Evaluating City Scale Surface Water Management Using a Rapid Assessment Framework in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

This research develops application of a strategic surface water management screening framework to enhance decision support in cities. Decision support in cities is typically constrained by resource costs of detailed analysis, this new methodology overcomes this through applying a simplified option screening process to evidence strategy and direct future detailed modelling of promising options. This study advanced on previous research by developing the methodology through option evaluation using a real world case study in collaboration with key catchment stakeholders. Research included stakeholder engagement workshops to identify catchment flood hazards and design potential management strategies, followed by application of the fast flood assessment framework to assess the flood reduction potential of each strategy. Theoretical implications indicate that city scale interventions demonstrate effective performance at managing design standard flood events. Practical findings indicate the framework to be an effective stakeholder engagement tool due to fast analysis of collaborative strategies. The key benefit to readers is understanding that fast, simplified urban drainage modelling can provide an opportunity to collaboratively screen flood hazards and generate evidence for prioritising detailed modelling in urban catchments.