Waterfuture
Current research projects
Development of a predictive tool for the impact assessment of Coombabah release options
The Gold Coast Seaway is currently the unique point of discharge from the major water treatment plants in the City. At present there is no waste load, advection dispersion or assimilative capacity model for this waterway. The Centre has recently completed two and three-dimensional hydrodynamic and advection dispersions models for the Seaway. This project will calibrate the existing advection dispersion model and customise it to Gold Coast water needs for release scenario testing. A dye release experiment, to enable calibration, will also be part of this project.
Water future research and development
It is a vision of the Centre to develop a Water Future Research and Development program that is broad in scope considering the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable urban water management.
The program will incorporate
- water recycling
- wastewater management
- provision of safe affordable drinking water
- sustainable urban design
and will draw from relationships with the Sustainable Industries Group within the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, Gold Coast Water, and the CRC for Water Quality and Treatment.
A report (PDF 2.9 mb) on guidelines and licences entitled 'A review of Quality Criteria in Australian Reclaimed Water Guidelines and Effluent Discharge Licences' is available.
Desalination oceanographic data collection and analysis
This project developed after preliminary advice provided by the Centre in relation to dispersion characteristics at the proposed desalination discharge sites. In particular, the preferred site at Tugun was studied. It identified, in detail, the current variability at the site to assess the forcing mechanisms. Investigations into the dynamics of breaking internal waves and other features has also been undertaken.
Desalination Plant Offshore Works Long Term Oceanographic Monitoring
This project followed on from the Data Collection research and addresses the long-term variability in ocean currents and other parameters in the region of the Tugun Desalination Plant Offshore Works. The monitoring outputs will assist in the final design of the intake and diffusers, environmental compliance, and the development of operational strategies under differing climatic conditions.