The Practical Responses to Climate Change National Conference is pleased to advise that the program is now available on-line. Our program features international and national keynote speakers, plenary panel sessions designed to provide an opportunity for open discussion amongst experienced industry representatives and delegates, and of course a full program of peer reviewed papers in our four themes: Coasts & Estuaries; Water Resources; Catchments, Floodplains & Waterways; Planning & Policy.

Visit the ‘presenters’ page on the Conference website www.climatechange2010.org and follow the links to view all Conference presentation abstracts.

Once again the lecture is free but RSVP (HIDDEN EMAIL) is requested for catering. Alcoholic, non-alcoholic and light refreshments will be available after the Lecture.

Venue Details:
UTS Aerial Function Centre
Level 7, Building 10
Access via Jones Street off Broadway
Five minutes walk from Central.

2010 Darcy Lecture: Quantifying Flow and Reactive Transport in the Heterogeneous Subsurface Environment: From Pores to Porous Media and Facies to Aquifers

Hydrogeologists working on problems related to groundwater contamination, remediation, or water quality protection face an extraordinary challenge. The fundamental transport and reaction processes that control contaminant fate occur at length scales that are many orders of magnitude smaller than the scales at which predictions of observable phenomena are needed. Spatial variability (heterogeneity) of physical and biogeochemical properties exists across the entire range of relevant scales.

In this presentation, we will take a numerical journey through this range of length scales. Along the way, we will examine a number of case studies that illustrate both the challenges posed and some exciting ways that advanced computational methods are being brought to bear on these problems. We will start by examining pore-scale simulations of flow, transport, and reactions in porous media, in which the complex geometry of solid grains and pore spaces is explicitly quantified. Pore-scale models are being used to develop new understanding of fundamental processes that can be incorporated into larger-scale models that treat porous media as effective continua.

We will consider the applicability of two approaches: (1) direct upscaling of pore-scale simulation results using various methods, and (2) multiscale hybrid modeling, in which pore- and continuum-scale models are combined within a single simulation. At the continuum scale, complex geological heterogeneity is expressed at a multitude of scales. For example, in sedimentary aquifers one may observe sediment architectural elements such as lamination (typically millimeter scale), cross-bedding (typically centimeter scale), and larger units such as beds, bed sets, facies, formations, aquifers, and aquitards. We will examine the representation of geologic heterogeneity in reactive transport models, with a focus on the effects of correlated physical and biogeochemical heterogeneity. These issues will be presented in the context of a number of field sites relevant to U.S. Department of Energy contamination problems, including a bacterial transport site, a uranium bioremediation site, and a site with persistent uranium contamination associated with diffusion-controlled mass transfer processes

2010 Darcy Lecturer: Dr Tim Scheibe

The 2010 Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecturer Timothy “Tim” D. Scheibe, Ph.D., joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in September 1992 and is currently a staff scientist in the Hydrology Technical Group. He received his bachelor’s degree in geological engineering from Washington State University, a master’s in civil engineering from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Stanford University. At PNNL, he has been responsible for proposal development, project management, and technical contributions in a number of different areas of environmental research and technology development broadly related to the hydrologic sciences.

His primary research focus is on characterisation and numerical simulation of natural subsurface heterogeneity, and its impacts on biogeochemically reactive transport in groundwater systems. His research projects include both computational and field experimental elements. Recently, he has worked on problems in the area of subsurface biogeochemistry, including microbial transport in groundwater, and bioremediation of metals and radionuclides. He is currently collaborating with computational scientists and applied mathematicians to simulate coupled flow, transport, and biogeochemical processes at cellular, pore, and continuum scales. His research is supported primarily by the Department of Energy’s Office of Science through the Environmental Remediation Science Program and the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing Program.

Scheibe is a member of NGWA. He has served on the editorial board of the NGWA journal Ground Water® since 2001 and is active in the American Geophysical Union, in which he currently represents the Hydrology Section on the Joint Assembly Program Committee.

More details on the topic of the Lecture will be posted shortly.

The event is free but RSVP (HIDDEN EMAIL) is requested for catering.

Venue Details:
UTS Aerial Function Centre
Level 7, Building 10
Access via Jones Street off Broadway
Five minutes walk from Central.

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Tentatively we have rescheduled the presentation for February/March of next year.

