A Fourier approach to address low-frequency variability bias in hydrology. This project aims to develop a mathematical framework to better simulate the occurrence of sustained anomalies, such as droughts and long periods of flooding, into the future. These events increase water insecurity and result in loss of revenue, livelihoods and lives. Hydrological planning requires knowledge of how such sustained extremes will change in the future. Current alternatives for simulating such changes for futu ....A Fourier approach to address low-frequency variability bias in hydrology. This project aims to develop a mathematical framework to better simulate the occurrence of sustained anomalies, such as droughts and long periods of flooding, into the future. These events increase water insecurity and result in loss of revenue, livelihoods and lives. Hydrological planning requires knowledge of how such sustained extremes will change in the future. Current alternatives for simulating such changes for future climates are inadequate for catchment-scale planning to proceed. The project proposes a strategy for post-processing hydrological simulations of the future using an elegant frequency-domain approach. It expects to provide the tools needed to develop hydrologic infrastructure, such as water supply reservoirs, that secure our water resources for the generations to come.Read moreRead less
A decadal to inter-decadal streamflow prediction system. This project will develop the first ever decadal streamflow prediction system for Australia, leading to predictions of streamflow for the next 10 years and beyond that take into account both natural climatic variability (driven by factors such as the El Nino Southern Oscillation) and changing greenhouse gas concentrations due to a warming planet.
Daily hydrological and erosion modelling utilising sub-daily rainfall intensity distributions. Australian catchments face major environmental problems. Computer modelling for predicting outcomes of management decisions, in the priority setting process and for assisting with setting local targets is central to environmental management today. This research will develop a new approach for modelling runoff and erosion that is consistent with key process time and space scales. The research is based o ....Daily hydrological and erosion modelling utilising sub-daily rainfall intensity distributions. Australian catchments face major environmental problems. Computer modelling for predicting outcomes of management decisions, in the priority setting process and for assisting with setting local targets is central to environmental management today. This research will develop a new approach for modelling runoff and erosion that is consistent with key process time and space scales. The research is based on improved process understanding and will utilize the large Australian database of hydroclimate and spatial data. This research will lead to improved estimation of runoff and erosion in gauged and ungauged catchments, allowing decisions on land and water resources and environmental management to be made with more reliable information.Read moreRead less
Representing low-frequency variability in hydro-climatic simulations for water resources planning and management in a changing climate. Simulating local hydro-climatology under likely climate change allows risk assessment of existing and future water infrastructure, along with the planning protocols needed to adapt to the changes ahead. This study aims to develop the tools needed to simulate local hydro-climatology, providing a basis for securing water for the generations to come.
An innovative strategy for stormwater remediation and reduction of contaminant supply from catchments. Many urbanised harbours world-wide are polluted and the main source is stormwater. Currently, emphasis is to remove gross pollutants from stormwater using numerous devices scattered through the catchment. In a radical shift from traditional approaches, we will identify primary contaminant sources in the catchment for later targeted education and regulation and a single remediation device will r ....An innovative strategy for stormwater remediation and reduction of contaminant supply from catchments. Many urbanised harbours world-wide are polluted and the main source is stormwater. Currently, emphasis is to remove gross pollutants from stormwater using numerous devices scattered through the catchment. In a radical shift from traditional approaches, we will identify primary contaminant sources in the catchment for later targeted education and regulation and a single remediation device will remove most toxic substances in stormwater currently discharged to estuaries. Stormwater reuse will provide a new valuable urban resource. This paradigm shift in traditional stormwater strategy will ensure biodiversity and ecologically sustainable development of urbanised ports. Port Jackson is used as a test case.Read moreRead less
