Hydrological and Ecological Engineering Research flier

Civil and Natural Resources Engineering
Hydrological and Ecological
Engineering Research
Hydrological and Ecological
Engineering combines environmental
and hydrological engineering to
research the complex interface
between water and the environment.
Research in this area is diverse yet covers
interrelated topics such as wetland systems,
catchment hydrology and GIS, sediment
transport, irrigation, waste reuse, stormwater,
and sustainable use of water and land resources.
The Hydrological and Ecological Engineering
Research Group (HydroEco) consists of a team
of academics, post-doctoral fellows, research
associates, and engineering students in the
Department of Civil and Natural Resources
Engineering at the University of Canterbury.
The research group includes postgraduate
students studying towards an engineering
degree at the PhD and Masters level, as well
as undergraduates studying towards a Bachelor
of Engineering (Honours) degree, specialising
in Civil Engineering or Natural Resources
Engineering.
HydroEco Expertise
HydroEco members have conducted research
worldwide in the following areas:
• hydrology
• water resources
• erosion control
• integrated catchment management
• stormwater
• irrigation
• flood prediction
• mine drainage
• engineered treatment wetlands
• biofuels
• water quality
Current Research Themes
Stormwater
• Real Time Monitoring of water quality:
The HydroEco Group developed real-time
monitoring stations on UC’s campus, for
recording water quality and weather data.
Comprehensive data from these stations
allows researchers to compare real-time
changes in weather with stream quality
parameters.
Research students monitor hydrological budgets and water quality effluent in different modular green roof
systems at the University of Canterbury engineering building.
• Urban Waterways project: A project providing
a link between urban stormwater research
and the local community via a website
www.urbanwaterways.info.
• Stormwater Modelling: Deriving modelling
coefficients from experiments is being
conducted on multiple impermeable
surface types to assess contaminant loads in
different catchments.
Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)
• Research investigates passive treatment
methods for mitigating contaminants
from AMD by using engineered bioreactors
comprised of waste products.
• Reaction rate constants to determine optimal
long-term system efficacy of bioreactors are
being derived from modelling studies.
Irrigation
• Optimisation of irrigation scheduling:
Development of optimisation models for fixed
rotational systems.
• Wind breaks: The HydroEco group is
conducting research to model the influence of
wind breaks, shade and North Wester storms
and evapotranspiration.
Hydrological and Ecological Modelling
As part of planning and design of ecosystem
restoration measures, research is being
conducted on modelling the effects of
agricultural nonpoint source pollution on
high country wetlands and lakes. We are also
simulating the impacts of climate change,
hydropower, and land use changes on braided
river hydrology and riparian ecology in mountain
environments.
(Clockwise from left) Dr Aisling O’Sullivan, Dr Daniel
Wicke and Dr Tom Cochrane field sampling with realtime
water quality monitoring established around
the UC waterways.
ENGINEERING

Research students investigate irrigation optimisation systems at Lincoln Dairy farm in Canterbury.
Flow measurement in Hakatere.
International Water Resources
Development and Impacts
Quantifying the potential impact of hydropower
development, water abstractions, and climatic
change on water flows, sediment, and ecosystem
productivity of the Mekong River and its
tributaries. More information can be found
at www.mekongflows.org.
Labs and Facilities for
HydroEco Research
The Department of Civil and Natural Resources
Engineering houses multiple labs used by the
HydroEco group for a variety of research projects.
Fluids Lab
Research facilities in the Fluids Lab range from
traditional large-scale flumes for open channel
flow simulations, through to smaller scale
tanks and flumes used for environmental fluid
mechanics research. The lab houses one of the
largest hydraulic flumes in New Zealand, which
can be used for sediment transport studies.
Environmental Lab
The Environmental Lab is well equipped with
a particle size analyser, gas chromatograph,
climate-controlled sub-rooms, automated
logging capabilities, ion analyser, total organic
carbon analyser and most other essential
laboratory apparatus.
GIS Labs
A dedicated GIS Modelling Laboratory is available
for research as well as access to a range of
other computer resources. The lab provides an
interdisciplinary atmosphere where students
can develop GIS applications and exchange
knowledge on GIS modelling and spatial analysis.
Equipment and facilities include GPS’s, GIS
software, digitising tablets, and a large plotter.
ICP-MS
Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry
(ICP-MS) is an advanced analytical technique
for determining trace element concentrations
in a wide range of water, sediment and biomass
samples (following appropriate digestion) in a
rapid timeframe. The technique provides rapid
simultaneous multi-element measurements in
combination with low detection limits (typically
parts per trillion to parts per billion range). Our
ICP-MS instrument complements the Stable
Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer Facility in
the Department of Geological Sciences at the
University of Canterbury.
HydroEco Research Group Partners
and Funders
HydroEco collaborates with private industry,
research institutes, local and regional
authorities and non-profit organisations.
These include:
Solid Energy New Zealand
Environment Canterbury
Otago Regional Council
Christchurch City Council
Irrigation New Zealand
UNESCO
NIWA
DP Consulting
PDP
WWF
Aqualinc
Conservation International
CEPF (Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund)
Stormwater 360
CRL Energy
Christchurch International Airport Ltd.
Department of Conservation
MacArthur Foundation
Analytical Equipment
We have a comprehensive selection of analytical
equipment used for field research investigations
including a rainfall simulator, topographical laser
scanner, portable weather stations, automatic
samplers, river surveyor and flow tracker and
multiple portable instruments for measuring
water quality and flow (including continuously).
Staff
For up-to-date contact details and to discuss
potential research projects with any of our
academic staff, please contact us on the
details below.
Dr Brian Caruso
(Senior Lecturer in Water Resources)
Dr Thomas A. Cochrane (Senior Lecturer in
Hydrological Engineering)
Dr Tonny de Vries
(Lecturer in Bioresources Engineering)
Dr Aisling D. O’Sullivan
(Senior Lecturer in Ecological Engineering)
Peter McGuigan (Technician)
Dr Thanapon Piman (Post Doctoral Fellow)
Current Projects
Please visit our website for a full list of
current projects.
For more information
HydroEco Research Group
Department of Civil and Natural Resources
Engineering, University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140,
New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 364 2250
www.civil.canterbury.ac.nz/hydroeco/about.shtml
www.hydroeco.info
ENGINEERING