Organiser: David Rassam (David.Rassam@csiro.au)

This session focuses on integrated studies of surface-groundwater systems. Researchers are invited to submit experimental as well modelling studies that advance the knowledge in this field. Experimental studies are welcome especially those relating to novel techniques such as isotopes. Modelling applications that address a range of temporal and spatial scales are welcome particularly those applicable to the large river-reach scale with high relevance to river management issues. Work relating to ecological response in floodplains and groundwater dependent ecosystems is also welcome.

Organisers:
James C. Ascough II, USDA-ARS, Agricultural Research Service (jim.ascough@ars.usda.gov)
Holger R. Maier, The University of Adelaide (hmaier@civeng.adelaide.edu.au)
Timothy R. Green, USDA-ARS, Agricultural Research Service (tim.green@ars.usda.gov)

"Sensitivity Analysis, Uncertainty Analysis, and Parameter Estimation in Natural Resource Modelling" was a special session at MODSIM05. We propose to revisit this topic with attention to advances in the last half-decade and increased emphasis on the significance of various sensitivity and uncertainty analysis techniques in the development and application of integrated environmental models. Historically, integrated environmental modelling efforts have focused on model development; however, it is important to fully investigate sensitivity and uncertainty analysis issues and their associated consequences for model development and application. The proposed special session will provide a forum for increasing awareness of the significance of various sensitivity and uncertainty analysis techniques in the development and application of integrated environmental models, including discussing and critically evaluating the contribution of these techniques to improved modelling of integrated environmental systems. General objectives include communicating state-of-the-art information on sensitivity and uncertainty methodologies, and identifying research directions and potential collaborations for improving these methods in the context of integrated environmental modelling. Suitable topics for presentations will include: 1) key criteria in selecting methods of sensitivity assessment for different model structures and modelling problems; 2) practical strategies for sensitivity analysis given environmental models with very large parameter sets, including spatial dimensions or high computing loads; 3) promising new directions (e.g., neural network approaches) for improving methods of sensitivity analysis; 4) development of new methods for explicitly conveying uncertainties in environmental modelling including the use of Bayesian probability theory and new hybrid approaches (e.g., fuzzy-rule-based models combined with probabilistic data-driven techniques); 5) quantifying environmental model responses to uncertainties in parameter values and input data (including concomitant use of sensitivity analysis); 6) pseudo-quantitative assessment of political and socio-economic uncertainties, including investigation (from a social science perspective) of how models/decisions are structured or conceptualized; and 7) space-time scale effects on uncertainty assessment of integrated environmental models.

Organisers:
Joaquin Andreu, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain (ximoand@upvnet.upv.es)
Giovanni M. Sechi, University of Cagliari, Italy (sechi@unica.it)

This session is intended to present and discuss the development, implementation, and use of DSS tools. These tools need to integrate, among others, features such as geo-referenced graphical system design, links with GIS for data management, simulation and optimization of water resource management. These tools also need to incorporate scenario generation, drought risk analysis, water quality simulation, economic assessment, and computation of opportunity costs of water and of environmental limitations under scarcity conditions. These topics need to be used in the design of basin and drought plans, and for real time management, assessing the efficacy of measures, and serving as a shared vision of the system for conflict resolution to find sustainable solutions balancing stakeholders interests and environmental preservation.

Organiser: Cameron Dougall (cameron.dougall@nrw.qld.gov.au)

This session provides a forum for the presentation and discussion of Stream pollutant modelling in GBR catchments . Topics for papers may include but are not limited to: data accuracy, parameter uncertainty, model testing, calibration, community engagement and continued development. Papers that report on the interaction between models and GBR water quality targets are particularly welcome.

Organiser: Amgad Elmahdi (Amgad.Elmahdi@csiro.au)

Climate changes affects all four dimensions of the food security problem, namely food availability (ie production and trade), access to food , stability of food supplies, (which depends on water availability), and food utilisation. Water-food security are diverse in size, character and vary in time. More over, the water-food security demand management is complex due to uncontrolled variables such as climate change, and assessing the efficacy of management decisions is difficult due to the interconnectivity and complexity of water system components environmental, physical, agricultural and socio-economic. Further complexity is added where a Natural resource Management (NRM) plan, or land and water management plan, is decentralised, and a catchment is subject to decisions by several management authorities.

