study will be undertaken in multiple stages over several months. The study aims to examine potential restoration strategies, prioritise actions and ensure that any on-ground measures do not negatively influence local flooding patterns. The first phase of the study has been completed and included collating all relevant literature and data available for the site including a field data collection campaign. The field work was required to ground-truth the aerial laser survey data (LiDAR), capture key landforms and structures at a higher accuracy, and obtain detailed cross-sections of the drains and canals across the site. WRL is currently developing a 1D-2D hydrodynamic model of the site, using the DHI MIKE modelling suite.

For this project, WRL staff are working with wetland experts from Wetland Care Australia. The project is led by Dr William Glamore with support from Bob Smith (Wetland Care Australia), Grantley Smith (WRL Manager), Jamie Ruprecht (Project Engineer), and Duncan Rayner (Modelling Support).

Further information can be obtained from Dr William Glamore at: w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au or (02) 8071 9868.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet
• Wetland Restoration Solutions

Last month WRL started an eight month project titled “Coastal Adaptation Needs for Extreme Events and Climate Change” for the main town of Avarua, on the island of Rarotonga. This project is being undertaken for the Climate Change Cook Islands division within the Office of the Prime Minister, and is funded under the Pacific Adaptation Strategy Assistance Program (PASAP).

Avarua lies on the cyclone prone north coast of Rarotonga, and is the administrative, economic and tourism hub of the Cook Islands. Within the study area are most government offices, the international airport, the main fuel stores, and the Avatiu harbour which processes all incoming freight to Rarotonga and the other Cook Islands. Previous cyclones impacting the study area, including the unprecedented five cyclones early in 2005, have caused significant damage to buildings and threatened infrastructure. 

Last week WRL Senior Coastal Engineer Matt Blacka travelled to Rarotonga for an initial scoping and stakeholder consultation visit. Over the study period WRL will undertake a range of activities for the project including topographic and bathymetric data collection, analysis of previous cyclone events and damage, analysis and predictions of wave processes and inundation during extreme events, including consideration of the effects of climate change on risk.

The last stage of the project will be to work with various groups within the Cook Islands Government and other stakeholders to establish an adaptation strategy for the area. WRL are looking forward to undertaking the wide ranging parts of the project and the complex nature of the coastal processes that impact the site.

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Client: Namoi Catchment Management Authority
Year: 2011-2012
Project Reference: 2011004
WRL Technical Report: Namoi Groundwater Mapping and Transition Zones (2012/01)

Groundwater in the Namoi catchment supports an irrigation industry worth in excess of $380 million per annum, and is the water supply for many towns and intensive industries such as feedlots.

The draft Namoi Catchment Action Plan (CAP) was developed by the Namoi CMA to give strategic direction to natural resource management in the region. The targets in the CAP were developed based on critical thresholds identified via a resilience assessment of the catchment. These included the critical threshold that “alluvial aquifers are not drawn down below historical maximum drawdown levels” (Critical Threshold 5) and the action of identifying areas of disconnected and semi-connected aquifers (or transition zones). Catchment Target Water 2 of the CAP is “by 2020 there is an improvement in the ability of groundwater systems to support groundwater dependent ecosystems and designated beneficial uses” (Namoi CMA, 2011). To achieve this target, the Namoi CMA developed a range of required actions. WRL’s Projects Team was awarded the contract to map the historical maximum drawdowns and areas of disconnected and semi-connected aquifers throughout the catchment.

WRL assessed groundwater level trends using hydrographs from representative monitoring bores. This historical analysis identified hotspots of drawdown and produced the first maps of maximum drawdown prior to 2011 across the catchment. These were compared with recent drawdown in 2011 to determine if the historical levels had been exceeded.

Mapping aquifer areas that were either connected to, disconnected from or semi-connected (in transition) to modern recharge required a number of steps. Firstly, connectivity between groundwater was assessed using a clustering analysis based on groundwater hydrograph shapes. Secondly, the connection of each cluster to recharge was analysed using past assessments and streamflow correlation with groundwater levels in each pipe. Finally, matrices of drawdown, long-term decline and streamflow correlation of pipes in each cluster were used to categorise the recharge connection status of each cluster as connected, transition or disconnected.

Much of the catchment would appear to be in transition or disconnected due to the large stresses and long-term decline occurring. This body of work will help the Namoi CMA further efforts in relation to groundwater as outlined in the Namoi CAP, thus ensuring groundwater systems are able to support groundwater dependent ecosystems and designated beneficial uses for future generations.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

Alessio visiting Ecoplage® beach drainage system in Sables-d’Olonne on the French Atlantic coast with Ecoplage CEO Jean-Yves Audrain. Several hundred metres of drain pipes are buried in the sand and connected to a pumping station.

After France, Alessio headed to the Dutch research institute Deltares in Delft. The Netherlands, with only about 450 kilometres of coastline, is world-leading in the fields of coastal engineering and coastal management. This is due to the ongoing fight Dutch people have been conducting against rising sea levels on subsiding land. Presently in the Netherlands, 9 million people are living below mean sea level and 70% of the gross domestic product is being earned from these areas (Mulder et al., 2011).

Alessio presented WRL activities to Deltares researchers and discussed the Dutch experience in coastal protection and management with Dr Jan Mulder and Dr Leo Van Rijn of the Morphology and Sediment Dynamics Department. Alessio also visited several stretches along the Holland coast where storm surge barriers, dune reconstruction and mega-nourishment are implemented.

 
Alessio standing on the 20 Million cubic metre sand renourishment of the Sand Motor on the Zuid-Holland coast. The Sand Motor is an innovative way of coastal protection and expansion.  

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Mulder, J.P.M., Hommesa, S. and Horstman, E.M. (2011) “Implementation of Coastal Erosion Management in the Netherlands”, Ocean & Coastal Management 54, 888-897

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The conference brought together over 500 worldwide representatives from universities, industry and coastal administrations to showcase the latest advances in coastal engineering including innovative practices to manage beach erosion, with over 25 attendees travelling from Australia.

At the conference, Dr Peirson (on behalf of the National Committee on Coastal and Ocean Engineering, Engineers Australia) also proposed to the conference organisers that ICCE2020 be held in Sydney.

Past and present WRL staff and students presenting at ICCE2012

Back row left to right:

Melissa Mole: Former WRL Projects Engineer, now a WRL PhD student studying beach dynamics

Professor Rodger Tomlinson: Professor of Coastal Management, Griffith University

A/Professor Bill Peirson: Director of WRL

Dan Howe: Former WRL honours student and now PhD student studying the stability of coastal sediment slopes

Dr Jens Figlus: Former WRL Practicum student, now appointed to Texas A&M University, Galveston

José Beyà: Former masters student (2009-2010) now appointed to the University of Valparaiso, Chile

Front row, left to right:

Dr Mitchell Harley: Former WRL honours and PhD student (2004 to 2008) presently at the University of Ferrara

Dr Bob You: Former PhD student (1988-1992), now with NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

Alessio Mariani: WRL Projects Engineer, presently travelling internationally undertaking a Churchill Scholarship

(Not pictured above: Dr Laurent Tarrade: Former WRL Projects Engineer, presently working at the Institute for Hydraulics of Calabria in Santander).

 
José, Alessio, Laurent, Bill, Mitch, Melissa and Jens

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After a tour of the research laboratories of the School of Renewable Energy, Dr Peirson met with Professor Meicheng Li (the Vice-Dean of the School of Renewable Energy) and Professor Changming Ji (Director of the Research Institute of Water Resources and Hydro-Electric Engineering) as well as staff and students within the School of Renewable Energy.

Dr Peirson presented the 53 year history of WRL in turbomachine hydraulic efficiency, practical implementation of pump and turbine systems and wave energy device efficiency. In a spirited discussion, Dr Peirson described present Australian strategies for the implementation of wave and tidal energy in Australia and answered questions regarding the strategic design of such systems.

Bill was kindly hosted for dinner in the evening by Professor Yougqian Liu, NCEPU’s Executive Dean of International Education with whom he discussed possible future collaborations between NCEPU and UNSW.

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- PhD Student -

Steven’s PhD studies relate to the design of dam spillways. Many spillways for large embankment dams discharge into an unlined rock channel or into the river bed either directly, through a flip bucket, or other energy dissipator. Plunging flows from concrete arch or gravity structures may similarly discharge onto a rock channel, plunge pool or concrete-lined section. Generally the unlined regions are sited in rock which is judged, using available design methods, to be resistant to erosion, at least for high frequency floods. A degree of erosion is tolerated, albeit at a high cost of repair.

There is significant uncertainty in current design methods, and recent revisions to design flood estimates in Australia have generally resulted in substantial increases in spillway discharge not considered in the original design with often much worse hydraulic conditions than the spillway was designed for. The question of how the unlined spillway or river bed downstream of the spillway will perform under such floods calls for improved design methods.

The PhD research commenced in February 2012, and aims to develop improved design techniques for such rock channels. The design techniques will be based on detailed laboratory testing; collation and review of field data; detailed analysis, and; appreciation of both hydraulics and rock mechanics principles. 

This work is being conducted in collaboration between the University of New South Wales, the Australian Research Council (under LP110100389), Elforsk AB, GHD Pty Ltd, Goulburn-Murray Water, Hydro Tasmania, Melbourne Water Corporation, Murray Darling Basin Authority, NSW Dams Safety Committee, NSW Public Works, SMEC Australia Pty Ltd, Southern Water, SunWater Ltd, Water Corporation of Western Australia, and URS Australia.

During his PhD studies, Steven will continue to contribute to the research and consulting activities at WRL and at Pells Consulting within his fields of expertise, hydrogeology and groundwater modelling, hydraulics and physical modelling, hydrology and surface water resources, and coastal engineering.

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“The 430 metre pier is quite an impressive facility, with beach profiles and wave data collected weekly for more than two decades, it significantly contributes to the advancement of knowledge in coastal engineering research” Alessio said after visiting HORS facility.

PARI researchers Mr Satoshi Nakamura (left) and Mr Shin-ichi Yanagishima (right) with Alessio Mariani (middle) at Hazaki Oceanographic Research Station pier, Japan.

During his visit, Alessio discussed beach erosion issues in Japan and related protection works with Dr Kuriyama, director of the Marine Environment and Engineering Department at PARI.

“It is interesting to observe that, with a land surface area over 20 times smaller than Australia, Japan has nevertheless a coastline of very similar length:  35,000 kilometres!” Alessio stated after the meetings at PARI.

Alessio in front of a T-type groin on the Japanese east coast. Debris from the March 2011 tsunamis are still being collected (as can be seen in the background) from the beaches along the coast.

Beach erosion is a major problem in Japan mainly due to the decrease in sediment supply from rivers and the enormous development on the coast, including the construction of port and coastal structures interrupting the natural sediment movement. It has only been since the late 70s and early 80s that coastal preservation started to play an important role, and sandy beaches were recognised as having a crucial function in disaster prevention (through wave energy dissipation) as well as for recreational use.   

“There is a lot that Australia can learn from the Japanese coastal engineering history and from their experience with both traditional and innovative physical interventions to mitigate beach erosion” Alessio concluded.

Alessio’s next stop on his Churchill Fellowship journey will be Mississippi, USA.

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Introduction to Coastal Management

Tentative Date: September 2012

Understanding the science of the coastal environment is becoming increasingly important for not only engineers and scientists, but also environmental officers, planners, policy makers, and managers working in a wide range of fields. This course is designed to introduce participants to the fundamental concepts of coastal management and the coastal environment. The course is a good introduction for people starting an engineering or science career in coastal management, or to allow members of other industries to communicate with coastal practitioners.

The course will provide background information on the key aspects of coastal management, provide direction on available guidelines and literature, and introduce the technical concepts of coastal processes and management.

Register Your Interest

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Floodplain Flow Behaviour - Fundamentals

Tentative Date: September 2012

Recent flood events in Newcastle in June 2007 and more recently in South East Queensland’s Lockyer Valley in January 2011 have highlighted the importance of having robust planning guidelines and building stability criteria for floodplains. These floods have also highlighted a requirement for accurate representation of flood behaviour to support land use planning and flood evacuation planning documentation.

A sound understanding of the fundamentals of floodplain flow behaviour is a basic requirement for anyone seeking to work in floodplain management or in flood insurance. The course is designed for practitioners and managers who have an interest in understanding the basis of floodplain flow behaviour.

The course is technical in nature and will equip the participants with a practical understanding of floodplain flow fundamentals. This fundamental knowledge is paramount for anyone seeking to develop or assess numerical floodplain models and to understand the basic floodplain flow information used to underpin floodplain planning and management or similarly, to assess floodplain risk and likely damages important to natural hazards analysts in the insurance industry.

Register Your Interest

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Wetland Hydrology Course - Restoring the Basics

Date: September 10-12, 2012

• Download Course Outline

Wetland construction, restoration, preservation and monitoring projects are underway throughout Australia. The primary component that links these projects is water management. This course will decipher the engineering language, detail the link between the ecological and the hydrological and explain the fundamentals of wetland hydrodynamics, water quality, restoration and hydrology for both surface and groundwater.

This 2.5 day training course will focus on wetland surface and groundwater hydrology, with modules on wetland hydrology, hydrodynamics, soils and groundwater, chemistry, design, hydraulics, modelling, and restoration techniques. The final day of the course is spent at the Ramsar listed Tomago Wetland reviewing on-ground restoration works, learning field techniques and undertaking sample analysis.

The course is designed for wetland practitioners with a background in management, ecology or planning; but who require further information on wetland hydrology. The course outcomes can assist in undertaking field campaigns, designing management plans, reviewing technical reports, planning wetland remediation projects and related wetland studies.

Note that course attendance is limited to 25 attendees and is allocated on a first come basis. Please contact Dr William Glamore at w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au or 02 8071 9868 for further details.

Register Your Interest

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The Lunchtime Seminar Series was kick-started with a week-long workshop presented by Dr Steven Hughes. Dr Hughes was formerly a Senior Research Hydraulic Engineer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory for 30 years, and has authored a comprehensive textbook about physical modelling and laboratory techniques as applied to coastal engineering. The workshop was highly valuable and ensured our physical modelling techniques are equal to world standards.

WRL has also attracted a range of key international speakers including the 2012 Darcy Lecturer, Professor Hassanizadeh of Utrecht University, who discussed capillarity in porous media, on micro- and macro scales; and Herbert Huppert of the University of Cambridge - a leading academic in fluid mechanics of dense currents. Both presentations were directly related to projects undertaken recently at WRL.

Recently WRL hosted a presentation by John Headland, one of five appointed Commissioners to PIANC USA and a Board Director for the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute. Over 80 guests visited WRL for this interesting and highly political talk on adaptive management approaches to sea level rise for coastal and port structures. The seminar was supported the Australian Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Settlements and Infrastructure (ACCARNSI), PIANC Australia, and Engineers Australia’s NSW Coastal, Ocean and Port Engineering Panel (COPEP).

Finally, last week WRL hosted Professor James Goff from the Australia-Pacific Tsunami Research Centre and Natural Hazards Research Laboratory at the University of New South Wales. Professor Goff provided an interesting seminar on tsunami behaviour and history across the Pacific Ocean over the past 700 years. 

If you are interested in attending a Lunchtime Seminar Series event please contact Jamie Ruprecht at: j.ruprecht@wrl.unsw.edu.au

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Client: Australian Rainfall and Runoff - Engineers Australia
Year: 2010-2012
Project Reference: 2010026

The floods in Queensland and Victoria in 2011 have been a timely reminder of how destructive and dangerous these types of natural disasters can be. While State and Local government authorities are busy with the important task of restoring infrastructure for communities in these flood affected areas, researchers at the University of New South Wales Water Research Laboratory (WRL) are working to assist planners and emergency managers to more effectively deal with future floods.

Sophisticated, two-dimensional numerical computer models are commonly being used to provide baseline data describing flood levels, depths and velocities in flood prone areas. Statistically analysed, these data can be used by planners and managers to define the risk and relative hazard (safety) of flood prone areas. The data can be used to determine a wide range of planning outcomes from safe evacuation routes out of flooded regions to whether areas are suitable for rebuilding or future development.

But how accurate and reliable are the baseline data from these models? A recent research project by Grantley Smith and Conrad Wasko, using funding from the Federal Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Engineers Australia, as part of the review of Australian Rainfall and Runoff, has used the advanced numerical and physical modelling capabilities of WRL to review current industry modelling practice.

A physical model of an urban floodplain in Merewether, a suburb of Newcastle, NSW has been built at WRL and calibrated to the famous ‘Pasha Bulker’ storm of June 2007. Detailed flow measurements from the physical model have been compared with predictions of the June 2007 flood from various numerical flood software packages commonly used by industry. The research has shown that there are numerous areas where modelling approaches can be improved. WRL’s report will inform the revision of industry guidelines and be included in the next edition of Australian Rainfall and Runoff. The findings can also be used to provide an improved assessment of building stability on floodplains.

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In the Press

• UNSW TV - Getting the Measure of Floods
• UNSW Engineers - Water, Water Everywhere
• Civil Engineers Australia - Modelling the Influence of Buildings on Flood Flow
• Newcastle Herald - Plain Model Shows Flow
• UNSW Newsroom - Improving Flood Planning
• Australian Water Association - AWA Water E-News
• UNSW Uniken - Flood Watch
• BBC News - The Quest to Beat Floodwaters in Australia

Downloads

• Project Sheet

The Water Research Laboratory centrifuge permeameter facility constructed for the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) is one of only two of its type in the world for hydraulic characterisation of aquitards including clayey sediments and rock drill core. The Broadbent G-18 geotechnical centrifuge (2 m diameter), commissioned in March 2011, includes a permeameter module (~500 g-max) and strong box module for physical modelling. An Allegra X-15R centrifuge with two specialist rotors (~11000 g-max) was commissioned in December 2011 for fluid-solid separations. The facility is available to researchers and provides services to industry. 

The centrifuge enables measurement of the hydraulic properties of aquitards. A multi-scaled approach of field and laboratory centrifuge testing, combined with numerical modelling is essential to fully characterise complex aquitard systems. Using the centrifuge, WRL can determine in-situ hydraulic storage and diffusivity of aquitards, quantify fluxes of water and contaminants through aquitards, and identify the significance of leakage pathways such as corroded bores.