Mitigating extreme water supply contamination in bushfire burned catchments. This project involves Melbourne Water, the Department of Environment and Primary Industries, and East Gippsland Water in developing tools to evaluate mitigation options that will protect our water supplies and increase the resilience of Australian communities to bushfire. Major bushfires in south-east Australia in 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2013 were followed by storms that triggered extreme soil erosion events in catchments, ....Mitigating extreme water supply contamination in bushfire burned catchments. This project involves Melbourne Water, the Department of Environment and Primary Industries, and East Gippsland Water in developing tools to evaluate mitigation options that will protect our water supplies and increase the resilience of Australian communities to bushfire. Major bushfires in south-east Australia in 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2013 were followed by storms that triggered extreme soil erosion events in catchments, contaminating water supplies and damaging critical infrastructure. The capacity to mitigate the risk of interruption to the water supplies of our cities and towns in a more fire-prone future is currently limited by our knowledge of where, why, and how often these post-fire contamination events will occur. This project aims to address these knowledge gaps.Read moreRead less
Australia's variable rainfall - how dry or wet can it really get? Australia’s rainfall is extremely variable, which means existing weather records are too short to calculate the true risk posed by droughts and floods. This project aims to quantify how naturally variable the rainfall coming from the Indo-Pacific mid-latitudes is, allowing recent rainfall extremes and future projections to be assessed in a long-term context. This project expects to produce new estimates of atmospheric moisture bud ....Australia's variable rainfall - how dry or wet can it really get? Australia’s rainfall is extremely variable, which means existing weather records are too short to calculate the true risk posed by droughts and floods. This project aims to quantify how naturally variable the rainfall coming from the Indo-Pacific mid-latitudes is, allowing recent rainfall extremes and future projections to be assessed in a long-term context. This project expects to produce new estimates of atmospheric moisture budgets between Australia and Antarctica based on a novel, 1000-year length reconstruction of moisture-bearing southern Indian Ocean storms. This new information is critically needed by water managers so that they can properly calculate (and ultimately prepare for) the worst of Australia’s rainfall-related risks.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101981
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$353,706.00
Summary
Investigating water and energy fluxes partitioning on heterogeneous terrain. This project aims to develop, implement and evaluate a field monitoring technique building upon new theoretical developments to quantify evaporation and transpiration from soil and vegetation using a limited number of measurements of temperature, humidity and net radiation above soil and canopies. This new technique aims to characterise in situ the effect of vegetation cover on the partitioning of energy and water fluxe ....Investigating water and energy fluxes partitioning on heterogeneous terrain. This project aims to develop, implement and evaluate a field monitoring technique building upon new theoretical developments to quantify evaporation and transpiration from soil and vegetation using a limited number of measurements of temperature, humidity and net radiation above soil and canopies. This new technique aims to characterise in situ the effect of vegetation cover on the partitioning of energy and water fluxes in areas with complex terrain and patchy vegetation. The project aims to produce new field experiment designs for optimal use of available technology and without restrictive limitations of fetch size required by traditional approaches (for example, eddy-covariance, Bowen ratio method).Read moreRead less
A new strategy for design flood estimation in a nonstationary climate. Evidence suggests that global warming will result in an increase in the frequency and/or magnitude of heavy rainfall, leading to flooding with potentially devastating consequences. This study provides a renewed focus on design flood estimation that takes into account a changing climate where assumptions of stationarity are no longer tenable.
Water availability and demand: better forecasts, better management. This project aims to improve Australia’s capability in the provision and use of water forecasts for managing water resources. The current water forecasts are not fully utilised by water agencies as they are not sufficiently comprehensive and advanced. This project expects to achieve a step change in the uptake and utility of hydro-climate forecasts through an extensive partnership of leading researchers and operational agencies ....Water availability and demand: better forecasts, better management. This project aims to improve Australia’s capability in the provision and use of water forecasts for managing water resources. The current water forecasts are not fully utilised by water agencies as they are not sufficiently comprehensive and advanced. This project expects to achieve a step change in the uptake and utility of hydro-climate forecasts through an extensive partnership of leading researchers and operational agencies of hydro-climate forecasting, with federal, state and regional water agencies.Read moreRead less