The purpose of this session is to showcase the important role that the system modelling approach can have towards better understanding these complex systems, and in tackling climate change, water storage, and hunger. It will also showcase environmental sustainability through using land and water more efficiently

Organisers: Matthew Hardy (mhardy@wbmpl.com.au), BMT WBM and eWater,
Grace Mitchell, BOM,
Jane Blackmore, CSIRO and eWater

It is estimated that almost 80% of the world's population lives within an urban area or city and that continued development and growth will see a significant increase in this percentage over coming decades. The growth and expansion of urban centres and the development of new ones is placing increased pressures on the planets resources; as a result the challenges facing those charged with their planning, design, construction and management continue to grow.

Managing the impacts of our cities, while balancing the complex social, economic and environmental needs of their inhabitants, is a difficult task. In response to these challenges there is a growing movement for the development of ‘sustainable’ cities based on the objective of reducing the ecological footprint of urban centres. These revised approaches to urban development focuses on outcomes such as improved economic viability, social stability and the wise use of resources along with the protection and nourishment of the natural environment.

It is recognised that in order achieve the improved outcomes desired, many component systems of urban centres must planned designed and operated with consideration to each other and their complex interactions. In order to achieve this it is necessary to adopt an integrated approach to the planning, analysis and management of these systems.

The purpose of this special session is to present simulation and modelling tools available for integrated urban systems planning, analysis and management and explore future developments and emerging research directions. Papers that consider the integration of socio-economic systems with natural resource systems such as water and energy are particularly encouraged along with those that explore links between simulation and analysis tools and decision making and support frameworks.

Organisers: Barry Croke (barry.croke@anu.edu.au), David Post, Jai Vaze and Ian Littlewood

The aim of the Prediction in Ungauged Basins (PUB: http://pub.iwmi.org) initiative is to reduce the predictive uncertainty in estimating fluxes of water and contaminants at ungauged sites. We are now halfway through the PUB decade (2003-2013). Over the past 5 years, the Top Down modelling Working Group (TDWG) has conducted sessions at MODSIM05 and MODSIM07, as well as in the iEMSs meetings. These sessions/workshops have focused on:
collation of datasets; results obtained using top-down modelling approaches; merging top-down and bottom-up approaches; and the impact of data and associated uncertainty on hydrological model predictions. In view of the benchmark report being prepared at the IAHS meeting to be held in Hyderabad (September 2009), this session will focus on a review the progress that has been made to date, and plan activities for the remainder of the decade. Hydrologists engaged in PUB, particularly (but not limited to) members of the TDWG are encouraged to attend.

Organisers: Freeman Cook (Freeman.Cook@csiro.au), CSIRO Land and Water
Luis Neumann (lneumann@unimelb.edu.au)

Catchment scale frameworks have been developed for hydrologic modeling of catchments. The development of these including rational for why, their designed, application and limitations are what this session is to discuss and debate. Papers should address at least one of these three aspects and if possible where the framework and models have been applied.

Organisers: Zahra Paydar (Zahra.Paydar@csiro.au), CSIRO Land and Water
Mac Kirby (Mac.Kirby@csiro.au), CSIRO Land and Water

In many river and groundwater basins a major concern is the availability of water under current and future climatic, economic and environmental and competing demand conditions. A first step towards achieving a sustainable water management regime is to quantify how much water is available as flows and storages, and how much is being used for different consumptive purposes.

Papers in this session will deal with methods and models that track the water through the system (which might be a river system, a groundwater system, or a section of the whole water cycle) to account for all water supplies and uses (beneficial and non-beneficial) as well as to identify unaccounted water and losses and possible opportunities to bring them to productive human and environmental use.

The topics may include: methodologies for accounting components of the water cycle; design of water use measurement, monitoring and estimation strategies; interpretation, analysis and reporting of water information as part of a water accounting system; methods to account for losses; and uncertainties in water accounting. There will be a focus on water use components (extractions for consumptive and environmental use) estimates and accounting. This may include case studies for using ancillary information to constrain uncertainty in water use data and techniques to estimate poorly metered parts of the water system.

