Melbourne Waterways Science-Practice Partnership
PhD projects (6) for commencement in 2013/14
Project 1: Spatial prioritisation of stream restoration activities
A/Prof Chris Walsh (cwalsh@unimelb.edu.au)
Large-scale efforts are now underway to restore degraded stream ecosystems across both
urban and rural landscapes. However, there are distinct challenges in deciding where,
when and how best to invest in local-scale restoration activities to achieve effective wholeof-catchment outcomes as efficiently as possible. There is scope within WERG to explore
numerous aspects of steam restoration, from spatial-prioritisation of restoration activities
(drawing on principles from conservation planning) to empirical evaluation of the outcomes
of local-scale interventions and how these interact with catchment-scale processes.
Depending on the research focus these projects could be jointly supervised across WERG
and/or other research groups.
Relevant papers
Lake, P. S., Bond, N. R., Reich, P. (2007) Linking ecological theory with stream restoration.
Freshwater Biology. 52, 597–615. [online]. Available from: http://www.blackwellsynergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2006.01709.x.
Hermoso, V., Pantus, F., Olley, J., Linke, S., Mugodo, J., Lea, P. (2012) Systematic planning for
river rehabilitation: integrating multiple ecological and economic objectives in complex
decisions. Freshwater Biology. 57, 1–9.
Palmer, M. A., Menninger, H. L., Bernhardt, T, E. (2010) River restoration, habitat heterogeneity
and biodiversity: a failure of theory or practice? Freshwater Biology. 55, 205–222.
Project 2: Heat island effects on stream water temperatures
Dr Nick Bond (n.bond@griffith.edu.au)
This project aims to better understand the effects of urbanisation and the heat-island effect
on streams in the Melbourne region. The project will combine field-work to monitor stream
temperatures with statistical modelling to explore the effects of surrounding land-use in
determining spatial variation in temperature across a gradient of urbanisation. These
models will be used to help address threats from future urban growth and rising
temperatures and links to other projects being undertaken within WERG examining the
effects of land-use change on stream ecosystems. There is also scope to pursue more
biologically focussed research examining thermal tolerances and responses to thermal
shock of different stream biota.
Relevant papers
Caissie, D. (2006) The thermal regime of rivers: a review. Freshwater Biology. 51, 1389–1406.
Jones, M. P., Hunt, W. F., Winston, R. J. (2012) Effect of Urban Catchment Composition on Runoff
Temperature. Journal of Environmental Engineering.
Nelson, K., Baldwin, D. S. (2007) Stream Temperature Surges Under Urbanization and Climate
Change: Data, Models, and Responses. Journal of the American Water Resources
Association. 43.
Project 3: Long-term performance and willingness to maintain distributed
stormwater control measures
Dr. Darren Bos (dbos@unimelb.edu.au)
Stormwater treatment measures (STMs) are now a common feature in urban landscapes.
Despite being critical to retaining their functionality, the effort directed towards the
maintenance of STMs varies greatly in quality and frequency. The effect is significant and
is considered a major impediment to the progress of integrated water management in
Australia.This PhD research project will investigate the factors that influence the level of
maintenance that STMs receive, exploring both the socio-institutional and practical
constraints at a range of different scales and land tenures across the region of Melbourne,
Australia. The successful candidate will ideally have a background in sociology,
psychology, environmental management or engineering. A working knowledge of water
sensitive urban design and integrated water management is desirable.
Relevant papers
Freni, G., Mannina, G., & Viviani, G. (2010). Urban Storm-Water Quality Management:
Centralized versus Source Control. Journal of Water Resources Planning and
Management, 136(2), 268-278.
Leinster, S. (2006). Delivering the final product - establishing vegetated water sensitive
urban design systems. Australian Journal of Water Resources 10(3), 321-329.
Sénéchal, C., Guillon, A., Kovacs, Y., & Lovera, M. (2010). Sustainability of source control
facilities; five proposals intended for lawmakers, facilities managers and town and
country planners. In Proceedings of Novatech 2010, Lyon, France, 27th June - 1st
July 2010: GRAIE.