The centrifuge provides opportunities for leading edge research focused on fluid flow processes over spatial and time scales that are not otherwise possible, simulating flow over thousands of years within a reasonable experimental time frame of weeks or months. Importantly, in-situ stresses can be applied. Pore pressures and core effluent can be analysed while the centrifuge is in operation. Advanced data acquisition systems (DAS) designed by UWA COFS and sensors that operate ‘in-flight’ provide continuous measurements in real-time and at in-situ stress conditions.

Centrifuge Applications

• Repeatable testing of recharge rates and permeability for a variety of sandy and clayey soils
• Physical models of long term performance of natural and engineered seepage barriers
• Measurement of contaminant retardation at in-situ stress conditions and liquid:solid ratios
• Efficient pore water extraction for estuarine muds and contaminated sediments
• Rapid measurement of soil-water-characteristic-curves for unsaturated sediments
• Interactions of contaminants that are geochemically reactive or subject to radioactive decay such as landfills, hazardous waste disposal, tailings containment and uranium mining

Centrifuge Specifications

Broadbent GMT GT 18/0.7 F:

• Speed 10 to 875 RPM, 18 g-tonne, 0.7 m radius
• Hydraulic rotary union 2x port 10 bar g
• Fibre optic rotary union

Permeameter Module:

• Effective radius 0.4 to 0.6 m
• Acceleration 514 g max, 428 g mean
• Diameter 100 mm max
• Length 200 mm max
• Payload volume 1.6 Litres
• Collection reservoir 1.0 Litre

Beam Module:

• Speed 10 to 638 RPM
• Acceleration 300 g max
• Effective radius 0.66 m
• Payload volume 5.4 Litres
• Payload size 100 x 300 mm, 180 mm high

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Downloads

• Facility Sheet

The Hunter Estuary Wetlands Ramsar site is located in the lower Hunter River estuary, along the central coast of New South Wales. Tomago Wetland lies immediately to the west of Fullerton Cove. As part of the Williamtown - Long Bight - Tomago Drainage Scheme, the levee bank, ring drain and other internal drains were enlarged by the NSW Public Works Department between 1968 and 1980 (MacDonald et al. 1997). These engineering works, including the installation of floodgates at the tidal boundary, ensured that tidal waters are excluded from Tomago Wetlands (i.e. the site drains via one-way tidal floodgates).

The drainage and exclusion of tidal waters within Tomago Wetland degraded the salt marsh ecosystem and fostered the growth of non-salt marsh species. Lowering of the groundwater table also oxidised sub-surface acid sulfate soils causing soil acidification. Grazing and other users of the site further degraded the previous ecosystem and reduced migratory wading bird habitat.

Tidal inundation was restored to the western portion of the site in 2007, with a culvert restricting exchange between the eastern and western sides installed as part of these works. As such the western half of Tomago Wetlands remains in an unrestored state. This study aimed to determine the impact of restoring tidal exchange at the eastern floodgates of Tomago Wetlands. Benefits of tidal restoration would include increased fish habitat, reduced weed growth, increase salt marsh habitat, improved bird roosting and feeding conditions and minimise acid sulfate soil impacts.

Two-Dimensional (2D) numerical modelling hydrodynamic tools were used to simulate the reintroduction of tidal exchange at the site and to determine the optimal configuration of on-ground structures. The existing restored inundation conditions in the western section of Tomago Wetlands were used to verify the model. To best simulate the hydrologic conditions onsite, a 1D model created of the large internal drains was linked to a 2D model of the overland wetland area using the MIKE Flood modelling software.

Model simulations were undertaken to determine what on-ground works would be required to limit the extent of tidal inundation and maximise saltmarsh growth. Further, a range of tests were undertaken to ensure that tidal inundation does not increase inundation depths on the previously restored western section or negatively impact upland stakeholders.

A range of modelling scenarios were undertaken to investigate different on-ground work options based on economic restraints, from relatively minor modification to higher cost levee bank and culvert construction options. The modelling scenarios investigated a full range of tidal water levels with particular attention given to design level heights. The results from the model are now being used to finalise on-ground structure design and proceed with Stage 2 and Stage 3 remedial works.

Further information can be obtained from Dr William Glamore at: w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au or (02) 8071 9868.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet
• SmartGate Environmental Control System Solutions
• Wetland Restoration Solutions

Client: Sydney Water
Year: 2011-2012
Project Reference: 2011086

As part of a large scale numerical modelling project, WRL was contracted by Sydney Water to undertake flow gauging of two locations in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River estuary. For calibration of the numerical model, flow and water quality measurements were required in multiple locations within the model domain. A total of six locations were co-currently gauged over a complete spring and neap tidal cycle.

An RDI Workhorse Monitor 600 kHz ADCP and a Sontek Riversurveyer M9 were utilised for flow measurement. Transects were repeated across the river over a 14 hour period, for both the spring and neap tide surveys, to capture the full flood and ebb tidal cycle. Previous bathymetric survey data collected by Sydney Water was assessed prior to ensure that locations with symmetric channel geometry were chosen.

As part of the flow gauging, water quality monitoring was also undertaken throughout the profile at hourly intervals.

All data was checked for quality and suppled to Sydney Water following the successful completion of the field program. The data collected by WRL, in conjunction with the 4 other river locations gauged, was used to calibrate to Hawkesbury-Nepean River estuary numerical model.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

WRL Project staff, Dr William Glamore, Duncan Rayner and Jamie Ruprecht, recently teamed up to undertake a range of exciting new research projects in wetland hydraulics and reflooding. The first of three projects currently underway aims to develop hydraulic relationships for predicting depth, top width and cross-sectional area of tidal channels as functions of tidal prism and marsh area, rather than discharge. By knowing the tidal prism of the wetland, it will be possible to design and predict the evolution trajectory of a given channel for wetland restoration projects throughout NSW.

These empirical hydraulic geometry relationships will provide a practical geomorphic based design tool to plan tidal wetland restoration projects (Williams et. al., 2002) and assess tidal channel stability, which is of key interest to a wide range of stakeholders. The relationships will be based on data obtained from field investigations for up to eight sites (of varying size) in the lower Hunter region of NSW. At least one control site within the Tomago wetland will be considered, and the remaining sites will be investigated for size and comparison purposes. Numerical modelling of these sites will be undertaken using a calibrated hydrodynamic model of the Tomago wetland.

Additional wetland research is currently underway examining: (i) Large scale overbank reflooding dynamics of tidal wetlands; (ii) transport dynamics of organic bed material; and (iii) predicting salt marsh distribution extents under changing climate pressures.

_________________________________________________

Chapter - Scholarly Research

Glamore, W.C. (2011) “Incorporating Innovative Engineering Solutions Into Tidal Restoration Studies, Restoring Tidal Flow to Salt Marshes: A Synthesis of Science and Management”, Island Press

Beya, J.F., Peirson, W.L. and Banner, M.L. (2011) “Rainfall-Generated, Near-Surface Turbulence, Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces” (pp. 90-103) Kyoto University Press, Japan

Peirson, W.L., Lee, G., Waite, C., Onesemo, P., et al (2011) “Evaporation Mitigation by Storage in Rock and Sand, Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces” (pp. 545-558) Kyoto University Press, Japan

Yan, X., Peirson, W.L., Walker, J.W. and Banner, M.L. (2011) “On Transitions in the Schmidt Number Dependency of Low Solubility Gas Transfer across Air-Water Interfaces, Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces” (pp. 333­-342) Kyoto University Press, Japan

Journal - Refereed & Scholarly Article

Austin, M., Masselink, G., Russell, P.E., Turner, I.L., et al (2011) “Alongshore Fluid Motions in the Swash Zone of a Sandy and Gravel Beach”, Coastal Engineering , 58, pp. 690-705

Baker, A., Fairchild, I., Wilson, R., Trouet, V., et al (2011) “High Resolution d18O and d13C Records from an Annually Laminated Scottish Stalagmite and Relationship with Last Millennium Climate”, Global and Planetary Change, 79, pp. 303-311

Baker, A., Gulliver, P., Ascough, P., Roe, J., et al (2011) “Assessing the Effect of Sterilisation on the Radiocarbon Signature of Freshwater Dissolved Organic Matter”, Radiocarbon, 53, pp. 659-663

Bieroza, M.Z., Baker, A. and Bridgeman, J. (2011) “Assessment of Low pH Coagulation Performance Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy”, Journal of Environmental Engineering - Asce, 137, pp. 596-601

Bieroza, M.Z., Baker, A. and Bridgeman, J. (2011) “Classification and Calibration of Organic Matter Fluorescence Data with Multiway Analysis Methods and Artificial Neural Networks: An Operational Tool for Improved Drinking Water Treatment”, Environmetrics, 22, pp. 256-270

Blenkinsopp, C.E., Masselink, G., Turner, I.L. and Russell, P.E. (2011) “Can Swash-by-Swash Velocity Moments be Used to Predict Net Cross-Shore Sediment Flux at the Beach Face?”, Australian Journal of Civil Engineering, 9, pp. 19-34

Blenkinsopp, C.E., Turner, I.L., Masselink, G. and Russell, P.E. (2011) “Swash Zone Sediment Fluxes: Field Observations”, Coastal Engineering, 58, pp. 28-44

Blenkinsopp, C.E. and Chaplin, J.R. (2011) “Void Fraction Measurements and Scale Effects in Breaking Waves in Freshwater and Seawater”, Coastal Engineering, 58, pp. 417-428

Blyth, A., Baker, A., Thomas, L. and van Calsteren, P. (2011) “A 2000 Year Lipid Biomarker Record Preserved in a Stalagmite from North-West Scotland”, Journal of Quaternary Science, 26, pp. 326-334

Jex, C.N., Baker, A., Eden, J.M., Eastwood, W.J., et al (2011) “A 500 yr Speleothem Derived Reconstruction of Late Autumn-Winter Precipitation, Northeast Turkey”, Quaternary Research, 75, pp. 399-405

Cumberland, S., Bridgeman, J., Baker, A., Stirling, M., et al (2011) “Fluorescence Spectroscopy as a Tool for Determining Microbial Quality in Potable Water Applications”, Environmental Technology

Davidson, M., Turner, I.L. and Guza, R. (2011) “The Effect of Temporal Wave Averaging on the Performance of an Empirical Shoreline Evolution Model”, Coastal Engineering, 58, pp. 802-805

Goel, G. and O’Carroll, D.M. (2011) “Experimental Investigation of Nonequilibrium Capillarity Effects: Fluid Viscosity Effects”, Water Resources Research, 47, pp. Art. No. W09507

Greve, A.K., Acworth, R.I. and Kelly, B.F.J. (2011) “3D Cross-Hole Resistivity Tomography to Monitor Water Percolation During Irrigation on Cracking Soil”, Soil Research, 49, pp. 661-669

Harley, M.D., Turner, I.L., Short, A. and Ranasisnghe, R. (2011) “A Re-Evaluation of Coastal Embayment Rotation: The Dominance of Cross-Shore Versus Alongshore Processes, Narrabeen-Collaroy Beach, Southeast Australia”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, pp. art.no. F04033

Harley, M.D., Turner, I.L., Short, A. and Ranasinghe, R. (2011) “Assessment and Integration of Conventional, RTK-GPS and Image-Derived Beach Survey Methods for Daily to Decadal Coastal Monitoring”, Coastal Engineering, 58, pp. 194-205

Hartland, A. (2011) “Size, Speciation and Lability of NOMmetal Complexes in Hyperalkaline Cave Dripwater”, Geochimica et Cosmochimica ACTA, 75, pp. 7533-7551

Hornsey, W., Carley, J.T., Coghlan, I.R. and Cox, R.J. (2011) “Geotextile Sand Container Shoreline Protection Systems: Design and Application”, Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 29, pp. 425-439

Kelly, B.F.J., Acworth, R.I. and Greve, A.K. (2011) “Better Placement of Soil Moisture Point Measurements Guided by 2D Resistivity Tomography for Improved Irrigation Scheduling”, Australian Journal of Soil Research, 49, pp. 504-512

Masselink, G., Turner, I.L., Williams, J. and Ferreira, O. (2011) “Detailed Analysis of Overwash on Gravel Barriers”, Journal of Coastal Research, SI64, pp. 10-14

Mattison, N.T., O’Carroll, D.M., Rowe, K. and Petersen, E.J. (2011) “Impact of Porous Media Grain Size on the Transport of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes”, Environmental Science and Technology, 45, pp. 9765-9775

Mudarra, M., Andreo, B. and Baker, A. (2011) “Characterisation of Dissolved Organic Matter in Karst Spring Waters Using Intrinsic Fluorescence: Relation with Infilration Process”, Science of the Total Environment, 409, pp. 3448-3462

Sano, M., Golshani, A., Splinter, K., Strauss, D., et al (2011) “A Detailed Assessment of Vulnerability to Climate Change in the Gold Coast, Australia”, Journal of Coastal Research, SI 64, pp. 245-249

Senechal, N., Abadie, S., Gallagher, E., Macmahan, J.H., Turner, I.L., et al (2011) “The ECORS- Truc Vert08 Nearshore Field Experiment: Presentation of a Three-Dimensional Morphologic System in a Macro-Tidal Environment During Consecutive Extreme Storm Conditions”, Ocean Dynamics, 61, pp. 2073-2098

Shand, T.D., Bailey, D. and Shand, R. (2011) “Automated Detection of Breaking Wave Height Using an Optical Technique”, Journal of Coastal Research

Shand, T.D. (2011) “Making Wave? A Rational Review of Artificial Surfing Reef Projects”, Journal of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, 79, pp. 12-16

Splinter, K., Holman, R.A. and Plant, N.G. (2011) “A Behaviour-Oriented Dynamic Model for Sand Bar Migration Sand 2DH Evolution”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, pp. C01020

Splinter, K., Strauss, D. and Tomlinson, R. (2011) “Assessment of Post-Storm Recovery of Beaches Using Video Imaging Techniques: A Case Study in the Gold Coast, Australia”, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 49, pp. 4704-4716

Timms, W.A., Young, R. and Huth, N. (2011) “Implications of Deep Drainage Through Saline Clay for Groundwater Recharge and Sustainable Cropping in a Semi-Arid Catchment, Australia”, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 8, pp. 10053-10093

Journal - Non Refereed Article

Timms, W.A. (2011) “How Do Major Floods Affect Aquifer Recharge?”, Irrigation Australia Journal, Summer 2011, pp. 22

Conference - Full Paper Refereed

Allis, M.J., Peirson, W.L. and Banner, M.L. (2011) “Application of LiDAR as a Measurement Tool for Waves”, 21st International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE-2011, Maui, HI, United States, June, 2011

Barthelemy, X., Peirson, W.L., Banner, M.L., Dias, F., et al (2011) “Numerical Study of a Breaking Wave Threshold Parameter”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Barthelemy, X., Beya, J.F., Peirson, W.L., Banner, M.L., et al (2011) “Velocities Profiles and Energy Beneath Near-Breaking Waves”, 21st International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE-2011, Maui, HI, United states, June, 2011

Blacka, M.J., Nilsen, A. and Colleter, G. (2011) “An Overview of the Use of Physical Models to Assess Wave Loading on Marine Structures”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Blenkinsopp, C.E., Turner, I.L., Mole, M.A., Garden, L., et al (2011) “Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for Measurement of Coastal Processes”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Busuttil, D., Peirson, W.L., Onesemo, P., et al (2011) “Laboratory Assessment of the Performance of Porous Coverings in Evaporation Mitigation”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Carley, J.T., Coghlan, I.R., Blacka, M.J., Cox, R.J., et al (2011) “Performance of Sand Filled Geotextile Container (Geocontainer) Structures in North Queensland During Tropical Cyclone Yasi”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Coghlan, I.R., Mole, M.A., Shand, T.D., Carley, J.T., et al (2011) “High Resolution Wave Modelling (HI-WAM) for Batemans Bay”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Colleter, G., Blacka, M.J., Van Staden, A. and Louys, J. (2011) “Mackay Breakwater Adaptation”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Gates, L., Dent, J. and Peirson, W.L. (2011) “Boussinesq Modelling of Shoaling Wave Groups”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Greve, A.K., Andersen, M.S. and Acworth, R.I. (2011) “Monitoring Water Migration Processes in Cracking Clay Soil with Depth Profiles of Square Array Resistivity Measurements”, Near Surface Geophysics, Leicester UK, September

Harry, M., Zhang, H., Colleter, G., Lemckert, C., Blenkinsopp, C.E., et al (2011) “Remote Sensing of Water Waves: Wave Flume Experiments on Regular and Irregular Waves”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Kearney, E., Turner, I.L., Wyeth, B. and Goodwin, I. (2011) “An Energy-Based Empirical Model of Storm-Induced Shoreline Erosion, Gold Coast, Australia”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Mariani, A. and Glamore, W.C. (2011) “Fate and Transport of Suspended Particulate Discharged into Marine Environments via Ocean Outfalls”, Hydrology and Water Resources, 34th IAHR World Congress, Brisbane, June 2011

Mole, M.A., Turner, I.L., Davidson, M. and Goodwin, I. (2011) “Forecasting Seasonal to Multi-Year Shoreline Change on the East Australian Coast”, Coasts and Ports 2011, Perth, September 2011

Mumford, P.J., Nippard, G., Middleton, J., Kearney, E., Turner, I.L., et al (2011) “The Airborne Science Imitative LiDAR Beach Survey: Development and Results”, International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Society IGNSS Symposium, Sydney, September

Quilliam, L., Cox, R.J., Campbell, P. and Wright, M. (2011) “Coastal Climate Change Impacts for Easter Island in 2100″, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Shand, T.D., Cox, R.J., Mole, M.A., Carley, J.T., et al (2011) “Coastal Storm Data Analysis: Provision of Extreme Wave Data for Adaptation Planning”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Shand, T.D., Smith, G.P., Cox, R.J. and Blacka, M.J. (2011) “Development of Appropriate Criteria for the Safety and Stability of Persons and Vehicles in Floods”, Hydrology and Water Resources, 34th IAHR World Congress, Brisbane, June 2011

