Dynamic Earth Models for Frontier Mineral Exploration. This Project aims to investigate the link between supercontinents, mantle upwelling, and associated mineral resources by combining reconstructions of mantle flow with the global rock record. Mantle upwelling causes eruptions of volcanic provinces and associated rock formations that are rich in minerals. The expected outcomes of the Project include mapping the global potential for magmatic nickel, rare-earth elements, and diamond deposits fro ....Dynamic Earth Models for Frontier Mineral Exploration. This Project aims to investigate the link between supercontinents, mantle upwelling, and associated mineral resources by combining reconstructions of mantle flow with the global rock record. Mantle upwelling causes eruptions of volcanic provinces and associated rock formations that are rich in minerals. The expected outcomes of the Project include mapping the global potential for magmatic nickel, rare-earth elements, and diamond deposits from 1.8 billion years ago and building a research alliance between the University of Wollongong, Anglo American, and De Beers. Significant benefits will be the development of a digital framework to reduce risks in exploration for minerals that are essential for the transition to a low-carbon economy.Read moreRead less
Rocky coasts: a framework for risk assessment in order to reduce drowning. Reducing drowning on the rocky coast through modelling how waves impact and where people use the shore is the aim of this project. In collaboration with Surf Life Saving Australia, the latest laser surveying and modelling techniques will be combined with perception surveys to develop an innovative and new risk framework for coastal management.
Integrating Economic Valuation and Water Quality Modelling for Improving Management of Coastal Catchments. This project will apply and integrate water quality models and economic assessment techniques to assist policy makers and catchment managers balance competing development pressures and environmental concerns in coastal catchments. The research is fundamental to underpinning the sustainable management of coastal catchments which provide major economic, environmental and community benefits. T ....Integrating Economic Valuation and Water Quality Modelling for Improving Management of Coastal Catchments. This project will apply and integrate water quality models and economic assessment techniques to assist policy makers and catchment managers balance competing development pressures and environmental concerns in coastal catchments. The research is fundamental to underpinning the sustainable management of coastal catchments which provide major economic, environmental and community benefits. The project will provide robust tools to predict water quality impacts under a range of conditions and it will develop techniques for the economic valuation of market and non-market impacts. The project will demonstrate the integration of water quality and economic modelling and how it can influence policy and investment in conservation and remediation.Read moreRead less
Reactive barriers for the remediation of fluoride contamination in groundwater. This project will build the first pilot scale calcite permeable reactive barrier for the remediation of fluoride contamination in groundwater at VAW aluminium. At VAW, fluoride has contaminated groundwater at concentrations up to 3000mg/L, levels far higher than the drinking water guideline value of 1.5mg/L. The barrier design will be based on laboratory work from a previous SPIRT project with VAW and the CIs which h ....Reactive barriers for the remediation of fluoride contamination in groundwater. This project will build the first pilot scale calcite permeable reactive barrier for the remediation of fluoride contamination in groundwater at VAW aluminium. At VAW, fluoride has contaminated groundwater at concentrations up to 3000mg/L, levels far higher than the drinking water guideline value of 1.5mg/L. The barrier design will be based on laboratory work from a previous SPIRT project with VAW and the CIs which has shown that calcite can remove 99% of fluoride contamination from water. The project will prove the technology at the field scale and provide the basis for its application to other contaminants.Read moreRead less
Multi-site generation of daily rainfall for catchment water management studies. This project aims to develop new approaches for stochastic generation of daily precipitation at multiple locations within a catchment. Traditional stochastic generators are found lacking at daily time-steps, offering a poor representation of observed distributional, seasonal and persistence characteristics. Ongoing research has resulted in approaches for generating daily rainfall at a single location that do not suff ....Multi-site generation of daily rainfall for catchment water management studies. This project aims to develop new approaches for stochastic generation of daily precipitation at multiple locations within a catchment. Traditional stochastic generators are found lacking at daily time-steps, offering a poor representation of observed distributional, seasonal and persistence characteristics. Ongoing research has resulted in approaches for generating daily rainfall at a single location that do not suffer from the above problems. This project will formulate approaches for rainfall generation at multiple locations within a catchment. The generated data will allow risk-based management and more reliable evaluation of the hydrologic, environmental and socioeconomic impacts of alternative water resource management planning scenarios.Read moreRead less
