Water Research Australia’s Research Manager Marlene Hsu presented on our Extreme Events research at the 2022 ACT Water Matters Conference.
The 2019-20 bushfire season in Australia was unprecedented in its extent, duration, intensity and impact on the natural environment and human livelihoods. Periods of intense rainfall, particularly following a bushfire season, presented water managers with challenges at both the catchment and treatment plant scale.
Marlene shared the work that WaterRA’s members have been doing to increase the water industry’s future readiness – research designed for professionals to be able to plan, prepare, respond to, and recover from extreme events.
“In times of drought we are faced with the uncertainties of variable water quality and quantity,” Marlene said. “An acute understanding of these scenarios will help us to build a resilient water future.”
WaterRA’s series on Extreme Events was held during November 2021 and February 2022. The webinars took a close look at modelling, climate, complex river systems, community attitudes, extreme event response, and recovery among other important topics.