Shand, T.D., Shand, R., McComb, P.J. and Johnson, D.L. (2011) “Evaluation of Empirical Predictors of Extreme Run-Up Using Field Data”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Splinter, K., Strauss, D. and Tomlinson, R. (2011) “Can We Reliably Estimate Dune Erosion Without Knowing Pre-Storm Bathymetry?”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Turner, I.L., Goodwin, I., Davidson, M., Short, A.D., et al (2011) “Planning for an Australian National Coastal Observatory Monitoring and Forecasting Coastal Erosion in a Changing Climate”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Widagdo, A.B., Cathers, B. and Peirson, W.L. (2011) “Consolidation and Response of Cohesive Sediment Beds Exposed to Water Waves”, Australian Coasts and Ports, Perth, September 2011

Yap, R., Holmes, M., Peirson, W.L., Stuetz, R.M., et al (2011) “Optimising DAF Treatment of Algae-Laden Lagoon Effluent Using Surface Charge: A Bolivar Treatment Plant Case Study”, 9th IWA Specialist Conference on Waste Stabilisation Ponds, Adelaide, Australia, August 2011

Conference - Full Paper, Not Refereed

Golshani , A., Splinter, K., Thurston, W. and Tomlinson, R. (2011) “Modelling of the 1996 East Coast Low Event in Southeast Queensland, Australia”, Queensland Coastal Conference, Cairns, QLD, October 2011

Mariani, A., Carley, J.T., Rayner, D.S., Miller, B.M., et al (2011) “Stabilisation of the Tutong River Entrance, Brunei”, Conference on Coastal Engineering Practice, San Diego, August 2011

Mumford, P.J., Nippard, G., Middleton, J., Kearney, E., et al (2011) “The Airborne Science Initiative LiDAR Beach Survey; Development and Results”, International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Society Symposium, Sydney

Pritchard, T., Turner, I.L., Goodwin, I.D., Davidson, M.A., et al (2011) “Prospects for a National Observatory”, NSW Coastal Conference, Tweed Heads, November 2011

Shand, T.D., Wasko, C.D., Goodwin, I., Carley, J.T., et al (2011) “Long Term Trends in NSW Coastal Wave Climate and Derivation of Extreme Design Storms”, NSW Coastal Conference 2011, Tweed Heads, November 2011

Splinter, K., Palmsten, M., Holman, R.A., and Tomlinson, R. (2011) “Comparison of Measured and Modelled Run-Up and Resulting Dune Erosion During a Lab Experiment”, Coastal Sediments, Miami, FL, USA, May 2011

Strauss, D., Splinter, K. and Tomlinson, R. (2011) “Beach Nourishment and Coastal Protection Along the Gold Coast, Australia: A Case Study at Palm Beach”, Coastal Sediments, Miami, FL, USA, May 2011

Conference - Abstract Only

Andersen, M.S., Neilson, K. and Acworth, R.I. (2011) “An Investigation into Recharge Sources in a Semi-Arid Mountain Front Aquifer Using Stable Isotopes Signatures and Groundwater Chemistry”, 11th Australasian Environmental Isotope Conference & 4th Australasian Hydrogeology Research Conference, Cairns, Queensland

Andersen, M.S., Rau, G.C., McCallum, A.M., Meredith, K., et al (2011) “Constraining Water Fluxes through the Streambed of a Semi-Arid Losing Stream Using Natural Tracers: Heat and Radioisotopes”, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, December

Andersen, M.S., Rau, G.C., McCallum, A.M., Meredith, K., et al (2011) “Groundwater Recharge and Geochemical Processes in a Semi-Arid Losing Stream Using Temperature, Isotopes and Geochemistry”, 11th Australasian Environmental Isotope Conference & 4th Australasian Hydrogeology Research Conference, Cairns, Queensland

Andersen, M.S., Rau, G.C., McCallum, A.M. and Acworth, R.I. (2011) “Redox Processes and Arsenic Release in the Streambed of a Semi-Arid Losing Stream”, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, December

Badenhop, A.M., Timms, W.A., Kelly, B.F.J., Witts, B., et al (2011) “Are Groundwater Salinity Changes in the Namoi Catchment Leading to the Degradation of Beneficial Uses?”, NSW IAH Symposium 2011 - Uncertainty in Hydrology, Sydney, September 2011

Baker, A., Kelly, B.F.J. and Mariethoz, G. (2011) “Quantifying the Value of Laminated Stalagmites for Paleoclimate Reconstructions”, AGU Fall Meeting 2011, San Francisco, December

Blakers, R., Kelly, B.F.J., Anderssen, R., Mariethoz, G. and Timms, W.A. (2011) “3D Dendrogram Analysis for Mapping Aquifer Connectivity and Flow Model Structure”, MODFLOW and More 2011: Integrated Hydrologic Modelling, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, June

Brander, R., Turner, I.L., Jones, B., Jones, W., et al (2011) “Measurements of Rip Current Flow and Swimmer Behaviour in Australian Rip Current Systems Using Low Cost GPS: Implications for Beach Safety”, World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2011, Danang, Vietnam, May

Glamore, W.C. (2011) “Restoring and Creating Coastal Wetlands: Methods, Lessons and Recommendations”, Challenges in Environmental Science and Engineering, Cairns, Qld, September 2010

Greve, A.K., Timms, W.A. and Rogan, A. (2011) “Disconnected Waters in the Gunnedah Basin? Part 1: Geophysical Field Methods to Characterise Geological Barriers to Flow”, NSW IAH Symposium 2011 - Uncertainty in Hydrogeology, Sydney, September 2011

Jex, C.N., Mariethoz, G., Baker, A., Andersen, M.S., et al (2011) “Tracing Hydrological Variability and Isotopic Composition of Waters from Surface to Cave at the Wellington Caves in SE Australia: Paleoclimate Implications”, INQUIA Conference, Bern, Switzerland, July 2011

Kelly, B.F.J., Giambastiani, B., Baker, A., et al (2011) “Neogene Climate Change and the Impact on the Hydrostatigraphy of the Lower Namoi Catchment, Australia”, AGU Fall Meeting 2011, San Francisco

Larsen, J.R., Mariethoz, G., Andersen, M.S. and Kelly, B.F.J. (2011) “Long Term Water Quality Trends in Australia’s Largest River Basins”, European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2011, Vienna, Austria, April 2011

Larsen, J.R., Cendon, D.I., Nanson, G.C., Jones, B.G., et al (2011) “The Origin, Transport, and Concentration of Salts in the Australian Landscape”, 13th Australian and New Zealand Geomorphology Group (ANZGG), Omaru, New Zealand, 2011

Rau, G.C., Andersen, M.S. and Acworth, R.I. (2011) “Is Thermal Dispersivity Significant for the Use of Heat as a Tracer?”, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, December

Regmi, G., Timms, W.A., Greve, A.K., Bambrook, B., et al (2011) “Disconnected Waters in the Gunnedah Basin? II Part 2: Centrifuge Technology to Characterise Geological Barriers to Flow”, NSW IAH Symposium 2011 - Uncertainty in Hydrogeology, Sydney, September 2011

Short, M., Peirson, W.L., Ashbolt, N. and Peters, G. (2011) “Fugitive Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Marine Wastewater Disposal a Laughing Matter?”, 7th Australian Life Cycle Assessment Conference, Melbourne, Australia, March 2011

Timms, W.A., Kelly, B.F.J., Blakers, R., Farley, C., et al (2011) “Implications of 3D Geological Architecture for Surface-Groundwater Connectivity in the Mooki Catchment”, NSW IAH Symposium 2011 ­Uncertainty in Hydrogeology, Sydney, September 2011

Conference - Presentation, Not Published

Cox, R.J. (2011) “People and Vehicle Safety in Flooding Waters - ARR Project 10 Update”, NSW Floodplain Management Conference, Tamworth, February 2011

Pritchard, T., Turner, I.L., Goodwin, I., Davidson, M., et al (2011) “Prospects for an National Coastal Observatory”, 20th NSW Coastal Conference, Tweed Heads, November

Timms, W.A. (2011) “Groundwater Hydrology: The Basics”, NCGRT Groundwater for Decision Makers, Canberra, September 2011

Timms, W.A. (2011) “Groundwater Research Update for the Upper Namoi Catchment”, Groundwater Workshop, Upper Namoi, Gunnedah, March 2011

Timms, W.A. (2011) “Managed Aquifer Recharge”, NCGRT Introduction to Groundwater and Surface Water Interaction, Sydney, March 2011

Timms, W.A. (2011) “Recharge and Leakage through Clay Sediment”, NCGRT Hydrology Research Discovery, Gunnedah, August 2011

Conference - Poster, Not HERDC

Andersen, M.S., Meredith, K., Timms, W.A. and Acworth, R.I. (2011) “Investigation of 8O and H in the Namoi River Catchment Surface Water/Groundwater Interactions”, NSW IAH Symposium 2011 - Uncertainty in Hydrogeology, Sydney, September 2011

Regmi, G., Timms, W.A., Acworth, R.I., Whelan, M., et al (2011) “Characterisation of Hydraulic Properties of Clay Aquitards in the Namoi Catchment”, 4th Australasian Hydrogeology Research Conference, Cairns, July 2011

Timms, W.A., Whelan, M. and Regmi, G. (2011) “Contaminant Retardation of 10,000 within Aquitards: Development of Centrifuge Permeameter Techniques”, 2nd Canadian Symposium on Aquitard Hydrgeology, Ottawa, June 2011

Chapter - Scholarly Research

Glamore, W.C. (2010) “Incorporating Innovative Engineering Solutions Into Tidal Restoration Studies, Restoring Tidal Flow to Salt Marshes: A Synthesis of Science and Management”, Island Press

Journal - Refereed & Scholarly Article

Greve, A.K., Acworth, I.R. and Kelly, B.F.J. (2010) “Detection of Subsurface Soil Cracks by Vertical Anisotropy Profiles of Apparent Electrical Resistivity”, Geophysics, 75, pp. WA85-WA93

Greve, A.K., Andersen, M.S. and Acworth, I.R. (2010) “Investigations of Soil Cracking and Preferential Flow in a Weighing Lysimeter”, Journal of Hydrology, 393, pp. 105-113

Baker, A., Asrat, A., Fairchild, I.J., Leng, M.J., et al (2010) “Decadal Scale Rainfall Variability in Ethiopia Recorded in an Annually Laminated, Holocene-age, Stalagmite”, Holocene, 20, pp. 827-836

Bieroza, M.Z., Bridgeman, J. and Baker, A. (2010) “Fluorescence Spectroscopy as a Tool for Determination of Organic Matter Removal Efficiency at Water Treatment Works”, Drinking Water Engineering Science, 3, pp. 63-70

Blenkinsopp, C.E. and Chaplin, J.R. (2010) “Bubble Size Measurements in Breaking Waves Using Optical Fiber Phase Detection Probes”, IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 35, pp. 388-401

Blenkinsopp, C.E., Mole, M.A., Turner, I.L. and Peirson, W.L. (2010) “Measurements of the Time-Varying Free-Surface Profile Across the Swash Zone Obtained using an Industrial LIDAR”, Coastal Engineering

Blenkinsopp, C.E., Turner, I.L., Masselink, G. and Russell, P.E. (2010) “Swash Zone Sediment Fluxes: Field Observations”, Coastal Engineering, 58, pp. 28-44

Blenkinsopp, C.E., Turner, I.L., Masselink, G. and Russell, P.E. (2010) “Validation of Volume Continuity Method for Estimation of Cross-Shore Swash Flow Velocity”, Coastal Engineering, 57, pp. 953-958

Bradley, C., Baker, A., Jex, C.N. and Leng, M.J. (2010) “Hydrological Uncertainties in the Modelling of Cave Drip-Water Delta-18O and the Implications for Stalagmite Palaeoclimate Reconstructions”, Quaternary Science Reviews, 29, pp. 2201-2214

Bradley, C. and Baker, A. (2010) “Modern Stalagmite Delta-18O: Instrumental Calibration and Forward Modelling”, Global and Planetary Change, 71, pp. 201-206

Carstea, E., Baker, A., Bieroza, M.Z. and Reynolds, D.M. (2010) “Continuous Fluorescence Excitation Emission Matrix Monitoring of River Organic Matter”, Water Research, 44, pp. 5356-5366

Cendon, D.I., Larsen, J.R., Jones, B.G., Nanson, G.C., et al (2010) “Freshwater Recharge into a Shallow Saline Groundwater System, Cooper Creek Floodplain, Queensland, Australia”, Journal of Hydrology, 392, pp. 150­-163

Cohen, T.J., Nanson, G.C., Larsen, J.R., Jones, B.G., et al (2010) “Late Quaternary Aeolian and Fluvial Interactions on the Cooper Creek Fan and the Association Between Linear and Source-Bordering Dunes, Strzelecki Desert, Australia”, Quaternary Science Reviews, 29, pp. 455-471

Davidson, M.A., Lewis, R.P. and Turner, I.L. (2010) “Forecasting Seasonal to Multi-Year Shoreline Change”, Coastal Engineering, 57, pp. 620-629

Fernando, D.R., Mizuno, T., Woodrow, I.E., Baker, A.J., et al (2010) “Characterisation of Foliar Mn in Mn-(hyper) Accumulators using X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy”, New Phytologist, 188, pp. 1014-1027

Greve, A.K., Acworth, R.I. and Kelly, B.F.J. (2010) “Detection of Subsurface Soil Cracks by Vertical Anisotropy Profiles of Apparent Electrical Resistivity”, Geophysics, 75, pp. WA85-WA93

Hambly, A., Henderson, R.K., Storey, M., Baker, A., et al (2010) “Fluorescence Monitoring at a Recycled Water Treatment Plant and Associated Dual-Distribution System - Implications for Cross Connection Detection”, Water Research, 44, pp. 5323-5333

Hambly, A., Henderson, R.K., Baker, A., Stuetz, R.M., et al (2010) “Fluorescence Monitoring for Cross-Connection Detection in Water Reuse Systems: Australian Case Studies”, Water Science and Technology, 61, pp. 155-162

Hambly, A., Henderson, R.K., Baker, A., Stuetz, R.M. and et al (2010) “Probabilistic Analysis of Fluorescence Signals for Monitoring Dual Reticulation Water Recycling Schemes”, Water Science and Technology, 62, pp. 2059-2065

Hartland, A., Fairchild, I.J., Lead, J.R. and Baker, A. (2010) “Fluorescent Properties of Organic Carbon in Cave Dripwaters: Effects of Filtration, Temperature and pH”, Science of the Total Environment, 408, pp. 5940-5950

Hartland, A., Wynn, P., et al (2010) “The Dripwaters and Speleothems of Pooles Cavern: A Review of Recent and Ongoing Research”, Cave and Karst Science, 36, pp. 37-46

Jex, C.N., Baker, A., Fairchild, I.J., Eastwood, W.J., et al (2010) “Calibration of Speleothem Delta-18O with Instrumental Climate Records from Turkey”, Global and Planetary Change, 71, pp. 207-217

Ladd, B.M., Larsen, J.R. and Bonser, S.P. (2010) “Effect of Two Types of Tree Guards (With and Without Weed Control) on Tree Seedling Establishment”, Ecological Management and Restoration, 11, pp. 75-76

Leng M.J., Baneschi, I., Zanchetta, G., Jex, C.N., et al (2010) “Late Quaternary Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction from Lakes Ohrid and Prespa (Macedonia/Albania Border) using Stable Isotopes”, Biogeosciences, 7, pp. 3109-3122

Masselink, G., Russell, P.E., Blenkinsopp, C.E. and Turner, I.L. (2010) “Swash Zone Sediment Transport, Step Dynamics and Morphological Response on a Gravel Beach”, Marine Geology, 274, pp. 50-68

Morris, B.D. and Turner, I.L. (2010) “Morphodynamics of Intermittently Open-Closed Coastal Lagoon Entrances: New Insights and a Conceptual Model”, Marine Geology, 271, pp. 55-66

Muller, C.L., Kidd, C., Fairchild, I.J. and Baker, A. (2010) “Investigation into Clouds and Precipitation Over an Urban Area using Micro Rain Radars, Satellite Remote Sensing and Fluorescence Spectrophotometry”, Atmospheric Research, 96, pp. 241-255

Rau, G.C., Andersen, M.S., McCallum, A.M. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Analytical Methods that use Natural Heat as a Tracer to Quantify Surface Water Groundwater Exchange, Evaluated using Field Temperature Records”, Hydrogeology Journal, 18, pp. 1093-1110

Spencer, R.G.M., Hernes P., Ruf, R., Baker, A., et al (2010) “Temporal Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter and Lignin Biogeochemistry in a Pristine Tropical River, Democratic Republic of Congo”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 115, pp. G03013-15

Conference - Full Paper Refereed

Glamore, W.C., Rayner, D.S. and Miller, B.M. (2010) “Design of an Ebb Tide Release”, Australasian Coasts and Ports Conference 2009, Wellington, New Zealand, September 2009

Glamore, W.C. (2010) “Restoring Coastal Wetlands: Engineering Nature and Managing Expectations”, Australasian Coasts and Ports Conference 2009, Wellington, New Zealand, September 2009

Horne, S. and Peirson, W.L. (2010) “Interactions Between Straight Channels and their Floodplains”, 32nd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, Newcastle, November 2009

Rayner, D.S. and Glamore, W.C. (2010) “Understanding the Transport and Buffering Dynamics of Acid Plumes in Estuaries”, Australasian Coasts and Ports Conference 2009, Wellington, New Zealand, September 2009

Shand, T.D., Cox, R.J., Smith, G.P. and Blacka, M.J. (2010) “Appropriate Criteria for the Safety and Stability of People in Stormwater Design”, National Conference of the Stormwater Industry Association, Sydney, Australia, November, 2010

Ward, J., Andersen, M.S., Appleyard, S. and Clohessy, S. (2010) “Acidification and Trace Metal Mobility in Soil and Shallow Groundwater on the Gnangara Mound, Western Australia”, World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World, Brisbane, Australia, August 2010

Conference - Full Paper, Not Refereed

Andersen, M.S., McCallum, A.M., Meredith, K. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Investigation of Recharge Pathways and Recharge Rates using Environmental Isotopes (2H, 18O, 14C and 3H) in the Maules Creek Catchment, NSW, Australia”, XXXVIII - IAH Congress, Krakow, Poland, September

