Capabilities

• Description and interpretation of landscapes; pre-historic development, historic and contemporary evolution
• Process studies including the analysis of erosion, sediment transport and deposition
• Impact of climate change on coastal, estuarine and fluvial geomorphology
• Classification of the physical form of rivers using techniques such as River Styles™
• Fluvial geomorphic investigations to guide the management of river health
• GIS analysis of river landscapes for dependence on controls such as geology, profile and Strahler Order
• Investigation of major geomorphic adjustments from flow regime changes, stream degradation and avulsions
• State-of-the-Art numerical modelling tools to analyse the impact of hydraulics and hydrology on fluvial form
• Interaction of fluvial geomorphology with riparian ecology, water quality, hydrology and hydraulics

Water Technology is one of Australia’s leading riverine and coastal consultancies. Experienced in undertaking major geomorphic investigations, Water Technology has the unique ability to combine this experience with leading edge technology for the analysis of processes including erosion, sediment transport and deposition. Our specialist expertise in ecology, river management, environmental hydraulics and coastal processes allow Water Technology to effectively integrate geomorphic investigations to form a holistic view of river, coastal and estuarine health.

Overview

Rivers and coasts are iconic features of the Australian landscape. On this dry continent rivers, estuaries and coasts sustain many of our settlements, much of our agriculture and a great deal of our native fauna. The pressure on our rivers and coastlines is growing. Climate change will increasingly stress these landscapes as will the demands for water resources. Development pressure continues to grow as the community places ever higher premiums on the amenity of coasts and rivers.

Such changes threaten the morphology of our aquatic environments and therefore the ecology of these habitats. Landscape (geomorphic) change in turn presents challenges to land and infrastructure development and farming activities along our rivers and coasts. Meeting these challenges will require careful planning and management supported by the community and a comprehensive understanding of geomorphic processes.

Selected Projects

Geomorphic Site Investigations

Client: Melbourne Water
Water Technology was commissioned by Melbourne Water to investigate the current geomorphic form and waterway condition of various reaches of creeks in the Werribee and Maribyrnong Catchments. The studies were undertaken to confirm or re-categorise the pre-determined River Styles classification; to identify rare stream types remnant in the landscape such as Chain of Ponds and Intact Valley Fills; to assess specific locations of incision and lateral erosion; and to investigate the impacts of current waterway condition on rare or threatened fauna species such as the Yarra Pygmy Perch. Read More…

Fluvial geomorphology of the streams of the Mornington Peninsula

Client: Melbourne Water Corporation
Water Technology undertook a Geomorphic Overview of the Mornington Peninsula region to provide Melbourne Water with an assessment of the fluvial geomorphology of the catchments within the region. The objectives of the geomorphic overview were to provide Melbourne Water with knowledge of the key geomorphic issues in the Mornington Peninsula region and an understanding of how these issues should be managed. Read More…

Maroochy River Bank Stabilisation Project

Client: Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Queensland
Water Technology was engaged by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council to investigate the planform development and stability of the estuary of the Maroochy River. Of particular concern was ubiquitous bank erosion, a process that persisted over many kilometres of bank length. Such erosion threatened opportunities presented by the cessation of cane farming, including the prospect of restoring riparian zones. Read More…

Geomorphic Assessment of Mullaroo Creek and the Lindsay River

Client: Mallee Catchment Management Authority
Water Technology undertook a quantitative assessment of geomorphic behaviour of Mullaroo Creek and the Lindsay River, in order to investigate the potential impacts of a proposed system of weirs and regulators.

Numerical hydraulic models developed investigated how the proposed structures and their operation will affect the properties of flow and hence the physical form of the rivers. Using such quantitative analysis the impacts of the proposed scheme on the geomorphic processes of sediment transport, bank erosion, bank slumping, floodplain scour and floodplain deposition were analysed. Read More…

Fluvial geomorphology of the waterways of the Bass River Catchment

Client: Earth Tech (for Melbourne Water Corporation)
Melbourne Water’s operational area expanded in November 2005 to include the majority of streams that flow into Port Phillip and Westernport Bays. This expansion included the catchment of the Bass River, one of three major streams in the catchment of Westernport Bay. Diffuse sediment sources from these catchments are considered a serious threat to the health of the marine environment in Westernport Bay however for the Bass River network there was little knowledge of the nature and trajectory of geomorphic change on streams. Read More…

Goulburn River Avulsion Management Detailed Design

Client: Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority
This project pertained to an avulsion threat located within You You Creek which forms part of the Deep Creek anabranch network on the lower Goulburn River floodplain. The principal objective of the project was to manage the avulsion threat and to reduce threats to surrounding ecological, cultural and infrastructure assets. The project involved the development and detailed design of a scope of works aimed at minimising the risks of further erosion whilst taking into account the existing site characteristics and values. Read More…