Flood Risk Management Research: Future proofing our industry through research and development

Since its initial release in 2005 the free and open source hydrodynamic model Anuga (GA), developed by geoscience Australia and The Australian National University (ANU) has been applied to a number of Tsunami impact studies and to a lesser extent flood studies.

Recent confirmation of historic debris flows in several sites across Tasmania has prompted a need to identify other potential flow sites in Tasmania and to better understand and quantify the risks associated with such events.

Late in 2006, the open source 2D hydrodynamic model ANUGA (ANU & Geoscience Australia) was released. While providing a fully generalised hydrodynamic modelling engine, it was initially developed to simulate coastal inundation during a tsunami.

To explore procedures for distinguishing between floodways, flood storage areas and flood fringes in 2D models where little 1D character is present. (As typically occurs in many fine detail urban flood models)

To understand the intent of section 6 and explore ways of providing more deliberate guidance in respect to the ‘other’ factors involved in the consideration of true hazard at a site.

To explore the differences between discharges predicted by conventional hydrologic models such as WBNM and discharges predicted by hydraulic models with rainfall input capabilities, such as Tuflow.

To explore means of building and viewing the results of a WBNM model in such a manner as to encourage use of the model for modelling presently undertaken by less capable procedures such as the PRM.

To explore means of spatially mapping the output of 1D hydraulic models and to develop software to read the output from a HEC-RAS simulation that provides an interface to mapping that permits output to be flexibly re-arranged as suits the user.

To explore the impact of lead up (pre-burst) rainfall on discharge with particular reference to the impact of the omission of lead up rainfall in the burst based AR&R design flood estimation procedure, on design discharges.

To explore the differences in construction difficulty, time to construct and run and simulation accuracy, between 1D and 2D models when run both as static and hydrodynamic models.

In March 1973, 1974 and 1975, heavy rainfall in the Wollongong LGA generated major flooding with large volumes of debris being transported in streams leading to blockage at least in part of many drainage structures.