Beya, J.F., Peirson, W.L. and Banner, M.L. (2010) “Attenuation of Gravity Waves by Turbulence”, International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Shanghai, China, 2010

Carley, J.T., Shand, T.D., Coghlan, I.R., Blacka, M.J., et al (2010) “Beach Scraping as a Coastal Management Option”, 19th NSW Coastal Conference 2010, Batemans Bay, NSW, November 2010

Coad, P., Kadluczka, R., Cathers, B., Van Senden, D., et al (2010) “A Telemetric Monitoring System for Estuarine Algal Bloom Management”, 18th New South Wales Coastal Conference 2009, Ballina NSW, November 2009

Mariani, A., Carley, J.T. and Miller, B.M. (2010) “Infilling and Sand Bypassing of Coastal Structures and Headlands by Littoral Drift”, 19th NSW Coastal Conference, Batemans Bay NSW, November

McCallum, A.M., Andersen, M.S., Rau, G.C. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Investigation of Surface Water-Groundwater Interactions and Temporal Variability of Streambed Hydraulic Conductivity using Streambed Temperature Data”, XXXVIII - IAH Congress, Krakow, Poland, September

Rau, G.C., Andersen, M.S. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Uncertainty of Vertical Streambed Seepage Rates Under Realistic Field Conditions using Diel Temperature Fluctuations”, 38th IAH Congress, Krakow, Poland, September 2010

Shand, T.D., Goodwin, I., Carley, J.T., Mole, M.A., et al (2010) “Coastal Storms and Extreme Waves”, NSW Coastal Conference, Batemans Bay, NSW, 2010

Shand, T.D., Peirson, W.L. and Cox, R.J. (2010) “The Effect of Wave Groupiness on Engineering Design”, International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Shanghai, China, 2010

Tarbotton, C., Dominey-Howes, D., Goff, J. and Turner, I.L. (2010) “From Source to Impact: Integrating Hydrodynamic Models into Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment Models”, Indian Ocean Tsunami Modelling Symposium, Freemantle, WA, October

Turner, I.L. and Harley, M.D. (2010) “Wave Climate Variability and Coastal Change - The Value of Sustained Coastal Monitoring Around Australia’s Coastline”, Australian Wind Waves Research Science Symposium, Gold Coast, Queensland, May

Conference - Abstract Only

Andersen, M.S. (2010) “Geochemical and Water Quality Implications of Changing Dynamics in Surface Water Groundwater Interactions”, Australian Earth Sciences Convention (AESC), Canberra, July

Andersen, M.S., Rau, G.C., McCallum, A.M. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “On the Temporal Variability of Streambed Hydraulic Conductivity”, Groundwater 2010, Canberra, Australia, 2010

Couriel, E. and Carley, J.T. (2010) “Surfing Reefs - Dollars and Sense”, 7th International Surfing Reef Symposium, Bondi Beach, March 2010

Giambastiani, B., McCallum, A.M., Andersen, M.S., Kelly, B.F.J., et al (2010) “Using Groundwater Modelling to Enhance the Understanding of the Maules Creek Alluvial Aquifer, Upper Namoi, NSW”, 1st Australia & New Zealand FEFLOW Users Workshop, Sydney, May 2010

Larsen, J.R., Cendon, D.I., Nanson, G.C. and Jones, B.G. (2010) “Radiocarbon and Geochemical Constraints on Shallow Groundwater Recharge in a Large Arid Zone River, Cooper Creek, SW Queensland, Australia”, 7th European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2010, Vienna, Austria, May 2010

Mariani, A. (2010) “Infilling and Sand Bypassing of Coastal Structures and Headlands by Littoral Drift”, Coasts to Coasts, Adelaide, September

May, J.H., Larsen, J.R., Cohen, T.J. and Nanson, G.C. (2010) “Mt. Chambers Creek Alluvial Fan - A Recorder for Late Quaternary Flow Regime Changes Along the Eastern Flinders Ranges (South Australia)”, 7th European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2010, Vienna, Austria, May 2010

Shand, T.D. (2010) “The Use of Physical and Numerical Models for Coastal Applications”, NZ Coastal Society Conference, Whitianga, New Zealand, 2010

Timms, W.A., Hendry, M.J., Kerrich, R., Muise, J., et al (2010) “Retardation of Rare Earth Metals in Clay Barriers Innovative Application of Centrifuge Modelling and Laser Ablation ICP-MS”, 10th Australasian Environmental Isotope Conference & 3rd Australasian Hydrogeology Research Conference, Perth, Western Australia, December 2009

Conference - Proceedings Editor

Coghlan, I.R., Peirson, W.L. and Greenslade, D.J. (2010) “Proceedings of the Australian Wind Waves Research Science Symposium”, Australian Wind Waves Research Science Symposium, Gold Coast, Queensland, May

Conference - Presentation, Not Published

Andersen, M.S. and Timms, W.A. (2010) “Groundwater Research at Maules Creek and Water Quality in the Namoi Catchment”, 2010 Cotton Science Conference, Narrabri, NSW, October 2010

Andersen, M.S., Acworth, R.I., Rau, G.C. and McCallum, A.M. (2010) “Investigations of Surface Water Groundwater Interactions in a Water Stressed Semi-Arid Catchment”, Namoi Groundwater Forum, Tamworth, NSW, December 2010

Andersen, M.S., Rau, G.C., McCallum, A.M. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Investigations of Surface Water Groundwater Interactions in a Water Stressed Semi-Arid Catchment”, University of Copenhagen Geocenter seminar, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2010

Andersen, M.S. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Water Quality and Ecological Implications of Changing Dynamics in Surface Water Groundwater Interactions”, USGS seminar, Menlo Park, CA, USA, July 2010

Pells, S.E., Timms, W.A., Carley, J.T., Andersen, M.S., et al (2010) “Potential Impact of Sea-Level Rise on Coastal Aquifers”, Groundwater 2010, Canberra, Australia, 2010

Smith, G.P. (2010) “Two Dimensional Flood Modelling Data Requirements”, Flood Management Authorities Conference, Gosford, February 2010

Timms, W.A., Whelan, M., Greve, A.K. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Centrifuge Permeameter Testing, Cores, Bores and Geophysics for Characterising Aquitards and Leaks”, Groundwater 2010, Canberra, Australia, 2010

Timms, W.A. (2010) “Connected Waters, Disconnected Waters”, Water Forum Blue Mountains City Council, Katoomba, NSW, October

Timms, W.A., Kelly, B.F.J., Jones, P., et al (2010) “Evaluating Groundwater Quality Trends, Risks of Aquifer Salinisation and Aquifer Connectivity, Namoi Catchment, Murray-Darling Basin”, Groundwater 2010, Canberra, Australia, 2010

Timms, W.A. (2010) “Reality Bytes - An Evolution of Numerical Groundwater Modelling in Research and Consulting”, 1st Australia & New Zealand FEFLOW Users Workshop, Sydney, May 2010

Timms, W.A. (2010) “Where’s the Salt Gone? Groundwater Quality Issues in the Namoi Catchment”, Groundwater Forum, Tamworth, NSW, December 2010

Conference - Poster, Not HERDC

Andersen, M.S., Meredith, K., Timms, W.A. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Investigation of d18O and d2H in the Namoi River Catchment Surface Water/Groundwater Interactions”, 15th Australian Cotton Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, August

Andersen, M.S., Serov, P. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Linking Hyporheic Zone Water Chemistry and Streambed Ecology to Groundwater Discharge and Recharge, Maules Creek, NSW, Australia”, 15th Australian Cotton Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, August

Timms, W.A., Kelly, B., Badenhop, A.M., et al (2010) “Groundwater Monitoring, Evaluation and Grower Survey, Namoi Catchment”, 2010 Australian Cotton Conference, Gold Coast, August 2010

Timms, W.A. (2010) “Introducing the NCGRT Centrifuge Permeameter Facility, Sydney, Australia”, International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics 2010, Zurich, Switzerland, 2010

WRL Technical Reports

Blacka, M.J., Carley, J.T. and Cox, R.J. (2010) “Coastal Risk Management Report for the North Palm Beach Surf Live Saving Clubhouse, Palm Beach”, WRL Technical Report 2010/22, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Carley, J.T. and Cox, R.J. (2010) “Design Setbacks for Coastal Land”, WRL Technical Report 2008/25, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Carley, J.T. and Mole, M.A. (2010) “Pittwater Estuarine Risk Management Report for Proposed Boatshed at 165 Riverview Road, Clareville”, WRL Technical Report 2010/07, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Carley, J.T. and Mole, M.A. (2010) “Update of Tweed Shire Coastal Hazard Lines”, WRL Technical Report 2010/11, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Coghlan, I.R., Mole, M.A., Shand, T.D., Carley, J.T., et al (2010) “High Resolution Wave Modelling (HI-WAM) for Batemans Bay Detailed Wave Study”, WRL Technical Report 2010/19, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Glamore, W.C. and Coghlan, I.R. (2010) “Museum Quay Marina, Darling Harbour: 3D Wave Basin Testing of Entrance Conditions”, WRL Technical Report 2007/27, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Glamore, W.C. and Badenhop, A.M. (2010) “Shellharbour Outfall Commissioning: Dilution Testing, December 2006″, WRL Technical Report 2007/06, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Glamore, W.C. and Hawker, K. (2010) “Shellharbour Outfall Commissioning: Dilution Testing, May 2007″, WRL Technical Report 2007/23, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Glamore, W.C. and Coghlan, I.R. (2010) “Wavescreen Design Testing at Museum Quay Marina, Darling Harbour”, WRL Technical Report 2006/16, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Mariani, A. and Glamore, W.C. (2010) “Particulate Property Testing Report, Gunns Pulp Mill”, WRL Technical Report 2010/10, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Miller, B.M., Ruprecht, J.E. and Glamore, W.C. (2010) “Christchurch Ocean Outfall Diffuser Trials”, WRL Technical Report 2010/14, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Miller, B.M., Coghlan, I.R. and Cunningham, I. (2010) “Three Dimensional Physical Modelling of Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal Apron Widening”, WRL Technical Report 2006/13, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Pells, S.E. and Mehrabi, S. (2010) “Groundwater Characterisation and Numerical Modelling for Rainbow Beach Estate”, WRL Technical Report 2009/32, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Pells, S.E. (2010) “Review of Catchment Processes for the Subcatchment to Flemington Road Pond P2″, WRL Technical Report 2009/30, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Pells, S.E. (2010) “Review of Proposed Geothermal Heat Pump Applications Energy Australia Building, Holker Street, Silverwater”, WRL Technical Report 2009/29, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Rayner, D.S., Wasko, C.D. and Miller, B.M. (2010) “Routine Modelling of the Sydney Deepwater Outfalls 2007-2009: Statistical Report”, WRL Technical Report 2009/23, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Shand, T.D., Cox, R.J., Blacka, M.J. and Smith, G.P. (2010) “Appropriate Safety Criteria for Vehicles in Floods”, WRL Research Report RR241, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Shand, T.D., Carley, J.T. and Mole, M.A. (2010) “Mornington Pier Upgrade: 2D Physical Model Testing”, WRL Technical Report 2010/08, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Shand, T.D., Peirson, W.L., Banner, M.L. and Cox, R.J. (2010) “Predicting Hazardous Conditions for Rock Fishing - A Physical Model Study”, WRL Research Report RR234, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Smith, G.P., Glamore, W.C., Miller, B.M. and Ruprecht, J.E. (2010) “Dye Tracer Testing of the Sydney Desalination Plant Outfall: 26th and 27th August 2010″, WRL Technical Report 2010/27, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Tarrade, L. and Miller, B.M. (2010) “Physical Modelling of the Victorian Desalination Plant Outfall”, WRL Technical Report 2010/06, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Timms, W.A., Badenhop, A.M., Rayner, D.S. and Mehrabi, S. (2010) “Groundwater Monitoring, Evaluation and Grower Survey, Namoi Catchment, Report No. 2, Part A: Results of 2009 Groundwater Monitoring and Recommendations for Future Best Practice Monitoring Framework, Part B: Groundwater User Survey”, WRL Technical Report 2009/25, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Timms, W.A., Wasko, C.D., Pells, S.E. and Miller, B.M. (2010) “Ranger Pit No.1 - Groundwater Flow Modelling of Post-closure Conditions”, WRL Technical Report 2010/15, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Wasko, C.D., Williams, D.F. and Miller, B.M. (2010) “Hydrodynamic and Sedimentation Modelling for the East Arm Port Expansion, Darwin Harbour”, WRL Technical Report 2010/02, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

Webb, T., Glamore, W.C. and Mariani, A. (2010) “Particulate Transport Modelling Report, Gunns Pulp Mill”, WRL Technical Report 2010/24, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

WRL Research Reports

Giambastiani, B., McCallum, A.M., Andersen, M.S. and Acworth, R.I. (2010) “Maules Creek Project: A Groundwater Flow Model of the Maules Creek Catchment”, Research Report prepared for: Cotton Catchment Communities CRC. Final, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

To view WRL’s 2011 highlights, click here:

- IT Technical Officer -

Rob Thompson has worked as WRL’s in-house IT Technical Officer since 2006, and is responsible for maintaining all of WRL’s software and hardware systems. Since 2010 Rob has also worked on the design and operation of WRL’s camera based wetland environmental monitoring program at Tomago. Rob is experienced in the design and operation of remote and wireless image collection systems.

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- Project Engineer -

Priom Rahman is a Project Engineer at the Water Research Laboratory. Priom completed a Combined Bachelor of Civil Engineering (with First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce (with Distinction) at the University of New South Wales. Priom’s Honours thesis looked at fine scale downscaling of GCM rainfall for use in flood modelling of urban catchments.

As a recipient of the 2010 National Honours Research Grant from the National Climate Change and Adaptation Facility, Priom attended the Practical Responses to Climate Change (Melbourne, October 2010) and had her abstract and paper published at NCCARF Conference (Gold Coast, July 2010) and the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research Conference (Brisbane 2011). Her primary fields of interest are synthetic rainfall analysis, catchment hydrology modelling and water resource engineering.

• Download Priom Rahman’s CV

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This physical modelling research project aimed to increase the understanding of the power output performance of the Salter’s Duck and the transfer of energy from monochromatic waves to a single duck.

Research was conducted by performing a 3D mapping of the duck surface pressure distribution; as well as shaft torque, shaft rotational speed, surge force and heave force responses, for a wide range of wave conditions. The 3D mapping of the duck surface pressure was used to accurately derive values for torque surge force and heave force in order to develop a optimisation algorithm.

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Where desalination fits in the water supply system

Sydney’s Desalination Plant was built to further secure Sydney’s water supply. When producing 250ML/day it can supply almost 20% of the city’s daily needs. There is no doubt though that when the Sydney Water supply catchments are receiving average or above average rainfall, the dams will be able to supply far more than Sydney’s needs. 

In conditions like the past six months, Sydney doesn’t need a desalination plant to help with supply. I firmly believe though that it is a valid insurance policy for extended droughts such as the one that could have been still happening. Under extreme conditions its capacity could be doubled and it can supply almost 50% of the city’s needs. I do not believe it was a waste to build it when Sydney did.  

The day the bushfire is bearing down on your home, you probably won’t find someone to sell you insurance (at least at not at a highly inflated price). You arrange insurance when you have determined that you are at risk and when you can buy insurance at a suitable price. You don’t jump for joy the day you have to claim on your insurance, nor do you begrudge having to make payments against it.

Water spilling from Warragamba

Warragamba is a ver large Australian water supply dam with a very large catchment. The size of the dam was determined on a probability basis of maintaining a water supply for Sydney based on population predictions when it was designed after the Second World War. It is expected to gradually go down in level and then be replenished during event based rainfall. As such, it was designed to spill via the spillway when larger events come through (or smaller events when the dam is already full). In essence we have captured all we need. The spillway is engineered for such discharges while maintaining the safety of the dam.

What goes down the river is not wasted. The Hawkesbury-Nepean River needs environmental flows and these discharges from the dam, while causing some flooding, also provide flushing and environmental health to the river. Now that the dam is full again, the NSW Government can consider implementing the environmental flow rules that were determined in the early 2000’s.

For further information, please contact Brett Miller at: b.miller@unsw.edu.au

Related

Projects

• Coastal Oceanographic Processes and Numerical Modelling for the Kurnell Desalination Plant
• Hydraulic Testing of Sydney Desalination Riser Cap

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- PhD Student -

Dan is a PhD student at the Water Research Laboratory. The focus of his research is using LiDAR to observe swash zone processes. The research will be performed under the supervision of Lecturer Chris Blenkinsopp and Associate Professor Ian Turner, and will consist of physical modelling at WRL, and in full-scale wave flume facilities in the Netherlands and Germany.

Dan completed his Bachelor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNSW in 2009 with first class honours, focussing on water and coastal engineering. He worked for MWH Australia for two years where he specialised in design of water and wastewater pipelines, hydraulics, surge modelling, GIS and CAD.

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The suburb of Merewether in Newcastle is providing engineers with critical data that will inform emergency personnel on how to plan better for the floods which have wreaked havoc across Australia in the past few years. A model of the suburb has been created at the Water Research Laboratory.

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Client: BioPower Systems Pty Ltd
Year: 2011
Project Reference: 2011027
WRL Technical Reports: Port Fairy Wave Power Resource Analysis (2011/27)

Concept of BPS bioWAVE^TM device; Location of the BPS Port Fairy Pilot Site

The availability of reliable wave data and wave power levels is of critical importance for the successful planning of wave energy conversion projects.  To undertake an assessment of the wave energy climate at a pilot project site on the southern coast of Victoria, BioPower Systems Pty Ltd (BPS) engaged the Water Research Laboratory.  BPS is currently in the pre-development phase at the coastal site near Port Fairy, with the project planned to commence with installation and grid-connection of a 250kW bioWAVE^TM wave energy conversion device.

WRL provided BPS with reliable wave data by performing a combined analysis of directional wave data from an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) deployed for 8 months at the project site, and long-term offshore statistics (14 years) from the deep water, numerical wave model Wave Watch III (NOAA NWW3).

