Catchment Hydrology – Before & After WSUD Treatments
Hussain’s Masters degree research included detailed analysis of a stormwater sub-catchment in Hawthorn, a southern suburb of the city of Adelaide in South Australia. The analysis determined the catchment characteristics which influence stormwater discharge from the 17 hectare catchment, which was retrofitted with over 180 TREENET Inlets in two stages over a two year period.
For his PhD, Hussain is using stormwater discharge data recorded at the catchment outfall before, during and after the installation of the TREENET Inlets to calibrate hydrological models to portray catchment hydrology with and without the addition of the WSUD treatment.
This precise modelling is essential to achieving the major aim of his study which is to investigate the effectiveness of dispersed, small-scale storage and infiltration devices for managing catchment runoff. Other aspects of the research include identifying limitations of hydrological models in representing different catchment WSUD scenarios, investigating the processes and impacts of infiltration from leaky wells, and testing the sensitivity TREENET Inlets to gutter flow velocity and volume, capture zone conditions, and initial screening capacity.
It is anticipated that this research will inform regarding the usefulness and application of small scale dispersed storage and infiltration devices, so that they may be used for community and environmental benefit in locations where larger systems are impractical.