At this late stage we are unable to secure an alternate speaker.

Sorry if this causes any inconvenience.

Most Australians, particularly urban dwellers, regard adequate and secure water as a basic right. Yet we know that water utilities have been struggling to satisfy the needs of present populations with severe water restrictions in place in many urban areas for prolonged periods. Governments have been sufficiently nervous to invest in water desalination plants, long regarded as one of the more expensive options for adding to water supplies.

Engineers Australia put out an excellent publication on sensitive urban water design some years ago. Support for the theme of this work was reflected in the online survey of members. About 85% of members thought that it would be difficult to exceptionally difficult for present centrally supplied water systems to meet the needs of an increased population. Yet 75% thought that it was relatively straight forward or not particularly difficult to supplement central water supplied with local water solutions. How do we get across the messages of total water cycle management to the public? To political leaders? What can we do to make better use of existing central water supply systems? What happened to recycling? Why has it gone off the boil?

These issues are central to Engineers Australia’s submission to the population strategy process. As well we need to get our thoughts together to prepare for the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Urban Water Systems later this year (November 2010).

Half Day Seminar: Changes to NSW Coastal Protection Legislation and Implications for Coastal Protection in NSW

• Session 1 – Policy and Legislation
• Session 2 – Emergency Measures
• Session 3 – Coastal Protection and the Courts

DATE & TIME: Monday 23 August 2010, 12:30pm start (Lunch provided from 12.00 noon) finishes 5:30pm.

VENUE: Engineers Australia Auditorium Ground Floor, 8 Thomas Street, Chatswood, NSW, 2067.

ENQUIRIES: Indra Jayewardene (Chair Maritime Panel 2010) HIDDEN EMAIL

Timetable and registration details can be found in the attached PDF. Please note payments can only be processed online.

Online news article reproduced:

Nearly 40 people and two business have been caught polluting waterways in the Sydney catchment area.

A year ago, the State Government installed camouflaged cameras right across Sydney’s catchment area, from Wollongong in the south to the Blue Mountains in the west.

The targeted areas are protected zones within 3 kilometres of the main water storages.

It’s illegal to even enter.

The Water Minister Phil Costa says the majority of fines have been issued for people coming in on trail bikes, horses, or bushwalking.

“It’s an area that is pristine. And what we need to do is ensure we don’t have access into there,” he said.

In the past year, the New South Wales Government’s camouflaged cameras have caught 38 people and two corporations polluting waterways in the catchment.

The tourist company was fined for polluting of waters after they installed illegal toilet facilities and they allowed the sewerage to drain into an open pit near a waterway.

Mr Costa says there could be legal action.

“So we have fined them and of course and if there’s requirement for any other legal action we will follow that as well.”

A construction business was also found dumping sediment into streams.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/26/2963932.htm (26th July 2010).

The response to the call for abstracts has been very good, however we have received many requests for extensions and as a consequence the deadline has been extended to Friday 6 August 2010.

Short abstracts only are required, maximum 150 words. To submit your abstract electronically, visit www.iahr2011.org and select the “Call for abstracts” option.

Source: EA News Article.

Professor White’s major research focus is into the interactions of surface water with groundwater systems. His current research activities include the mitigation of land use impacts on catchment yield and water management policy development.

Abstract:

Analysis of the long term impacts of Victoria’s 1939 bushfires on Melbourne’s water supply catchments in the 1970’s revealed startling, long-term decreases in catchment yields as the burnt out mountain ash forests regenerated. It has been suggested that similar decreases in yield would occur in other native-forested water supply catchments in the Murray-Darling Basin. The January 2003 bushfires, which essentially burnt out all of Canberra’s near-pristine Cotter River water supply catchments provided an opportunity to study the impact of severe bushfires on catchments predominantly containing dry sclerophyll forests. This talk will examine the impacts of the 2003 wildfire and a smaller fire in 1983 on water quality and on catchment yield in forests that are different from Victoria’s mountain ash water supply catchments and will discuss reasons for the marked differences in responses. Analysis of results was complicated by the exceptionally dry period following the 2003 bushfires. Additionally, impacts of management decisions on water quality will also be highlighted.

For further details please contact Peter Brady (HIDDEN EMAIL) or check out the PDF flyer.