By developing wave transformation functions relating offshore waves (H_s, T_p and peak direction) from Wave Watch III to the measured nearshore waves by the ADCP, WRL was able to extend the 8 months of measured nearshore waves at the proposed site to 14 years. This allowed WRL to develop reliable matrix tables of the occurrence of wave height (H_s) and period (T_e and T_z) and estimate monthly average wave energy at the proposed site.

The Port Fairy site was found to have a high potential for wave energy conversion projects, with an average yearly wave power in the 30kW/m region, minor to moderate inter and intra-annual variability in height, and minor variability in period and direction.

Scatter table of wave height Hs and energy period Te, August (%)

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Downloads

• Project Sheet
• Ocean Energy Conversion Solutions

• Force transducers with capacities ranging from 25 kg to 10,000 kg
• Pressure transducers
• Ultrasonic distance and water level sensors
• Acoustic Doppler Velocity (ADV) meters
• 3D laser (LiDAR) scanners
• High speed video cameras

WRL’s 10,000 kg force transducer can be deployed to measure the mass of armouring materials during the construction of seawalls, breakwaters, and revetments. This can be an important step in the quarrying process for armour stone, and also for quality control on site. The transducer can also be deployed post storm to assess the mass of armour units that have been shifted around by wave impacts.

Measuring the mass of 2.5m³ geocontainers during the construction of a groyne at Clifton Springs, VIC

The range of laboratory instrumentation for measuring wave loading using scale physical models is a vast improvement on the tools that were available a decade ago. Force and pressure transducers have significantly decreased in size, while also increasing in accuracy and resolution. This allows for extremely detailed analysis of wave loading on marine structures such as floating breakwaters and pontoons, ship berth infrastructure, seawalls, caissons, piles, wharf decks, etc.

Analysis of wave load phasing on a marine structure

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Client: Hunter Water Corporation
Year: 2010-2011
Project Reference: 2009120
WRL Technical Reports: Hunter River Water Quality Model Stage 1: Project Scoping Report (2010/25); Hunter Water Quality Model Stage 2: Model Calibration and Validation Report (2011/03); Hunter River Water Quality Model Stage 3: Scenario Modelling (2011/23)

Estuaries in Australia support a diverse range of uses and functions, both environmental and social, in a delicate balance and the Hunter River estuary near Newcastle in NSW, Australia is no exception. The estuary has internationally recognised wetlands existing along-side the heavy industry of the city and Port of Newcastle and further upstream, farmlands with periodically irrigated pastures. The river itself also supports commercial and recreational fishing and boating. Both industry and the environment identify with, and respond to, the balance of the ebb and flow of the river tides and catchment runoff.

WRL recently supported a Hunter Water Corporation preliminary planning exercise looking at the sustainable effluent management and potential re-use of wastewater in the lower Hunter River catchment. Preparation of the plan was required to allow an informed discussion with planning authorities and regulators to enable Hunter Water to effectively manage the predicted increases in wastewater discharges as a result of expected population growth in the region in the medium term.

Hunter Water recognised that there was the potential for changes to the existing, highly treated wastewater inflows to the Hunter River, in particular from a reduction of inflows through wastewater re-use, and that these changes in flow might influence the balance of river water quality.

WRL was engaged to develop a Hunter River estuary model to support the planning process with reliable river information and scenario analysis to enable comparison of various wastewater management options. Model development and calibration to existing data sources, including conductivity data from instruments recently installed at five locations in the tidal pool by NSW Office of Water, was supplemented by a targeted data collection campaign by WRL. The successful model calibration demonstrated that the model could faithfully reproduce both the short term and long term balance of the estuary in response to fresh water flushing and the subsequent recovery to saline conditions. Scenario testing using the model to simulate a 70+ year long analysis period provided a comprehensive data set for comparison. Model analysis for each re-use scheme provided a time based distribution and the relative influence on water quality of each of the treatment plants in any location in the estuary.

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

Internal Erosion of Embankment Dams

Two PhD scholarships are available at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW to study the following topics:

(1) Backward erosion piping in cohesionless soils in dams, levees and their foundations.
(2) Numerical modelling of cracking and hydraulic fracture in embankment dams and the implications for concentrated leak erosion.

The research is being funded by 12 Australian Dam Industry Sponsors, an overseas sponsor, and the Australian Research Council through a Linkage Project. Research for the first topic will be carried out at the UNSW Water Research Laboratory in Manly Vale. The second will be based at the UNSW Kensington campus. The research is to begin as early as practicable in 2012.

For more information on these scholarships, please download the following pdf:

•   Internal Erosion of Embankment Dams PhD Scholarships

Deposits found in caves, such as stalagmites, are typically formed by groundwater originating at the surface - a process influenced by climatic conditions. Because of this relationship, researchers focus on these deposits in order to reveal information about past climate.

Stalagmites can be important archives of previous climatic conditions

The new findings show the extent to which the abundance of certain trace metals in groundwater entering a cave is determined by interactions with colloidal organic particles - particles with dimensions between 1 billionth of a metre and 1 millionth of a metre.

By demonstrating this association between colloidal organic matter and trace metals in the cave waters, the study has concluded it may be possible to derive information about the movement of organic materials between soils and groundwater by measuring the trace metal contents of stalagmites formed from them.

The organic colloids and trace metals, which occur naturally in soil at the surface, are transported into cave environments as water percolates through the soil into cave systems below.

Since this process is mediated largely by climate, the abundance of trace metals in stalagmites can therefore be used to infer climatic conditions (e.g. dry/wet episodes) prevailing during the period when the stalagmites were formed.

This is significant, because until now, researchers have generally treated the organic and inorganic constituents of cave waters in isolation, and interactions between these components had not previously been identified in waters that form stalagmites in caves.

Trace metals may be chemically bound in “complexes” with organics that can act to stabilise them in solution and enable their migration over long distances in groundwater systems. This process is known as “colloid-facilitated transport”.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of organic colloids (nm= nanometre) showing extensive surface area to which trace metals can bind.

The study focused on stalagmite-forming waters from a very high pH, or “hyperalkaline” cave system in which the process of metal-binding and transport is probably enhanced.

It found binding of metals such as copper, nickel and cobalt, occurred with both truly dissolved and colloidal organic species below 0.1 millionths of a metre in size. Organic colloids have very large specific surface areas (area/volume) to which comparatively large amounts of metals can be bound.

Because they are typically present in natural waters in much greater numbers than particulates, organic colloids can therefore play a significant role in the transport of trace elements from the surface into caves.

Further work is needed to understand this process in less-alkaline waters found in the majority of caves. Because it is likely this process would be fairly ubiquitous in the karst (limestone) systems where caves occur, the findings of this study may have broad relevance for the study of cave deposits such as stalagmites to obtain information about past climates and their hydrology.

The paper by appears in the 75th volume of the geochemistry journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.

• Access the paper online (Hartland et al., 2011)

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- Project Engineer -

Erica Davey is a Project Engineer at the Water Research Laboratory. She completed a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (with First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Science at UNSW in 2011. Erica’s Honours thesis investigated regional and global variations in rip current spacing and density. This work was then presented at the 2012 International Rip Current Symposium.

As a recipient of the D.N. Foster Memorial Fellowship, Erica attended the 2011 Coasts and Ports Conference held in Perth with the WRL contingent. Her primary fields of interest are in coastal engineering and river, estuarine and coastal geomorphology and management. Erica is particularly interested in the personal interface between engineering and the community.

• Download Erica Davey’s CV

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After 10 years of development and consolidation as a leading provider of applied research and industry solutions, the evolution of WRL Projects will continue in 2012 with the leadership of Mr Grantley Smith as WRL Projects Principal Engineer and Manager. Grantley is one of Australia’s eminent water engineers with more than 22 years of specialist experience. He has been a senior member of WRL’s management team for the past three years and WRL will now benefit from his technical and managerial leadership. 

Mr Brett Miller, who has led WRL Projects for the past 10 successful years, will move into an exciting new role as WRL Principal Engineer - Hydraulics and Modelling. This technically focused role will ensure WRL continues to provide innovative solutions to real world problems and expands the collaboration between WRL and other groups. 

On behalf of all of WRL, I would like to thank Brett for his successful term leading WRL Projects. He has maintained and grown an expert team along with whom he has achieved one of the most productive periods of WRL’s history.

This significant change to WRL Projects’ leadership will ensure WRL never stands still in its ongoing aim of expanding the reputation of UNSW through provision of innovative expert solutions to the evolving water challenges of industry and government.

A/Prof Bill Peirson

WRL Director
Bill Peirson is the Director of WRL and is responsible for all research and project activities. He is an international expert in civil and environmental engineering fluid mechanics. He undertakes specialist research and provides professional engineering advice in the fields of coastal engineering, air-sea interaction, fluvial hydraulics, estuarine processes, hydrology and climate change adaptation of water supply systems, and the hydraulics and mechanical behaviour of turbomachines.

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For more details, please contact:

• A/Prof Bill Peirson - WRL Director: +61 2 8071 9822, W.Peirson@unsw.edu.au
• Mr Grantley Smith - WRL Manager: +61 2 8071 9862, Grantley.Smith@wrl.unsw.edu.au
• Mr Brett Miller - Principal Engineer - Hydraulics & Modelling: +61 2 8071 9846, B.Miller@unsw.edu.au

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Client: Sydney Water Corporation
Year: 2011
Project Reference: 2010082

Water utilities around Australia are facing increased asset maintenance costs due to a range of issues with low flows in sewers. Regular low flow velocities in gravity sewers can result in the deposition of solids on the sewer floor.

If flow velocities are maintained below the critical threshold of sediment motion, sediments can progressively accumulate leading to: reduction in the designed hydraulic conveyance of sewer flow and an associated increase in surcharging and flooding; sewer blockage; accelerated production of gases and odours; and accelerated sewer corrosion.

WRL is supporting Sydney Water’s ongoing investigation of sewer corrosion and odour production through a detailed experiment aimed at characterising sewer sediment accumulation and erosion. The experiment included reproducing in-sewer sediments synthetically and then testing these sediments using several novel experimental techniques to determine critical velocities for sediment motion.

The experimental techniques applied previously by WRL for estuarine cohesive sediment analysis were applied as a world-first experiment for sewer sediments.

 Photos of sample before and after testing

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•   Project Sheet

Client: Eurobodalla Shire Council
Year: 2011
Project Reference: 2011063

WRL has recently been commissioned to partner with Umwelt Environmental Consultants and ACT Geotechnical in the preparation of the Batemans Bay Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) for Eurobodalla Shire Council. The study area extends westward from Maloneys Beach on the northern shoreline to Batemans Bay bridge and eastward from the bridge on the southern shoreline to Caseys Beach. 

As part of this study, WRL will review literature relevant to the CZMP, describe the coastal processes and hazards affecting the study area, and recommend detailed management options to address the respective risks. An emergency action sub plan will also be prepared for North Batemans Bay (Wharf Road). 

The project will involve significant consultation with local indigenous communities and key government agencies with responsibility to manage the coastal zone.

This project builds on WRL’s recent study for the Manly Council Local Government Area identifying coastal risk areas to projected sea level rise and a similar study for Clarence City Council, Tasmania, with an integrated assessment of climate change impacts on the foreshore.

For more information on this study please contact Ian Coghlan at: i.coghlan@wrl.unsw.edu.au

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Downloads

•   Project Sheet
•   Coastal Engineering - Numerical Modelling Solutions
•   Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Adaptation Solutions

Coastal Australia was once a land with teeming wildlife and abundant native species. Over the past 150+ years the rivers and tidal estuaries of Australia have been cleared, drained, leveed, and floodgated to promote agriculture and development. While this has helped to create modern Australia, in many locations this legacy has resulted in degraded land lacking biodiversity and environmental values. At these locations, research is coalescing around how to re-create or rehabilitate the natural environment.

The UNSW Water Research Laboratory is a leading group in on-ground tidal wetland restoration and wetland hydrology. Over the past 10 years, WRL staff (lead by Dr William Glamore) have been conducting large-scale tidal restoration projects to restore degraded wetlands throughout Australia. To share the lessons learnt from these experiences and to encourage links between physical and biological sciences, WRL has provided several wetland hydrology training courses in 2011. 

Conducted over a 3-day workshop, the primary aim of these training courses has been to provide the necessary analytical and technical skills to understand wetland hydrology, hydrodynamics, rehabilitation techniques, hydraulic design and surface water-groundwater interactions. At the end of each course participants are given the skills to design, develop, implement and monitor wetland projects focused on hydrologic rehabilitation. These skills are designed to complement the existing site management, ecological and policy skills of the course attendees.            

In 2011, the course “Wetland Hydrology: Restoring the Basics” was run in February, May and October. While the May course was tailored for Queensland departmental staff in Brisbane, the February and October courses were hosted at the Hunter Wetlands Centre in the lower Hunter River estuary. This region has become a major research ground for investigating tidal wetland rehabilitation and creation. One important component of this research is a large tidal wetland restoration study being conducted at the Tomago Wetlands within the Hunter Estuary Wetland Ramsar site. Researchers at WRL have been working to restore this site for the past 7 years with staff from NSW’s Office of Environment and Heritage (Parks and Wildlife Division), the local Catchment Management Authority and NSW’s Department of Industry and Investment. As part of the course, participants spend the final day in the field examining on-ground solutions implemented at the restored Tomago field site.

 
Attendees at the October Wetland Training Course

Additional training courses on Wetland Hydrology, Floodplain Hydraulics and Coastal Zone Management are planned for 2012.

Dr William Glamore can be contacted directly at: w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au

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•   Wetland Restoration Solutions

Related

Projects

• Tidal Restoration and Wetland Creation at the Kooragang Nature Reserve (Tomago, NSW)
• Tidal Restoration: Design and Installation of SwingGates for Tomago Wetland
• Tomago Wetland Remote Monitoring 

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Client: NSW Fisheries Habitat Action Grant
Year: 2011
Project Reference: 10103

Through support of a NSW Department of Primary Industry’s Fishery Habitat Action Grant and the Hunter River Catchment Management Authority’s Caring for Country Grant, the Water Research Laboratory, working with the Office of Environment and Heritage (Parks and Wildlife Division) and the Port Stephens Fishery Research Centre of Excellence; developed, designed and installed a new style of tidal floodgate.

The new gates, called SwingGates, are designed to permit tidal flushing within the Stage 2 area of the Tomago Wetlands to a predetermined tidal water level. The overall aim of the project was to restore tidal flushing to >50 hectares of tidal wetlands and create saltmarsh habitat.

The SwingGates were developed after initial hydrodynamic modelling conducted by WRL indicated that the ideal conditions for salt marsh habitat could be created onsite through manipulating tidal water levels.  However, existing modified floodgate designs did not have the correct hydraulic design to allow sufficient volumes of water into the site, whilst maintaining low water velocities and allowing for appropriate water level control.

To overcome the current design flaws, the SwingGates were developed, designed and field tested. During a typical tidal cycle, the SwingGates fall open with the ebb tide. The natural falling of the tide allows the main face plate to fall away from a large aperture cut into the flap gate. As the tide rises, the tidal water from the creek enters the wetland through the floodgate.

The water will continue to enter into the wetland until the tide reaches a float set at the closing height. As the tide lifts the float the main face plate rises into position ensuring that the gate closes at a pre-determined water level. When the tide falls the cycle starts over again ensuring that the exact amount of water is allowed within the wetland.  

The main advantages of the SwingGates are:     

• The SwingGates is designed to allow large volumes of water into a site at a low velocity/turbulence. As the force of the water is on the pinon trust and not the face plate, the gate cannot be shut by the force of the water.
• The SwingGates opening and closing levels can be easily set and adjusted in the field to fine tune the opening and closing levels.
• The SwingGates are made from light weight marine grade aluminium and once the steel aperture has been removed from the flap gate, the overall gate is typically lighter than before.
• The SwingGates have only 1 moving part and require no power to open/close.
• Multiple SwingGates can be applied at one site to increase the volume of tidal water entering the wetland.

The SwingGates were installed at the Stage 2 area of Tomago Wetlands in August 2011 and are currently operating. Long-term monitoring is underway to examine the effectiveness of the gates and the long-term implications for the Stage 2 wetland area.

Further information can be obtained from Dr William Glamore at: w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au or (02) 8071 9868.

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•   Project Sheet
•   Wetland Restoration Solutions

(Left to right) Dr Chris Blenkinsopp, Erica Davey, Ian Coghlan, James Carley, Dr William Glamore, Dr Tom Shand, Dr Xavier Barthelmey, Dr Kristen Splinter, A/Prof Ron Cox, Melissa Mole, Jamie Ruprecht, Ed Kearney and Duncan Rayner. (At front) A/Prof Bill Peirson and Matt Blacka.

The Coasts & Ports Conference series is the pre-eminent forum in the Australasian region for engineers, planners, scientists and researchers to meet and discuss issues extending across all disciplines related to oceans, coasts and ports. The conference covers a broad range of themes, including: coastal processes, coastal structures and facilities, port and ocean engineering, dredging, coastal policy, planning and management and environmental effects.

The welcome reception was sponsored by WRL and Director Bill Peirson welcomed and thanked all conference delegates for ongoing support for industry and government support for WRL. The evening provided the perfect opportunity for delegates to catch up with colleagues, renew past acquaintances and make new contacts leading into the conference program.

The WRL exhibition booth was used to showcase work undertaken at the lab as well as the new 0.2 m mini-flume model. The mini-flume model is a scaled version of WRLs 1 m wave flume used for physical modelling of breakwaters.

WRL’s mini-flume as part of the WRL booth display.

