Hydrology & Water Resources Symposium 2014
Engineers Australia hosted its 35th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium on 24th – 27th February 2014 in Perth. The event, coordinated by Engineers Australia’s National Committee on Water Engineering, is Australia’s largest symposium devoted to hydrology, water engineering and related areas in water resources management.
Our very own resident Senior Environmental Engineer, Kelly Norris, spruiked his modelling expertise in the Groundwater session of the symposium, presenting a paper entitled “A Custom Built Numerical Model for Predicting Seasonal Variation and Mounding of Groundwater in Urban Areas”.
Kelly’s presentation focussed on how development trends in Perth have led to the urbanisation of relatively low lying areas that are affected by shallow groundwater. Dealing with the resulting effects on local water balances, reduced evapotranspiration and the changing volume of rainfall which is infiltrated was also considered by Kelly, in particular, the additional management considerations and potential impacts on downstream systems.
Kelly demonstrated that Essential Environmental’s innovative shallow aquifer management modelling software, SammEE (described in detail in a previous post HERE), provides a way of better understanding the behaviour of shallow groundwater systems and determining appropriate management solutions, particularly, in a development context.
The ability of SammEE to apply a numerical modelling approach allows users to examine the effect of various management approaches on seasonal groundwater levels. Thus stakeholders can consider options for management of shallow groundwater through assessment of local responses to actual rainfall patterns and altered water balances. Kel’s presentation was well received by the symposium audience, which included a range of consultants, local government representatives, and WA, interstate and New Zealand government representatives.
Kelly will demonstrate his knowledge of urban hydrology and the development and use of SammEE again at the Institute of Public Works Engineering WA Annual State Conference, held between 11th – 13th March 2014, at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle. Kelly will be presenting on Day 1 (11th March) at the 11.30am session on Urban Development.
For further information on attendance of the conference, please visit the IPWEA website:
http://www.ipwea.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=22
