Course overview
This course is designed to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills required to assess drought risk and design water resource systems capable of withstanding the challenges posed by current and future climates. Utilising the latest theoretical frameworks and industry-standard modelling packages, students will tackle real-world scenarios, crafting water resource systems that effectively navigate the complexities of drought risk, reservoir operating rules and stochastic climate variables to meet present and future demands.
Course learning outcomes
- Define, comprehend and apply key concepts/methods, the sustainability framework, supply-demand management, key principles of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) for water harvesting and drought risk assessment for water resource systems design and management
- Define and comprehend the principles of stochastic climate models, and rainfall-runoff models for streamflow estimation under current and future climates
- Apply industry-standard modelling package(s) to undertake the design of a real-world water resource systems using principles of drought risk assessment and stochastic climate modelling to undertake reservoir sizing, identifying operating rules to meet current and future demands by evaluating/optimising for multiple future scenarios
- Comprehend and analyse various aspects of water demands and demand management methods, including water sensitive urban design (WSUD) for urban water demand management, and address complex issues related to water demand and environmental flow management in water resources systems
- Collaborate with peers to perform reservoir design (phase 2 of the design project) using principles of drought risk assessment and operating rules to meet current and future demands, and demonstrate leadership skills by taking initiative and coordinating group activities effectively during project-based learning tasks
- Effectively communicate design inputs, drought risk assessment, operating rules, climate scenario analyses and the details of the final design of the reservoir to diverse audiences, both orally and in writing
Degree list
The following degrees include this course