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.
Project 7: The effect of green roof substrates and plant choices on runoff water
quality
Prof. Tim Fletcher (tim.fletcher@unimelb.edu.au), Dr. Nick Williams & Dr. Claire Farrell
To adapt Australian cities to climate change, architects and developers are increasingly
turning to green roofs to reduce stormwater runoff and cool buildings. However, designs
commonly used worldwide (porous substrates with monocultures of succulents) don’t
always deliver these ecosystem services.This project is funded by an Australian Research
Council Linkage Project which aims to optimise green roof performance through an
ecosystem mimicry approach. A significant part of this project is to select substrates which
support plant growth (by holding water and not requiring fertiliser application), yet are light
and retain pollutants, thus filtering any discharge to stormwater. The project will involve a
combination of laboratory experiments and large pilot applications, and may involve
(depending on the candidate’s interests) a modelling component.
Relevant papers
Berndtsson, J. C. Green roof performance towards management of runoff water quantity
and quality: A review. Ecological Engineering 36, 351-360 (2010).
Berndtsson, J. C., Bengtsson, L. & Jinno, K. Runoff water quality from intensive and
extensive vegetated roofs. Ecological Engineering 35, 369-380 (2009).
Lundholm, J., MacIvor, J. S., MacDougall, Z. & Ranalli, M. Plant Species and Functional
Group Combinations Affect Green Roof Ecosystem Functions. PLoS ONE 5, e9677
(2010).
Project 8: Linking urban stormwater runoff to geomorphic change in waterways
Dr Geoff Vietz (geoff.vietz@unimelb.edu.au)
Changing land use cover and modifying flow regimes is considered the most effective way
in which humans influence geomorphology (Church, 2010): how urbanisation alters
waterways is a prime example. Yet, the components of the urban flow regime that drive
geomorphic change in waterways are poorly understood. This project will use hydraulic
models from a range of field sites to identify flows and flow ranges responsible for the
disturbance of desired morphologic attributes (e.g. bars, benches, bedload sediments)
based on undisturbed analogs and recent assessments by Vietz et al. (in-press). The
study will also need to consider the role of changed sediment supply regime in channel
degradation and recovery. The successful candidate will have a background in
engineering or science, preferably with a strong background in hydraulics, geomorphology,
and hydrology. Experience in modelling and/or data analysis would be desirable.
Relevant papers
Church, M., 2010. The trajectory of geomorphology. Progress in Physical Geography
34(3), 265-286.
Vietz, G.J., Sammonds, M.J., Walsh, C.J., Fletcher, T.D., Rutherfurd, I.D., Stewardson,
M.J., In-press. Ecologically relevant geomorphic attributes of streams are impaired
by even low levels of watershed effective imperviousness. Geomorphology.
Walsh, C. J., Fletcher, T. D., & Burns, M. (2012). Urban stormwater runoff: a new class of
environmental flow problem. PLoS1.