Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment
School of Natural and Built Environments
School of Natural and Built Environments
Managing the Flood: Understanding Stormwater flows in the
Adelaide Metropolitan Area
The Adelaide and Mt Lofty Natural Resource Management Board have
established 30 monitoring sites for stormwater in the creeks and streams
that flow through Adelaide. These sites record data or water volumes,
flows and quality. Until now, we have only guessed at the quality volume
and speed of the storm water run-off into the gulf. With this new
monitoring system in place we can paint a true picture of water flow
from the Adelaide Hills to the sea.
Using the information collected by these monitors, we can map and
understand storm water flow patterns in Adelaide and determine how they
relate to stream morphology (natural and constructed) and weather
patterns and how to redesign and engineer stormwater catchments to best
capture stormwater and/or control its release into the gulf. The data
can be used to plan for future catchment management plans.
We require students with backgrounds in water hydrology, riparian
biodiversity, GIS, water engineering, planning, climate, and project
management.
Important questions:
1. Does volume and flow correlate with turbidity and
quality?
2. How does flow vary across the Adelaide plain?
3. How does flow vary with rainfall events and
patterns?
4. How is stream structure (natural versus cement
drain) affect stream flow patterns?
5. How can stream engineering be modified to optimise
the observed flow and volume patterns?
6. Which streams should be re constructed to optimise
flow –where and how?
7. How is stream biodiversity affected by flow
patterns?
8. Are the storm water outflows best positioned to
capture storm water –do they relate well to rainfall localities?
9. How can this information inform planning for future
storm water management?
Further details including the collection sites and data can be found at
www.amlrnrm.sa.gov.au
Can Tidal Power
drive a small town?
South Australia is at the forefront for embracing renewable “green”
technologies to replace coal and diesel power for electricity in our
towns and cities. Whilst the focus to date has been on wind and solar
power as the most important renewable technologies, tidal power is
rapidly emerging as potentially one of the best options. By utilising
underwater currents, tidal power has the ability to provide continuous
and predictable power, without unsightly structures or requiring
traditional “back up” power generation facilities.
However, no one has yet examined whether tidal or current power could
support a small medium sized town, how the structure might be planned
for and built, whether the community would accept the technology, how
economical it is, and the environmental impacts such a structure might
have on the sea bed. In initial reviews of ocean energy for SA, the
South Coast of KI showed up as a large source for current energy as
opposed to tidal energy. This project will develop a model for
converting a rural SA town like Ceduna or Kingscote (Kangaroo Island) to
deriving its total energy requirements from tidal power rather than
diesel powered generators.
Projects include:
1. Mapping current flows around the town
2. Designing the generator
3. Environmental impacts of a generator
4. Planning to change a community from diesel to tidal
power
5. Would a population embrace the change in power
source?
6. Is it economical in terms of financial cost and
carbon emissions?
7. How could the construction of project be managed
Further information can be found at
www.atlantisresourcescorporation.com
