Academic literature on the topic 'Urban runoff Victoria'

Urban drainage systems historically were developed on principles of hydraulic capacity for the transport of storm water to reduce the risk of flooding. However, with urbanization the percent of impervious surfaces increases dramatically resulting in increased flood volumes, peak discharge rates, velocities and duration, and a significant increase in pollutant loads. Storm water and urban runoff are the leading causes of the impairment of receiving waters and their beneficial uses in Australia and the United States today. Strict environmental and technology controls on wastewater treatment facilities and industry for more than three decades have ensured that these sources are less significant today as the cause of impairment of receiving waters. This paper compares the approach undertaken by the Environmental Protection Authority Victoria for the Melbourne metropolitan area with the approach implemented by the California Environmental Protection Agency for the Los Angeles area to control storm water pollution. Both these communities are largely similar in population size and the extent of urbanization. The authors present an analysis of the different approaches contrasting Australia with the USA, comment on their comparative success, and discuss the relevance of the two experiences for developed and developing nations in the context of environmental policy making to control storm water and urban runoff pollution.

The learning algorithms in many of conventional Neuro-Fuzzy Systems (NFS) are based on batch or global learning where all parameters of the fuzzy system are optimized off-line. Although these models have frequently been used, they suffer from a reduced flexibility in their architecture as the number of rules need to be predefined by the user. This study uses a Dynamic Evolving Neural Fuzzy Inference System (DENFIS) in which an evolving, online clustering algorithm, the Evolving Clustering Method (ECM), is implemented. This study focused on evaluating the performance of this model in capturing the rainfall-runoff process and rainfall-water level relationship. The two selected study catchments are located in an urban tropical and in a semi-urbanized area, respectively. The first catchment, Sungai Kayu Ara (23.22 km2), is located in Malaysia, with 10-min rainfall-runoff time-series from which 30 major events are used. The second catchment, Dandenong (272 km2), is located in Victoria, Australia, with daily rainfall and river stage (water level) data from which 11 years of data is used. DENFIS results were then compared with two groups of benchmark models: a regression-based data-driven model known as the Autoregressive Model with Exogenous Inputs (ARX) for both study sites, and physical models Hydrologic Engineering Center–Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC–HMS) and Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) for Sungai Kayu Ara and Dandenong catchments, respectively. DENFIS significantly outperformed the ARX model in both study sites. Moreover, DENFIS was found comparable if not superior to HEC–HMS and SWMM in Sungai Kayu Ara and Dandenong catchments, respectively. A sensitivity analysis was then conducted on DENFIS to assess the impact of training data sequence on its performance. Results showed that starting the training with datasets that include high peaks can improve the model performance. Moreover, datasets with more contrasting values that cover wide range of low to high values can also improve the DENFIS model performance.

Pathogenic microorganisms have been identified as the main human health risks associated with the reuse of treated urban stormwater (runoff from paved and unpaved urban areas). As part of the Smart Water initiative (Victorian Government, Australia), a collaborative evaluation of three existing integrated stormwater recycling systems, and the risks involved in non-potable reuse of treated urban stormwater is being undertaken. Three stormwater recycling systems were selected at urban locations to provide a range of barriers including biofiltration, storage tanks, UV disinfection, a constructed wetland, and retention ponds. Recycled water from each of the systems is used for open space irrigation. In order to adequately undertake exposure assessments, it was necessary to quantify the efficacy of key barriers in each exposure pathway. Given that none of the selected treatment systems had previously been evaluated for their treatment efficiency, experimental work was carried out comprising dry and wet weather monitoring of each system (for a period of 12 months), as well as challenging the barriers with model microbes (for viruses, bacteria and parasitic protozoa) to provide input data for use in Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the Shankland Valley Wetland for its ability to treat urban stormwater pollutants. Monitoring was conducted during two moderate storm events and two non-storm events. Pollutant concentration was measured at 24 hour intervals over periods of approximately one week.

The intense concentration of human activity in urban areas leads to changes in both the quantity and quality of runoff that eventually reaches our streams, lakes, wetlands, estuaries and coasts. The increasing use of impervious surfaces designed to provide smooth and direct pathways for stormwater run-off, has led to greater runoff volumes and flow velocities in urban waterways. Unmanaged, these changes in the quantity and quality of stormwater can result in considerable damage to the environment. Improved environmental performance is needed to ensure that the environmental values and beneficial uses of receiving waters are sustained or enhanced. Urban Stormwater - Best-Practice Environmental Management Guidelines resulted from a collaboration between State government agencies, local government and leading research institutions. The guidelines have been designed to meet the needs of people involved in the planning, design or management of urban land uses or stormwater drainage systems. They provide guidance in ten key areas: Environmental performance objectives; Stormwater management planning; Land use planning; Water sensitive urban design; Construction site management; Business surveys; Education and awareness; Enforcement; Structural treatment measures; and Flow management. Engineers and planners within local government, along with consultants to the development industry, should find the guidelines especially useful. Government agencies should also find them helpful in assessing the performance of stormwater managers. While developed specifically for application in Victoria, Australia, the information will be of value to stormwater managers everywhere.