Multi-site probabilistic streamflow forecasting for water management applications. This project will develop methodologies for probabilistic forecasting of streamflow at multiple locations in a catchment. These probabilistic forecasts will be used to develop alternate reservoir operating policies that allow operators to use current climate information to maximise water supply at controlled levels of risk. The probabilistic forecasts will be formulated using data representing the regional and glo ....Multi-site probabilistic streamflow forecasting for water management applications. This project will develop methodologies for probabilistic forecasting of streamflow at multiple locations in a catchment. These probabilistic forecasts will be used to develop alternate reservoir operating policies that allow operators to use current climate information to maximise water supply at controlled levels of risk. The probabilistic forecasts will be formulated using data representing the regional and global climate, and validated retrospectively over time. Once completed, this research will provide a means for risk-based management and hence a more reliable evaluation of the hydrologic, environmental and socioeconomic impacts of alternative water resource management planning scenarios.Read moreRead less
An Australian storm wave damage and beach erosion early warning system. This project aims to develop a new coastal hazard early-warning system capability for Australia, to alert coastal communities, emergency managers and coastal engineers to impending storm wave damage and coastal erosion. Emergency preparedness informed by early warning is expected to significantly benefit vulnerable communities and infrastructure along Australia’s coasts.
Are coastal wetlands vulnerable to bushfires? The ‘Black Summer’ fires burned extensive areas of coastal wetland not typically associated with fire impact. These wetlands rely upon plant growth and sediment delivery to respond to sea-level rise, processes which may be impacted by fire. This project aims to quantify the distribution and severity of fire impact, and establish post-fire vegetation and surface elevation trajectories. By integrating fire ecology and wetland science approaches, this p ....Are coastal wetlands vulnerable to bushfires? The ‘Black Summer’ fires burned extensive areas of coastal wetland not typically associated with fire impact. These wetlands rely upon plant growth and sediment delivery to respond to sea-level rise, processes which may be impacted by fire. This project aims to quantify the distribution and severity of fire impact, and establish post-fire vegetation and surface elevation trajectories. By integrating fire ecology and wetland science approaches, this project will ascertain the resilience of coastal wetlands to the cumulative impacts of fire and sea-level rise. Expected outcomes of this project include new, spatially-explicit fire management tools which will aid the sustainable, long-term management of coastal wetlands in a changing climate.Read moreRead less
Response of estuaries to climate change: investigating their role as sediment sinks. This project will investigate the effect of climate change on estuaries and nearby ecosystems, settlements and infrastructure. Outcomes include a framework for assessing vulnerability, estimates of sedimentation and carbon sequestration, and models to explore the impact of climate change and adaptation options on estuaries and carbon sequestration.
Innovation in agricultural sector Green House Gas abatement in NSW. This project aims to develop a land sector greenhouse gas abatement, food production and environmental economics model for NSW. We expect to identify innovation in carbon payment policy and brokerage business models to achieve agricultural GHG abatement, while simultaneously improving sustainability. Expected outcomes include evaluation of the innovations of expert landholders, related businesses and governments to find ways to ....Innovation in agricultural sector Green House Gas abatement in NSW. This project aims to develop a land sector greenhouse gas abatement, food production and environmental economics model for NSW. We expect to identify innovation in carbon payment policy and brokerage business models to achieve agricultural GHG abatement, while simultaneously improving sustainability. Expected outcomes include evaluation of the innovations of expert landholders, related businesses and governments to find ways to influence land use decisions. This should provide significant benefits to landholders, governments involved in land management and the public through increased productivity, profitability, biodiversity and ecosystem health in the context of future climate, agricultural commodity and carbon market uncertainties.Read moreRead less