Project 4: Scaling up the hydrological consequences of site-scale stormwater
control measures
Matthew Burns (matthew.burns@unimelb.edu.au)
Stormwater control measures (e.g. rainwater tanks & bioretention systems) are
increasingly used to prevent pollution and return more natural flow regimes. While the
performance of individual systems has been extensively studied, there is very little
understanding of how they affect catchment-scale hydrology. This project will use a
combination of empirical data and hydrological modelling techniques to better understand
effects on catchment-scale flow regimes.
The successful candidate will have a
background in engineering or science, preferably with a strong background in hydrology.
Experience in modelling and/or data analysis would be desirable.
Relevant papers
Schubert, J.E., Sanders, B.F., Smith, M.J. and Wright, N.G. Unstructured mesh generation and
landcover-based resistance for hydrodynamic modeling of urban flooding, Advances in Water
Resources, 31, 1603-1621, 2008.
Burns, M. J., Fletcher, T. D., Walsh, C. J., Ladson, A. R. & Hatt, B. E. 2012. Hydrologic
shortcomings of conventional urban stormwater management and opportunities for reform.
Landscape and Urban Planning, 105, 230-240. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2011.12.012.
Gassman, P. W., Reyes, M. R., Green, C. H. & Arnold, J. G. 2007. The soil and water assessment
tool: historical development, applications, and future research directions. American Society of
Agricultural and Biological Engineers, 50, 1211-1250.
Project 5: Optimizing ecological flow regimes in the context of a superabundance of
water
Prof. Tim Fletcher (tim.fletcher@unimelb.edu.au)
Returning more natural flow regimes is a critical prerequisite to restoring the ecosystem
health of urban steams. This project will investigate ways of mimicing natural flow
regimes using innovative stormwater management. It will use innovative modelling
(hydrologic, hydraulic, hydraulic and ecologic) to predict impacts on urban streams and
test these against case-study catchments. The project may include a laboratory
component such as a flume study, depending on the interests of the student. The
successful candidate will have a background in engineering or science, preferably with a
strong background in hydrology, hydraulics or geomorphology. Experience in modelling
and/or data analysis would be desirable.
Relevant papers
Burns, M., Fletcher, T. D., Hatt, B. E., Ladson, A., & Walsh, C. J. (2012). Hydrologic
shortcomings of conventional urban stormwater management and opportunities for
reform. Landscape and Urban Planning, 105, 230-240.
Walsh, C. J., Fletcher, T. D., & Burns, M. (2012). Urban stormwater runoff: a new class of
environmental flow problem. PLoS1.
Poff, N. L., Allan, J. D., Bain, M. B., Karr, J. R., Prestegaard, K. L., Richter, B. D., Sparks,
R. E., & Stromberg, J. C. (1997). The natural flow regime. Bioscience, 47, 769–784.
Project 6: Effects of urbanisation on groundwater quality and movement
Dr Samantha Imberger (samantha.imberger@unimelb.edu.au), Prof. Tim Fletcher and
A/Prof Chris Walsh.
The effects of urban stormwater drainage infrastructure on water quality and hydrology in
streams is well studied, but little is known of the effect of urban land use on the quality and
movement of ground water. This project, working as part of the Waterways Ecosystem
Research Group’s Little Stringybark Creek project, will assess groundwater quality in wellstudied catchments across an urban gradient, and use isotopes (such as radon and
others) to trace groundwater age, transit times and contribution to stream flow. The
successful candidate will have a background in science, preferably with a strong
background in chemistry and/or hydrology. Experience in environmental sampling and/or
data analysis would be desirable.
Relevant papers
Roy, W. J., Bickerton, G. (2012) Toxic Groundwater Contaminants: An Overlooked
Contributor to Urban Stream Syndrome?. Environmental Science and Technology.
46, 729-736.
Gleeson, T., Novakowski, K., Cook, P. G., Kyser, T. K. (2009) Constraining groundwater
discharge in a large watershed: Integrated isotopic, hydraulic, and thermal data
from the Canadian shield. Water Resources Research. 45, W08402,
doi:10.1029/2008WR007622.
Burnett, W. C., Peterson, R. N., Santos, I. R., Hicks, R. W. (2010) Use of automated radon
measurements for rapid assessment of groundwater flow into Florida streams.
Journal of Hydrology. 380, 298-304.