The following papers were presented at the conference:

Matt Blacka: An Overview of the Use of Physical Models to Assess Wave Loading on Marine Structures

Dr Kristen Splinter: Can We Reliably Estimate Dune Erosion Without Knowing Pre-Storm Bathymetry

Duncan Rayner: Assessing the Health Impacts of Ocean Outfalls

Melissa Mole: Modelling Seasonal to Multi-Year Shoreline Change at Sandy Embayment on the Australian East Coast

Edward Kearney: An Energy Based Model of Storm Induced Shoreline Erosion - Gold Coast, Australia

Dr William Glamore: The Myth of Wakeboarding Vessels and Riverbank Erosion

Jamie Ruprecht: Stability of the Manning River Entrance

Ian Coghlan: High Resolution Wave Modelling (Hi-WAM) for Batesmans Bay Detailed Wave Study

A/Prof Ian Turner (presented by Dr Kristen Splinter): Planning for an Australian National Coastal Observatory: Monitoring and Forecasting Coastal Erosion in Changing Climate

A/Prof Ron Cox: Coastal Storm Data Analysis: Provision of Extreme Wave Data for Adaptation Planning

Dr Tom Shand: Evaluation of Empirical Predictors of Extreme Run-Up Using Field Data

James Carley: Performance of Sand Filled Geotextile Container (Geocontainer) Structures in North Queensland During Tropical Cyclone Yasi

Dr Chris Blenkinsopp: Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for Measurements of Coastal Processes

A/Prof Bill Peirson: Boussinesq Modelling of Shoaling Wave Groups

Dr Xavier Barthelemy: Numerical Study of a Breaking Wave Threshold Parameter

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On September 7^th, WRL celebrated the launch of its newest facility, the Groundwater Education Investment Fund (GEIF) headquarters and its star attraction, an $800,000 geotechnical centrifuge which is one of only two of its kind in the world.

Professor Ian Acworth, A/Professor Bill Peirson, Professor Graham Davies and Professor Andy Baker with the new centrifuge.

Funded by the Australian Research Council and the National Water Commission, the centrifuge has been described as a time machine, since it allows researchers to preview the long-term effects of groundwater abstraction on aquifers and aquitards. In particular, the impacts on aquitards that result from coal seam gas extraction and longwall mining can be investigated.

This is achieved by spinning rock samples taken from the aquitards that typically occur above coal seams at speeds up to 300 x gravity to test their permeability. A single day’s testing can equal 100 days of flow in “real” time and, according to Professor Ian Acworth, director of the UNSW Connected Waters Initiative based at WRL, “experiments that would previously take 30 years to complete can now be achieved in a number of days or weeks.”

The official launch of the centrifuge and the GEIF headquarters was attended by a large number of guests from academia and industry, including Ms Clare McLaughlin (General Manager of the Department of Innovation Industry  Science and Research); Professor Craig Simmons from the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training; Professor Graham Davies, Dean of the UNSW Faculty of Engineering, and other affiliated guests from the National Water Commission, NSW Office of Water and the NSW Department of Trade and Investment.

The official opening of the new GEIF headquarters at WRL.

Also in attendance were a large number of guests who had attended the International Association of Hydrologists Symposium held in Sydney earlier in the week.

The launch attracted a Sydney Morning Herald feature article, and the centrifuge’s research potential is continuing to attract media interest throughout Australia.

For further information regarding centrifuge permeameter testing and aquitard research please contact Dr Wendy Timms: w.timms@wrl.unsw.edu.au or visit: http://www.connectedwaters.unsw.edu.au/technical/research/projects/projects_aquitards.html

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In a collaboration between the Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University and WRL, University of Heidelberg Diploma Thesis student Jana Schnieders visited WRL from July to September 2011.

Jana has been benchmarking remotely-sensed measurements of surface velocity against detailed microphysical measurements previously completed at WRL by Dr James Walker (now Sogreah Gulf - Artelia Group).

Associate Professor Bill Peirson, Ed Kearney, Mike Allis, Dr Xavier Barthelemy, Jana Schnieders and Xia Yan - all interested in the impact of waves in the environment.

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The nomination was for the Professor Peter Cullen Eureka Prize for Water Research and Innovation that recognises outstanding contribution to water resource management.

The CWI Team (6 of the 7 nominees being based at WRL) includes Professor Ian Acworth, Associate Professor Bryce Kelly, Dr Martin Andersen, Dr Anna Greve, Andrew McCallum, Gabriel Rau and Dr Wendy Timms.

Professor Ian Acworth, Dr Wendy Timms, Andrew McCallum, Dr Anna Greve, Associate Professor Bryce Kelly and Gabriel Rau enjoying the gala celebration of Australian science.

Together they have undertaken research demonstrating the extent of the connectivity between surface water and groundwater resources. This research demonstrates that a collaborative effort focusing on obtaining information from in-stream point measurements and small scale field measurements and deep borehole observations through to observations on the catchment-scale, is required to advance rural water management.

The CWI Team developed a multidisciplinary tool kit for the investigation of surface water and groundwater interconnectivity. The research reflects how detailed climate, river flow, recharge, irrigation usage, water chemistry, geological, and geophysical data sets can be combined to improve our understanding of the processes surrounding the movement of water through a catchment.

State government agencies have integrated CWI research results into their decision-making process. The Namoi Catchment Management Authority has requested the CWI map zones where groundwater extractions are highly connected to the streams and river, and other zones where there is no long term viable recharge and current groundwater extractions are not viable. The CWI groundwater research has also informed aspects of the Namoi Catchment Action Plan. The recent Upper Namoi Catchment Groundwater Status report by the NSW Office of Water referenced the CWI team cites and research papers numerous times.

Most importantly, presentations by the CWI team have been a major source of independent information for groundwater stakeholders. A primary goal has been to provide high quality information that can help inform the debates on water management in the Murray-Darling Basin. Final, one of the team members, Dr Wendy Timms was invited to review the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan before it was released.

Presented annually by the Australian Museum, the Eureka Prizes are a unique partnership between government organisations, institutions, companies and individuals committed to celebrating the vitality, originality and excellence of Australian science.

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- Project Engineer -

Francois is a Project Engineer at the Water Research Laboratory. Since graduating from one of the leading French engineering schools in 2002 with a Master of Engineering Science degree (specialising in the field of Mechanical Design and Hydraulics), Francois has worked on a range of consulting engineering projects in the oil and gas industry, and also in ocean wave energy conversion.

Francois has been with WRL since early 2011 and been involved in several large studies during this time. His primary fields of interest are related to wave dynamics, wave climate assessment, coastal structures (physical and numerical models), as well as related field studies.

Francois has recently been awarded his PhD, undertaken at the University of Sydney, investigating the benefits of inertia modification on the efficiency and survival of ocean wave energy converters.

•   Download Francois Flocard’s CV

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Chris will be undertaking seminars at both the University campus and at WRL, while continuing to do great work on aerated flow behaviour, particularly in the coastal zone.

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Client: National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility: Settlements and Infrastructure (ACCARNSI)
Year: 2011
Project Reference: 10077
WRL Research Report: Coastal Storm Data Analysis: Provision of Extreme Wave Data for Adaptation Planning (Research Report 242)

Example of a long duration storm event observed at the Rottnest Island wave buoy caused by a single storm system.

The Australian coast is subject to a spatially and seasonally variable mean wave climate and periodically impacted by large wave events. These large wave events, particularly when they coincide with high water levels, may cause widespread coastal inundation, beach erosion, damage to property and marine structures, and risks to public safety. Having accurate statistical characterisations of the likelihood and magnitude of large wave events is necessary for the quantification of extreme beach erosion and inundation, design of nearshore structures, and for climate change adaptation planning.

This project reviews Australian coastal storm climatology and previous extreme wave analyses undertaken using instrument and numerical data. Wave data from eight wave buoys Australia-wide has been assessed and trends in mean monthly wave height and in the frequency and magnitude of storm events has been statistically analysed.

Changes in buoy location and exposure over time has been found to notably influence results, with small changes in buoy position able to introduce apparently significant but fictitious trends. Overall, both the east and west coast buoys exhibit non-statistically significant upward trends in mean wave height of up to 2 mm/year and 7 mm/year respectively; and the south coast buoys exhibit downward trends of -1 to -5 mm/year. No statistically significant temporal trends in storm magnitude were found and one east coast buoy showed a small increase in storm frequency.

Using this wave buoy data, extreme wave heights, wave periods and cumulative storm energy have been estimated for a range of return period events. Typical storm shapes were assessed and all buoys were found to exhibit a moderate positive skew, indicating a faster increase in wave height before the storm peak than decrease following the peak.

This storm shape was combined with extreme wave height, period and energy information to construct synthetic design storm time series for each buoy for average annual recurrence intervals of between 1 and 100 years. Spatial differences are noted in the derived events as a function of the dominant storm climatology for the different regions around Australia.

Examples of 100yr ARI synthetic design storm events for each assessed buoy.

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•   Project Sheet

Australia’s coastline is one of the country’s greatest natural, economic and cultural resources. The asset value of existing beach-front infrastructure is immeasurable. Climate change is driving sea level rise and changing regional wave climates, resulting in coastal erosion and increasing threats to coastal sustainability.

This research project launches a strategic international collaboration between university, industry, and government to address the considerable and growing pressure for solutions to observe and forecast accelerating shoreline erosion. The initiative is a proactive response to the October 2009 House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change Report: Managing our Coastal Zone in a Changing Climate, that identified the urgent need to better understand the risks of coastal erosion through monitoring and modelling.

The study addresses the knowledge gap between advancing Climate Change science, and the lagging development of our ability to quantify, assess and forecast coastal variability and change.

The three-year project is establishing and rigorously testing a practical approach for establishing baseline coastal monitoring at 10 beaches along the NSW open coastline (Lennox Head, Sawtell, Dixon Park - Newcastle, Wamberal, Terrigal, Collaroy-Narrabeen, Manly, Wanda Beach - Cronulla, Thirroul and Shoalhaven) to build an empirical shoreline model that will enable prediction of wave and sea level impacts on beaches anywhere in the world.

Complementary to existing water-level and ocean wave monitoring programs that already exist around much of the Australian continent, the purpose of this present effort is to initiate and demonstrate the practical capability and value of sustained, automated and ongoing coastline monitoring (via surf camera technology) in support of coastal management, engineering and research.

Intensive RTK-GPS beach surveying, LiDAR, bathymetric surveying and inshore wave monitoring using aircraft, jetskis, quadbikes, cameras and buoys, are underway to rigorously test the applicability of existing and new coastal camera infrastructure to routinely obtain automated measurements of local wave climate and shoreline variability.

Of particular importance, is the application of this new data to underpin new developments in forecasting seasonal to multi-decadal shoreline variability and change.

Funding:

• Australian Research Council (Linkage - Projects; Project ID: LP100200348)
• NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
• CoastalCOMS
• Gosford City Council
• Warringah Council

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Publications

Refereed Journals:

• Splinter, K.D. Turner, I.L. and Davidson, M.A. 2013. How much data is enough? The importance of morphological sampling interval and duration for calibration of empirical shoreline models. Coastal Engineering, 77, 14-27. (DOI: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2013.02.009)
• Davidson, M.A., Splinter, K.D. and Turner, I.L., 2013. A simple equilibrium model for predicting shoreline change. Coastal Engineering, 73, 191-202.
• Splinter, K.D., Turner, I.L. and Davidson, M.A., 2013. Monitoring data requirements for shoreline prediction: How much, how long, and how often? Journal of Coastal Research, SI65 (ICS2013), 2179-2184.
• Mole, M.A., Mortlock, T., Turner, I.L., Goodwin, I.D., Splinter, K.D., Short, A.D. Capitalizing on the surfcam phenomenon: a pilot study in regional-scale shoreline and inshore monitoring utilizing existing camera infrastructure, 2013. Journal of Coastal Research, SI65 (ICS2013), 1433-1438.
• Davidson, M.A., Turner, I.L., Guza, R.T., 2011. The effect of temporal wave averaging on the performance of an empirical shoreline evolution model. Coastal Engineering, 58, 802-805.
• Middleton, J.H., Cooke, C.G., Kearney, E.T., Mumford, P.J., Mole., M.A., Nippard, G.J., Rizos, C., Splinter, K.S., Turner, I.L. [alphabetical], Resolution and accuracy of an airborne scanning laser system for beach surveys, Journal of Atmospheric and Ocean Technology.

Conference Proceedings (Peer-Reviewed):

• Mortlock, T.R., Goodwin, I.D., Turner, I.L., (Abstract accepted). Longshore variability in nearshore wave climates at two embayed compartments on the central New South Wales coast. Coasts & Ports, Engineers Australia, Sydney, September 11-13.
• Splinter, K.D., Turner, I.L., Davidson, M.A., (Abstract accepted). How well do you know your beach? Monitoring requirements for the application of an equilibrium shoreline model. Coasts & Ports, Engineers Australia, Sydney, September 11-13.
• Mumford, P.J., Nippard, G., Middleton, J.H., Kearney, E., Cooke, C., Turner, I.L., Mole, M.A., Splinter, K.D. 2011. The Airborne Science Imitative LiDAR Beach Survey: development and results. International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Society IGNSS Symposium 2011. Sydney NSW 15-17 November.
• Turner, I.L., Goodwin, I.G., Davidson, M.A., Short, A.D., Pritchard, T.R., Cameron, D.W., MacDonald, T., Middleton, J., Splinter, K.D. 2011. Planning for an Australian National Coastal Observatory - monitoring and forecasting coastal erosion in a changing climate. Coasts and Ports 2011, Engineers Australia, Perth WA, 28-30 September.
• Mole, M.A., Davidson, M.A., Turner, I.L., Goodwin, I.D. 2011. Forecasting seasonal to multi-year shoreline change on the east Australian coast. Coasts and Ports 2011, Engineers Australia, Perth WA, 28-30 September.
• Kearney, E.T., Harley, M.D., Turner, I.L., Wyeth, B., Goodwin, I.D. 2011. An energy-based empirical model of storm-induced shoreline erosion, Gold Coast, Australia. Coasts and Ports 2011, Engineers Australia, Perth WA, 28-30 September.

Conferences/Workshops (Non Peer-Reviewed):

• Splinter, K.M, Davidson, M.A, and Turner, I.L. Modelling equilibrium shoreline response: application across multiple sites and minimum data collection requirements. (Abstract). American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, December 2012.
• Davidson, M.A., Turner, I.L., Splinter, K.M. Predicting shoreline response to cross-shore processes in a changing wave climate. Coastal Dynamics 2013, ASCE, Bordeaux, France.
• Turner, I.L., Symonds, G., Carley, J.T., Cox, R.J., 2012. Litoral zone modelling: status and data requirements in Australia. Australian Coastal and Ocean Modelling and Observations (ACOMO), Australian Academy of Sciences, October 3-4.
• Mole, M.A., Turner, I.L., Davidson, M.A., Turner, I.L., Splinter, K.D. and Goodwin, I.D., 2012. Modelling multi-decadal shoreline variability and evolution. 33rd International Conference on Coastal Engineering, ASCE, Santander, Spain.
• Turner, I.L., Cameron, D., Davidson, M., Goodwin, I., Hanslow, D., Kearney, E., Lane, C., Macdonald, T., Mole, M., Mortlock, T., Pritchard, T., Splinter, K., Short, A., Monitoring and forecasting present and future shoreline variability in a changing climate. Coast2Coast Conference, Brisbane, September 2012.
• Turner, I.L., 2012. Planning for Coastal-Climate change along the New South Wales open coastline: summary of statewide SLR policy, and an emerging knowledge gap (Astract). Coastal Cities and SL Rise Workshop, Australian Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), San Diego, October.
• Turner, I.L., 2012. Planning for an Australian National Coastal Observatory: monitoring and forecasting coastal erosion in a changing climate (Abstract). 3rd Australia-China Ocean Science & Technology Symposium (3ACOST). Sydney Institute for Marine Science, May.
• Splinter, K.D., 2011. Planning for an Australian National Coastal Observatory - monitoring and forecasting coastal erosion in a changing climate. Sydney Coastal Councils Group Technical Meeting (invited presentation). October 13, 2011.
• Pritchard, T.R., Turner, I.L., Goodwin, I.D., Davidson, I.D., Short, A.D., Lane, C., Cameron, D.W., Macdonald, T., Splinter, K.D., Mole, M.A., Kearney, E., Middleton, J.H., 2011. Prospects for an National Coastal Observatory. 20th NSW Coastal Conference, 18 - 21 November, Tweed Heads.
• Turner, I.L., Planning for a National Coastal Observatory. 2010. National Coastal Observation Network Workshop (invited presentation). NSW DECCW, Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

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Media

• Feature Article: UNSW School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Annual Report
  http://www.civeng.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/annual_report/2011/AR_2011.pdf
• ABC Radio Central Coast
  Morning show interview 23/10/2011
• TBA
  Feature article in ‘PRISM’ Magazine - American Society of Engineering Education, USA
• Researchers Working Away are on the Level
  Newcastle Herald 31/05/2011
• ‘Factual Approach’ to Climate Reporting Welcomed
  Letter to the Editor section, Northern Star 26/05/2011
• ABC Radio Illawarra
  Morning news item (37 secs) 26/5/2011
• Future of our Beaches - Thirroul Part of New UNSW Study
  Illawarra Mercury 25/05/2011
• Making Waves - Mapping the Changes from Sea Level Rise
  Brisbane Times 26/05/2011
• Survey to Keep an Eye on Beaches
  South Coast Register (Nowra) 25/5/2011
• Future Map of Seven Mile Beach
  Northern Rivers Echo 25/05/2011
• ABC Radio North Coast
  Midday news item (48 sec) 24/5/2011
• Future Map of Seven Mile Beach
  Northern Star (Lismore) 24/5/201
  http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2011/05/24/researchers-map-out-future-of-seven-mile-beach/
• Water, Water Everywhere
  UNSW Engineers Magazine, Issue 23 May 2011 (Cover Story)
• ABC Radio North Coast
  Interview 24/5/2011 (Ian Turner)
• ABC Radio Illawarra
  Interview 24/5/2011 (Melissa Mole)
• Making Waves - Mapping the Changes from Sea Level Rise
  Sydney Morning Herald 21-22/5/201
  http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/making-waves–mapping-the-changes-from-sealevel-rises-20110520-1ewqb.html
• Predicting Future for Beaches
  UNSW Home page
  http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-technology/predicting-future-beaches
• Making Waves - Mapping the Changes from Sea Level Rise
  Illawarra Mercury 21/5/2011
  http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/national/national/general/making-waves-mapping-the-changes-from-sealevel-rises/2170344.aspx
• Predicting the Beaches of the Future
  UNSW Media Release 18/5/2011
• Research Team Watching our Shifting Sands
  Manly Daily 17/5/2011
  http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/research-team-watching-our-shifting-sands/
• Study to Forecast the Sands of Time
  Warringah Council Media Release 11/5/2011

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Downloads

• Project Sheet

- PhD Student -

Ed is a PhD student at the Water Research Laboratory. The focus of his research is in storm induced beach erosion. He has completed a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at UNSW in 2010 with first class honours, specialising in geotechnical engineering and groundwater. His honours project carried out at WRL investigated the effect of pore water extraction methods on extract chemistry.

Ed’s current research, under the supervision of Associate Professor Ian Turner, is exploring methods of monitoring storm induced beach erosion, in addition to developing and testing numerical erosion models.   

Ed was recently awarded an Australian Bicentennial Scholarship to conduct research at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom.

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Since 1965 the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust has been awarding Australians who excel in their chosen field allowing them to travel the world to further expand their knowledge before returning to Australia to further their contribution to Australian society.

The award will enable Alessio to travel overseas to investigate and prepare a report with an international perspective on his research area. Alessio’s specific intention is to visit selected key major international coastal hydraulic research institutions and laboratories where innovative engineering approaches to combat beach erosion are being developed and tested. It will also allow him to inspect the sites where alternative coastal protection methods have been implemented and to document their performance.

This international review of innovative coastal engineering approaches to preserve our coast will allow their implementation in the Australian coastal engineering practice and provide coastal planners and policy makers with alternative coastal management strategies.

Alessio is now the 3rd staff member from WRL to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship:

2002 - Ian Turner: To undertake a study of state-of-the-art developments in the practical applications of ‘coastal imaging’ technology for coastal management.

2005 - William Glamore: To investigate international coastal wetland restoration practices.

 (Left) Alessio receiving his award with the Honourable NSW Governor Marie Bashir at Government House.

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The Bicentennial Scholarship is administered by the Menzies Centre at King’s College London. It is awarded annually with the objective of promoting scholarship and intellectual links between the United Kingdom and Australia. It allows a graduate student to undertake research at leading Universities within the United Kingdom.

Ed will be travelling to the University of Plymouth in mid-2012, and will bring with him an extensive set of data recently collected at Australian beaches as part of the National Coastal Observatory ARC linkage project. Using this data he will investigate and develop a storm erosion model, with the aim of providing coastal engineers and managers a way to better predict and mitigate damaging storm erosion.

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WRL was well represented with four presentations being given by WRL staff members canvasing a broad range of topics from groundwater hydraulics and hydrology, to floods, to ecohydraulics. Grantley Smith’s presentation of Development of Appropriate Criteria for the Safety and Stability of Persons and Vehicles in Floods created substantial interest as the results presented form part of the Australian Rainfall & Runoff Revision Project.

This conference included technical tours, in which delegates were shown prominent water infrastructure in the Brisbane area; and a conference dinner was held, which included the hydrologic games. State battled state in the games to see who could build the tallest sand castle with the most innovative water feature. Queensland took out the title, with Conrad Wasko contributing to New South Wales relinquishing the mantle of hydrologic games champions. The highlight of the conference social calendar was a Students and Young Professionals Night sponsored by NCCARF and organised by Associate Professor Ron Cox. This night presented the younger conference delegates with an opportunity to meet their fellow peers in a friendly social environment and establish networks with fellow engineers who will no doubt be future leaders in the engineering field.

List of Papers:

Busuttil, D., Peirson, W.L., Lee, G.A., Waite, C. and Onesemo, P. (2011) Laboratory Assessment of the Performance of Porous Coverings in Evaporation Mitigation

Mariani, A. and Glamore, W.C. (2011) Fate and Transport of Suspended Particulate Discharged into Marine Environments via Ocean Outfalls

Rahman, P., Sharma, A. and Smith, G.P. (2011) Estimating Design Floods for Gauged Urban Catchments under Climate Change Conditions-Case Study: Cooks River, Sydney

Shand, T.D., Smith, G.P., Cox, R.J. and Blacka, M.J. (2011) Development of Appropriate Criteria for the Safety and Stability of Persons and Vehicles in Floods

Wasko, C.D., Timms, W.A. and Miller, B.M. (2011) Groundwater Modelling in a Highly Seasonal, Fractured Rock Environment using FEFLOW 

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- Postdoctoral Fellow -

Kristen Splinter is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Water Research Laboratory. Kristen holds an BSc (Hons) Eng in Civil Engineering, from Queen’s University (Canada), an MEngSc in Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering from the University of Florida (USA) and a PhD in Geological Oceanography with a certificate in Marine Resource Management from Oregon State University (USA). Her research has involved lab, field, and numerical modelling. During her BSc she held NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) undergraduate research awards for 2 years and was a member of the Natural FLOWS group, where her thesis focussed on low-cost wetland technologies for wastewater treatment.

Kristen’s graduate work has focussed on the application and development of remote sensing technologies to study the nearshore zone; specifically sand bar dynamics and sediment transport. Most recently, Kristen spent 2 years at Griffith University as a member of the Future Coastlines project developing and testing sediment transport and dune erosion models in the context of extreme events and climate change.

Kristen came to WRL in 2011 and is a member of the 3-year ARC funded project Australian Coastal Observation Network: Monitoring and Forecasting Coastal Erosion in a Changing Climate. Her research focuses on the development of long term shoreline change models, as well as monitoring beach morphology at 10 sites along the NSW coastline and assessing the capability of surf cams to measure relevant surf zone parameters for coastal monitoring purposes. 

•   Download Kristen Splinter’s CV

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Large spring tides occur at night during winter, making monitoring and photographing more difficult. This last month has seen a lot of overtopping events for this seawall.

Photo taken 2nd May, 2011 

Photo taken 2nd May, 2011

Photo taken 27th June, 2003

Related

Projects

• Predicting Hazardous Conditions for Rock Fishing

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The recent floods in Queensland and Victoria in 2011 have been a timely reminder of how destructive and dangerous these types of natural disasters can be. While State and Local government authorities are busy with the important task of restoring infrastructure for communities in these flood affected areas, researchers at the University of New South Wales Water Research Laboratory (WRL) are working to assist planners and emergency managers to more effectively deal with future floods. Read more…

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Client: SMEC Hatch JVC for AdelaideAqua
Year: 2010
Project Reference: 09064

The Water Research Laboratory (WRL) was engaged by SMEC / Hatch Design Joint Venture (DJV) to construct and test a scale model of a section of the outlet works for the Adelaide Desalination Project.

The outfall system was designed to convey the discharge of saline concentrate from the desalination plant to the ocean over a drop height of >40 metres. As such, there were various design challenges for conveying this discharge in a controlled manner, with a system that was durable and serviceable. A vortex drop structure was chosen for controlled conveyance of peak discharges.

The scale physical model of the outfall system was constructed by WRL for verification and optimisation of the outfall design. The model was constructed at a geometric scale of 1:6.25, which was verified by WRL to be appropriate for representing the hydraulic operation of the prototype.

Hydraulic testing of the scale physical model confirmed the basic operation of the outlet works. The physical model was also used for measurement of flow velocities, air entrainment and hydraulic forces on parts of the structure. These data were used for verification of the durability of the structure. In some cases it was found that the measured performance was significantly different to the predicted performance, due the presence of complex dual phase (air and water) flows.

Model testing was used to test and verify a number of modifications to improve the operation of the system and to reduce the amount of air being carried through to the outfall tunnel, such as:

1. Design of a revised inlet to the vortex drop pipe, which was found to improve the performance of the vortex drop pipe
2. Placement of flow guides at the end of the vortex drop pipe
3. The placement of flow hoods to reduce the movement of air bubbles into the outlet works
4. Redesign of a new outlet system and drop pipe which operated from an energy recovery device under normal operational conditions
5. Placement of baffles within the outflow pipe to trap air
6. Installation of a new air removal vent from the outfall tunnel

In summary, dual phase flows experienced in this structure could not be robustly represented with currently available analytical (i.e. numerical) techniques. The physical model offered a quick and efficient means for verification and improvement of fundamental aspects of the design, allowing staged optimisation, and providing the designers with increased confidence in the system.

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Downloads

•   Project Sheet

Client: Energy Resources Australia (ERA)
Year: 2008-Ongoing
Project Reference: 08041, 09107
WRL Technical Reports: Review and Recommendations for Modelling of the Ranger Mine Pit No. 1 (2008/26); Numerical Model Testing of Groundwater Flow Concepts for Ranger Mine Pit No. 1 (2009/02); Ranger Pit No. 1 - Groundwater Flow Modelling of Post-Closure Conditions (2010/15)

Groundwater systems at the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory have been the focus of ongoing work by WRL since 2008. Ranger mine is operated by Energy Resources Australia (ERA) and is located in the Magela Creek catchment of the Northern Territory, approximately 250 km east of Darwin and 8 km east of Jabiru. The mine pits are in a fractured rock environment which experiences highly seasonal rainfall and groundwater levels.

WRL is working with ERA on evaluating and modelling groundwater issues associated with Pit No. 1. WRL is also involved in related work by CSIRO on contaminant transport issues related to tailings-water-rock interaction.

WRL’s most recent engagement from ERA involved modelling of groundwater and surface water flow in the Corridor Creek catchment that includes both Pit No. 1 and Georgetown Billabong.

The pit, which has been filled with tailings, and is ready for closure and rehabilitation, was evaluated to determine possible flow and transport pathways over 500 years and beyond.

A 3D numerical model was developed of the site using the finite element groundwater modelling software FEFLOW, in order to determine and assess these possible pathways. Models were run in both variably saturated and saturated mode. The numerical model incorporated the use of discrete feature elements, to represent zones of fracturing near the pit edge and was found to improve model calibration. Additionally, the evapotranspiration loss was allowed to decrease quadratically with depth, this was an important feature in allowing a steady-state solution to be found from which the 500 year modelling could take place.

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Downloads

•   Project Sheet
•   Groundwater Quality Monitoring & Characterisation
•   Mine Water Management Solutions

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The new laboratory for the centrifuge permeameter is also nearing completion, alongside the offices at the Water Research Laboratory. The $0.8 million facility was funded by the ARC and NWC through the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training as part of Program 1B - Innovative Characterisation of Aquitards. The purpose designed laboratory includes a 3 tonne gantry crane, climate control and a re-enforced slab keyed into the underlying sandstone. The centrifuge was delivered to WRL in January 2011, shipped from the Broadbent factory in Yorkshire, UK. This facility will accelerate testing of low permeability sediments and rock and make long term contaminant transport and retardation studies possible under in-situ conditions.

(Left) Crane moving various centrifuge parts into the new lab; (Right) Postdoctoral Fellow Gyanendra Regmi and Centrifuge Engineer Mark Whelan with the new permeameter and strong box chambers during installation of the new equipment.

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Brad is pictured here (left) with his supervisor Associate Professor Ian Turner (right).

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Dr Wendy Timms and her team based at WRL are currently measuring leakage and aquifer mixing to a depth of 40 m at the Breeza agricultural station with the NSW Department of Investment and Industry. Their studies are focused on how much water leaks through clay-rich sediments called aquitards that contain the groundwater. They have recently found that recharge might be more episodic than previously thought, and depends greatly on the spatial variability of soil permeability.

Recent work by WRL researchers Dr Martin Andersen, Andrew McCallum and the CWI team, has found that major flow events can temporarily increase the permeability of the river bed. This can occur during flood when flow becomes strong enough to erode the stream bed, stripping out fine particles of clay, silt and organic material that reduce permeability. Consequently, the streambed becomes more permeable, allowing river water to leak into the underlying aquifer at a higher rate. When the flood is over fine material will settle into the stream bed over time, reducing permeability, although this may take many months. These findings were presented recently at a forum in Tamworth and at the 2010 Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeologists.

Dr Wendy Timms was recently interviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald for an article responding to the recent flooding entitled “Aquifers Lap Up Water Gratefully“.

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To view WRL’s 2010 highlights, click here:

- Workshop Supervisor -

Larry joined the WRL team in 2010 as a specialist craftsperson, assisting both WRL project staff and academic staff with the design and construction of physical models. He is also responsible for assisting students with test structures and the set-up of their instrumentation. Larry comes as a highly experienced carpenter offering 15 years background in high-end residential carpentry and joinery. Larry currently holds a carpenter and builders licence.

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Course Dates: February 16-18, 2011

Presented by a range of wetland experts, this 2½ day course hosted at the Hunter Wetlands Centre will provide fundamental skills to understand wetland hydrology, hydraulics & hydrodynamics.

$980 (plus GST) per person. Book early as a limited number of places are available.

Please contact Dr William Glamore at: w.glamore@wrl.unsw.edu.au or on (02) 8071 9868.

For further information, click here 

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Held at the newly opened UNSW Wellington Research Station in central western NSW, the recent inaugural National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) Surface Water - Groundwater Field Methods Course, was well represented with WRL based Connected Waters Initiative (CWI) team members. Led by Professor Andy Baker and Professor Ian Acworth, the course offered experience in a variety of the latest scientific methods for understanding and examining the connectivity between rivers, rainfall infiltration and groundwater.

Also from WRL were Dr Martin Andersen, teaching groundwater sampling and hydrochemical analysis, with Dr Anna Greve introducing geophysical survey methods. PhD Student and Research Assistant Andrew McCallum provided expertise in aquifer testing bore design and drilling methods; while Drilling Technician Hamish Studholme and Field Engineer Sam McCulloch established the aquifer testing and down hole geophysical equipment.

The 4 day course included a field trip to the Baldry agricultural site, where collaborative research is coordinated by the NSW Department of Industry and Innovation. The field trip included a visit to Wellington Caves where Professor Baker and the CWI team are studying the relationship between groundwater and the geological formations in the caves, and where a new cave was recently discovered by the team.

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WRL based Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Cath Jex of the Connected Waters Initiative (CWI) team, recently gave a guest lecture to students at Turramurra High School in Sydney as part of National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training’s (NCGRT) commitment to provide training in all aspects of groundwater research.

In the first year of their HSC studies, the students were provided a rare opportunity to hear first-hand from a scientist working in the fields of groundwater and palaeoclimate research.

Cath discussed how stalagmites can be used to reconstruct the history of changes to groundwater systems over long periods of time, including her recent work in Ethiopia.

The students learned about some of the analytical techniques used in this research, including radiometric dating methods and stable isotope analysis of speleothem calcium carbonate.

Stalagmites, some of which are up to 130,000 years old, were made available for the students to handle and examine.

Researchers at the CWI and colleagues at institutions in the UK are currently collaborating in an ongoing project to use stalagmites to reconstruct past changes in hydrological conditions in Ethiopia, specifically during time periods that cover early modern human migration out of East Africa.

There are plans for similar research to be conducted in Australia led by WRL researchers Professor Andy Baker and Dr Cath Jex, involving the use of stalagmites to date and characterise periods of past hydrological variability and groundwater recharge in NSW during the Quaternary.

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The Water Research Laboratory (WRL) is located at Manly Vale on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and is part of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). WRL undertakes coastal engineering activities through a dedicated projects team, where full time project staff undertake studies and offer expert advice to industry and government. WRL employs a vast range of numerical (computer) models in its projects and research efforts. These software programs include hydrodynamic models, water quality models, sediment transport models, wave transformation models, rainfall and runoff models, and groundwater models. These programs are run on a local network of computers consisting of PC’s and UNIX work stations.

Numerical Modelling Expertise

Hydrodynamic Models
ANSYS CFX: A general purpose computational fluid dynamics software suite with advanced solver and pre- and post-processing capabilities
HEC-RAS: 1D steady hydrodynamic model
RMA-2: Depth averaged, finite element, unsteady hydrodynamic model
RMA-10: 3D finite element hydrodynamic and water quality model
MIKE-11: 1D finite difference unsteady hydrodynamic model used for modelling rivers and channels
MIKE-21: 2D finite difference unsteady hydrodynamic model used for modelling rivers, estuaries, bays and flood plains
MIKE Flood: Dynamically links 1D and 2D MIKE models, used for flooding and where rivers meet estuaries

Sediment Transport Models
GENESIS: Shoreline change model, based on temporal & spatial differences in longshore transport caused by breaking waves
HEC-6: Sediment transport and sedimentation
RMA-11: 2D/3D, finite element sediment transport model
SBEACH: Cross-shore sediment transport model
UNIBEST: Simulates longshore and cross-shore sediment transport

Wave Models
ACES: General coastal engineering package (part of CEDAS)
BERKHOFF: In-house finite difference shoaling and diffraction model
CMS: A free surface wave modelling suite
HINDCAST: In-house wave prediction program based on the SPM (1984) method
RCPWAVE: A short wave open coast model (part of CEDAS)
REF/DIF: Combined shoaling, refraction and diffraction finite difference model
REFRACT: Shoaling and refraction finite difference model for linear and non-linear waves
SHALWV: A full spectral wave model for examining inshore wave climates that result from offshore wave climate (part of CMS)
SWAN: A full spectral wave model suitable for wind generated waves and refraction
STWAVE: Simulates time independent spectral wave energy propagation (part of CEDAS)
WAVEREF: In-house finite difference wave shoaling and refraction model

Water Quality Models
3D-RWALK: Random walk 2D and 3D water quality model (works in RMA-2 & 10)
HSPF: Rural catchment runoff and water quality model
QUAL-2E: 2D estuarine water quality model
RMA-11: 2D/3D, finite element water quality model
SWMM: Urban drainage catchment runoff and water quality/quantity model

Projects Recently Undertaken

WRL has extensive experience the modelling of many rivers and estuaries both in Australia and internationally. Such tasks have included environmental flow studies, ocean and estuarine entrance conditions, discharge of pollutants, sedimentation and navigation. Specific studies include:

• Sydney Harbour and Coastal Waters, NSW
• Jerudong Park Marina, Brunei
• Karuah River, NSW
• Tweed River, NSW
• Hong Kong Western Waters, Hong Kong
• Moreton Bay, QLD
• Sydney-Illawarra Sewer Overflow Impacts, NSW
• Green Island Reclamation, Hong Kong
• Darwin Harbour/East Arm Port, NT
• Auckland Sewer Overflows, New Zealand
• Manila Bay, Philippines
• Tuas Reclamation, Singapore
• Pulau Tekong Reclamation, Singapore
• Manly Lagoon, NSW
• Wilsons River, NSW
• Port of Sonklah, Thailand
• Santubong Peninsula, Malaysia
• Benoa Bay, Indonesia
• Khiran Pearl Canal Estate, Dubai
• Christchurch Outfall, New Zealand
• Waimakariri Outfall, New Zealand
• Port Botany Expansion, NSW

Key WRL Personnel

Brett Miller: Brett is the Manager of WRL and also an experienced and skilled numerical modeller. He has been undertaking RMA modelling projects since 1992 when he commenced work on the 3D simulation of the Sydney Deepwater Outfalls. In 1995 he was appointed the Section Leader for Environmental Modelling at WRL and was responsible for the technical direction and marketing of modelling activities. Brett has undertaken hydrodynamic and water quality modelling on over 20 major studies in locations including Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines and New Zealand. Studies have varied in size from small pilot modelling exercises to large studies, such as the Western Waters of Hong Kong that involved 3D modelling of hydrodynamics and water quality in highly stratified conditions, with 5 engineers full time for 18 months. Brett has also been strongly involved with the hydraulic design and near field prediction of outfall performance with recent projects including: Waimakariri Outfall (NZ), Christchurch Outfall (NZ), Shellharbour Outfall and the proposed Perth Desalination Outfall. Brett holds a BE in Civil Engineering, a BSc in Computer Science and a MEngSc in Water Engineering.

James Carley: James is a Senior Project Engineer at WRL. He has over 17 years experience in coastal engineering, specialising in coastal processes, coastal hazards and physical modelling. James holds a MEngSc majoring in Coastal Engineering and Physical Oceanography, and was the 2007-08 Chair of the NSW Maritime Panel of the Institution of Engineers Australia. James is one of Australia’s foremost experts in the practical application of coastal process models and has extensive experience with the best currently available numerical and analytical models from around the world. James has undertaken detailed studies of beaches throughout Australia, the South Pacific, South-East Asia and the Middle East. These studies have involved a review of historical events, prediction of future response to major storms, climate change and sea level rise, and beach response to structures. The techniques used include detailed historical analysis of beach profile survey data, computer/numerical modelling, and physical laboratory modelling of beach shape and the response of structures to waves. James has authored more than 100 WRL Technical Reports and more than 20 papers for state, national and international conferences. He has been a surfer, surf life saver and ocean swimmer for more than 30 years, which allows him to closely understand coastal processes and community issues.

Dr William Glamore: William is a Senior Research Fellow at WRL. William has a BSc in Environmental Science and a PhD in Civil/Environmental Engineering. William has been with WRL since 2003 and has managed and undertaken several large studies during this time. His primary fields of interest are related to estuarine hydrodynamics and water quality including restoration of estuarine environments, acid sulphate soils, coastal wetlands, boat wake waves, outfall hydraulics and field testing, and related physical and numerical models. While William’s work is particularly focused on estuarine environments, his practical experience crosses all water related environments including reservoirs, wetlands, groundwater and coastal settings.

Grantley Smith: Grantley is a Senior Project Engineer at WRL. He has a BE in Civil Engineering and a MEngSc majoring in Water Engineering. He has a broad range of experience providing assessment and solutions in water engineering and water resources, developed during his more than 19 years as a professional engineer. Grantley has a keen interest in numerical modelling with his expertise gained through a hands-on approach to developing and employing numerical models to address wide range of applications covering catchment, riverine, estuarine and coastal environments. His broad experience in both conceptual models and physically based 1D, 2D and 3D models covering water movement, water quality and sediment transport processes and associated environmental responses leaves him well placed to provide tailored modelling solutions and practical advice to support water planning and management. Grantley has also contributed to the assessment of numerous outfalls in both estuarine and coastal environments. These assessments have ranged in size from small studies of the potential impacts river bank overflows on receiving water environments to project management of a multi-disciplinary team for the hydraulic and structural stability design and commissioning testing of the ocean outfall for the Illawarra Wastewater Strategy at the Wollongong STP.

Prof. Ian King: Ian is an internationally recognised expert in the application of state-of-the-art computer simulation techniques to practical engineering problems and has pioneered the application of Finite Element Methods to water resources problems. He is the primary developer of the RMA-2, RMA-10 and RMA-11 hydrodynamic and water quality models, and has been involved with their development and application over a period of 25 years. For the past 9 years, he has had a continuing association with WRL, where he is currently a Visiting Professor. Ian has an extensive background in lake, estuarine and oceanographic hydrodynamics and water quality, and has been actively involved in many leading edge commercial projects while also supervising many PhD students applying the RMA models to lakes and estuaries.

Matt Blacka: Matt has completed a Master of Engineering Science degree, with specialisation in Coastal Engineering and Management, and Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) degree, with first class honours in Coastal Engineering. He has over five years experience working as a Project Engineer at the Water Research Laboratory on both physical model and desktop investigations in the fields of coastal engineering and hydraulics. Matt is also a member of the Engineers Australia Sydney Division Maritime Panel. While working at WRL Matt has completed physical model investigations of a range of coastal structures including breakwaters, seawalls, and jetties, as well as hydraulic structures such as dam spillways, weirs, and culverts. Recent physical modelling investigations include Bounty Bay Breakwater Pitcairn Island, Greater Gorgon Development Barrow Island LNG Plant WA, Shell Cove Marina Entrance NSW, Springfield Lakes Spillway Cascade QLD, and William Slim Drive Retarding Basin Culvert ACT.

Alessio Mariani: Alessio has been a Project Engineer at WRL since 2006. Alessio attended two leading European schools of engineering graduating with a Masters degree in Environmental Engineering at the Politecnico of Milan, Italy, and a Masters degree in Hydrodynamic and Ocean Engineering at the Ecole Centrale of Nantes, France. Alessio was the recipient of the EU sponsored TIME (Top Industrial Manager for Europe) scholarship, and participated to the related European double-degree program. Recently Alessio has managed the physical modelling studies for the Gorgon Project on Barrow Island in Western Australia. The investigation included 2D, quasi-3D and full 3D modelling of coastal structures. Alessio was also involved in several coastal studies both national and international; including Shell Cove harbour NSW, Cook Islands airport breakwater and Semaphore Park submerged breakwater in Adelaide.

Dr Tom Shand: Tom has completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) degree, with honours, and has worked on a range of consulting engineering projects mainly in the coastal discipline, but also in hydraulic, water resources and geotechnical fields. Areas of expertise include coastal process and hazard assessment; numerical modelling of coastal, offshore and estuarine processes, and the design of coastal structures and beach nourishment schemes. Tom also has experience with the practical aspects of engineering design including project costing, specifications and construction supervision. Tom’s PhD, undertaken at UNSW, investigated wave group effects on shoaling and breaking processes, and their influences on nearshore design and coastal hazard.

The Water Research Laboratory (WRL) is located at Manly Vale on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and is part of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). WRL undertakes coastal engineering activities through a dedicated projects team, where full time project staff undertake studies and offer expert advice to industry and government. Being a part of UNSW ensures a high calibre of personnel and facilities, ensuring our prestigious record of experience built up over 50 years; due to this, WRL’s reputation in coastal engineering is highly regarded by our peers both in Australia and internationally. WRL is NATA certified for Quality Assurance and guarantees that commercial activities are executed with strict regard to quality, time, budget, and in accord with authorised contractual agreements.

Physical Modelling Expertise

• Wave forces on coastal structures
• Armour protection of seawalls and breakwaters
• Bed scour and movement
• Wave run-up and overtopping
• Wave reflection and absorption
• Movement and forces for floating marina units
• Water circulation and penetration
• Wave energy device testing
• Offshore breakwaters
• Shoreline changes about coastal construction
• Shoreline and wave climate effects
• Wave penetration of harbours

Physical Modelling Facilities at WRL

The hydraulics laboratories at WRL are the largest and most comprehensive in Australia. WRL occupies 3.8 ha of land immediately downstream of Manly Dam, and has 4 fully equipped laboratories for research and specialist consulting studies. The laboratories contain a variety of standard facilities in addition to open space, which is used for the construction of large scale physical models. The facilities typically used for coastal physical modelling investigations include:

1 m Wave Flume

• 0.9 m wide x 35 m long x 1.4 m deep
• May be used as a wind tunnel with and without waves
• Site specific 2D bathymetries can be modelled using a false timber floor
• Typical model investigations undertaken in the 1 m flume include analysis of breakwater/revetment armour stability, run-up and overtopping, wave forces, wave reduction screens, and wind/wave interactions

3 m Wave Flume

• 3.0 m wide x 32 m long x 1.3 m deep
• Used for 2D and quasi 3D modelling
• Site specific 2D bathymetries can be modelled using a false timber or concrete profile
• Typical model investigations undertaken in the 3 m flume include revetment/breakwater armour stability, run-up and overtopping, and wave forces

0.6 m Wave/Sediment Transport Flume

• 0.6 m wide x 40 m long x 0.9 m deep
• Segmented differential tilting floor
• May be used as a wind tunnel with and without waves
• Typical investigations undertaken in the 0.6 m flume include wave process studies, floating and screen breakwater studies, and wind/wave interactions

Wave Basin

• 29 m long x 16 m wide x 0.7 m deep
• Twin 7.25 m long wave paddles, which can be operated simultaneously or independently, and can be used to produce waves from different directions
• Site specific 3D bathymetries are reproduced using concrete
• Typical investigations undertaken in the wave basin include analysis of breakwater/revetment layout and armouring, wave penetration, sediment transport, and artificial reefs

All wave flumes and the wave basin can be operated with monochromatic or irregular waves, defined by spectral or time series wave parameters, or by a pre-recorded wave signal. WRL has instrumentation to measure wave properties such as height and period, and also to measure wave induced force and pressure loading and overtopping. Wave generation, data recording, and data analysis is undertaken using the GEDAP/NDAC software package.

WRL has an extensive collection of model concrete armour units that can be used for armour stability testing, and regularly has armour units produced for specific project requirements.

Projects Recently Undertaken

Barrow Island LNG Plant MOF, Western Australia, 2006-Present: A liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility is proposed to be built on Barrow Island, WA. To allow construction of the LNG plant, a materials offload facility (MOF) is required to be constructed on the island, and will consist of several wharves and craft landing facilities, protected by various coastal structures. WRL was engaged to undertake 2D and 3D physical modelling investigations of the perimeter revetment and other coastal structures associated with the project. The initial 2D flume testing of preliminary structure designs, looked at revetment armour stability, wave runup, and overtopping, from which the results were used to optimise the design, prior to undertaking the wave basin modelling. The 3D wave basin modelling further investigated armour stability and overtopping, as well as considered wave penetration associated with the plan layout of the various structures.

2D Physical Modelling of Oceanlinx Wave Energy System, 2008: Oceanlinx Australia engaged WRL to undertake 2D physical modelling of its Wave Energy System. The Oceanlinx system converts the flow of air above an oscillating water column (OWC) into electrical energy via a mechanical turbine. Wave flume tests were undertaken independently on two different types of OWC designs in the 3 m wave flume at WRL. Phase 1 of testing involved the construction of a model based on the existing Oceanlinx OWC prototype design at a scale of 1:30. Testing was undertaken to compare the performance of the chamber under real water level time series, recorded on-site at a potential deployment location in Australia; and under synthetic time series. Phase 2 of testing involved the construction of four different model OWC designs tested with up to two orientations of wave attack at a scale of 1:33. Tests were undertaken to compare the performance of the chamber designs under both monochromatic and irregular wave attack.

Physical Modelling of Geotextile Breakwaters for Coastal Development, Abu Dhabi, 2008: WRL was commissioned to undertake 2D and 3D physical modelling of a range of coastal management schemes, which were proposed for the shoreline at an island development in Abu Dhabi. The proposed coastal development scheme consisted of a field of low crested geotextile container breakwaters, utilised in combination with beach nourishment. This investigation included 2D flume testing at a scale of 1:25 investigating wave transmission, wave runup, and overtopping for a range of breakwater designs and recurrence interval events. The 3D wave basin modelling at a scale of 1:40 was primarily undertaken to measure nearshore wave driven currents, as well as transmitted wave conditions.

Bounty Bay, Pitcairn Island, 2008: Bounty Bay is the primary landing point for access onto Pitcairn Island, with the coastline being extremely rugged for most parts. WRL was commissioned to undertake a physical modelling investigation of the proposed breakwater and Bounty Bay harbour. The physical model consisted of a 1:55 scale 3D wave basin model, with the topography extending from approximately +7 m CD down to a depth of ‑20 m CD. Model tests were conducted for three wave directions of northwest, north-northeast, and east (deepwater directions), for both operational and 100 year ARI design wave conditions. As a result of the physical modelling undertaken by WRL, the breakwater layout and armouring design was altered to better meet the project targets.

Wyndham Harbour Breakwaters, Victoria, 2007: A new marina development is proposed to be constructed at Wyndham Harbour in Port Phillip Bay. Three main coastal protection structures are proposed as part of this development: a main breakwater, northern breakwater and northern groyne. WRL was commissioned to undertake 2D modelling of the main breakwater at two different critical sections in the 1 m wave flume. Upon construction of the core, the surface of the core material is to be mechanically raked to bring larger stones to the surface, to form a quasi-secondary armour layer upon which the primary armour layer will be seated. WRL’s test program indicated that the quasi-secondary armour layer performed satisfactorily, demonstrating that the primary armour stone mass could be reduced from 2.8 t to 1.4 t and advised that the crest elevation in the original design could be reduced by 1.0 m in one section of the main breakwater.

Australian National Maritime Museum 3D Modelling, NSW, 2006-2007: A new marina is proposed to be constructed inside Darling Harbour; one of the busiest harbours for ferry and commuter watercraft in Australia. As these vessels move within the harbour they create wake waves which subsequently impact other moored and floating structures. The extent and magnitude of the effects of wakes generated from passing vessels, is proportional to the energy within the wake wave. WRL was commissioned to conduct a three stage physical modelling program for a number of wavescreen breakwater configurations to both protect the marina, and minimise wave reflections onto neighbouring stakeholders.

Dalrymple Bay Revetment, Queensland, 2006: A proposal has been put forward to increase the coal export capacity at Dalrymple Bay, Queensland, through the widening of an existing breakwater extension. WRL undertook a 3D physical model study of the proposed extension with a variety of monochromatic and cyclonic wave climates (height, period and direction). Several breakwater configurations were constructed and tested at a scale of 1:42. The purpose of the study was to optimise the density and positioning of 11.5 t and 5 t hanbars, and confirm the breakwater’s ability to withstand 100 year wave climate conditions at various water levels, and incident wave directions. WRL testing highlighted vulnerable points in the initial design, and areas of the breakwater that had been overdesigned. A modified design was tested that was found to be structurally stable and reduced the number of 5 t hanbar units required by more than 500.

Physical Modelling of COPED Units, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 2006: WRL was involved in the design and testing of a series of breakwaters, for the coastal protection of various sites within the Cook Islands, using COPED units. COPEDs (Coastal Protection and Environmental Development) are coreless precast concrete units invented and developed in the Cook Islands, which can be used in a number of configurations to form breakwaters, revetments and vertical walls. WRL tested the breakwaters in the 1 m flume using both regular and irregular wave heights, to reproduce in situ cyclonic extreme wave conditions. The COPEDs hydraulic performance was quantified by measuring wave reduction leeward the breakwaters and hydraulic loads on the units by wave impacts.

Koniambo Wharf 3 m Flume Testing, 2006: WRL was commissioned to undertake a 2D physical model investigation for a proposed heavy duty wharf structure at Koniambo, which is located in the northern province of New Caledonia, a very active tropical cyclone area. WRL constructed a 1:15 undistorted scale model of the wharf in the 3 m flume, to investigate wave overtopping and wave uplift forces. Ultra-sonic sensors were deployed to measure depths and velocities of inundation bores; while pressure transducers monitored pressure uplifts, due to wave impact on the bottom of the wharf; and an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) recorded flow velocities within the water column.

Shell Cove Boat Harbour Entrance, NSW, 2005-2006: Both 2D wave flume and 3D wave basin modelling was undertaken by WRL to investigate a range of breakwater and entrance design aspects for the Shell Cove boat harbour entrance; on the NSW South Coast. 2D flume modelling was initially undertaken in WRL’s 1 m wave flume, to optimise the breakwater cross section and armour design. The testing investigated seven different breakwater cross sections using both rock and concrete armour units, with data being recorded for armour stability, wave transmission, and overtopping rates. 3D modelling was then undertaken in the wave basin to investigate the effects of waves from a range of directions. Throughout the modelling program, significant design changes were made to optimise the entrance design, as a result of the hydraulic modelling investigation.

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Downloads

•   Solutions Sheet

Coastal Engineering

• Coastal Engineering - Physical Modelling Solutions
• Coastal Engineering - Numerical Modelling Solutions
• Geotextile Structures Solutions
• Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Adaptation Solutions

Environmental Engineering

Boat Wake Waves and Bank Erosion Solutions
Outfalls - Marine and Riverine Solutions
Particles - Transport and Fate Solutions
SmartGate Environmental Control System Solutions
Wetland Restoration Solutions

Civil Engineering Hydraulics

Computational Fluid Dynamics - CFD Solutions

Groundwater

Bore Design and Aquifer Testing Solutions
Flow Through Sorption and Compatibility Testing Solutions
Geoexchange Solutions
Groundwater Flow and Transport Modelling Solutions
Groundwater Investigations for Effluent Re-use and Disposal Solutions
Managed Aquifer Recharge Solutions
Salinisation Cause and Effect Mechanisms Solutions

Hydrology & Water Resources

Quality of Road Runoff Solutions
Salinisation Cause and Effect Mechanisms Solutions

•   The use of physical and numerical models for coastal applications

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WRL was represented by Dr Tom Shand presenting NSW Coastal Storms and Extreme Waves, James Carley presenting Beach Scraping as a Coastal Management Option and Alessio Mariani presenting Infilling and Sand Bypassing of Coastal Structures and Headlands by Littoral Drift. Louise Gates of UNSW received the student award for outstanding research on climate change adaptation. Conference sessions were well attended with surf on the south coast remaining small throughout the week.

Burrill Lake - Natural infilling and closure of the Burrill Lake entrance has resulted in extremely high water levels around the lake shore.

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