Organisers: Dongryeol Ryu (dryu@unimelb.edu.au), University of Melbourne
Jeffrey Walker (j.walker@unimelb.edu.au), University of Melbourne

During the past decade, a wealth of experience and knowledge has been accumulated in integrating a variety of observations into models. The existing and future remotely sensed and in-situ observation systems offer an abundance of complementary data that can be used for improved forecasts of hydrologic quantities such as stream flow, precipitation, and evapotranspiration. This session emphasises innovative integration of remotely sensed and in-situ observations into hydrologic models for improved prediction of hydrologic or related biogeochemical processes, fluxes and states. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to novel techniques for applications such as flood and drought prediction, water quality and biogeochemical cycles.

Organisers: Hector Malano (h.malano@civenv.unimelb.edu.au), Univeristy of Melbourne
Shabaz Khan, UNESCO

Modelling is a powerful tool to inform and support water managers and planners in making decisions. However, despite the substantial improvements in development tools and large investment in the development of computer models by scientists and academics that are capable of simulating the behaviour of water resource systems in response to water management interventions, their use remains low, or ineffective in achieving their intended purpose. Often the causes of this suboptimal use of models and modelling in water management decisions have been attributed to a variety of causes including poor integration of model users in all phases of model development and use with the investigation and implementation of water management policies, insufficient integration of other relevant disciplines, inadequate model structure relative to the problem being investigated and inappropriate use of modelling results by end users. This session aims to include papers dealing with the development, application of and integration of models based on different aspects of the water cycle and their integration into the decision support system. Of special interest are case study papers where models and modelling have played an important role in shaping water management decisions which involves various stakeholders .

Organiser: Tony Weber, BMT WBM Pty Ltd and eWater CRC (trweber@wbmpl.com.au)

While there have been numerous papers at previous conferences regarding the modelling of urban and rural catchments, this session focuses on the links between accurate modelling of these areas, while also considering the likely effects (both positive and negative) of the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) and how to model them with the same degree of accuracy. Typically, this means the analysis of performance based on field research and/or literature review, however several models are available with which to understand these and perhaps link them to broader catchment models. Papers which therefore focus on the quantification of efficacy of BMPs through modelling, or those that advance the knowledge of linking those types of models in broader, catchment scale modelling tools are strongly encouraged. Papers which also advance the modelling of rural and urban land uses in that broader context are also encouraged. I hope this is enough information, but please let me know if you need anything further.

Organisers: Bellie Sivakumar (sbellie@ucdavis.edu), University of California, Davis
Ashish Sharma (a.sharma@unsw.edu.au), University of New South Wales

As global climate change has enormous implications for water resources, reliable prediction of future climate changes is crucial for prevention, adaptation and mitigation measures. At the current time, General Circulation Models (GCMs) are adopted to project future climate changes and downscaling methods are employed to obtain data at scales suitable for hydrologic analysis. This approach possesses some limitations: (1) there are uncertainties in the outputs from GCMs; (2) rainfall is only a secondary output from GCMs, but the primary input for water resources; and (3) GCM simulations are at scales that are too coarse for catchment-scale water studies, necessitating downscaling. This session is intended to address these issues. We invite abstracts on all topics relevant to the climate-water problem. Abstracts that address the downscaling of GCM outputs, future predictions of floods and droughts with respect to climate change, and water resource adaptation measures to mitigate the impacts are especially encouraged.

Organisers: Dr Joseph Ha ( joseph.ha@dse.vic.gov.au), Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria,
Dr Lachlan Newham (lachlan.newham@anu.edu.au), Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University

Papers are sought describing the development and/or application of biophysical models to prioritise management effort. We are most interested in papers describing modelling intended to inform catchment-scale decision making but studies carried out at smaller scales will be considered. Contributions are sought across a range of fields including, but not limited to, crop and farming systems modelling, water quality and environmental flow assessment and studies of climate change impacts and adaptation. We are particularly interested in papers that demonstrate instances where modelling has directly influenced on-ground outcomes.

Organisers: Chris Thompson (C.Thompson@adfa.edu.au)
Baihua Fu (baihua.fu@anu.edu.au)

The significance of unsealed roads to off-site water quality decline has been long recognised, especially in forested catchments. We invite papers on modelling of road erosion, sediment transport and deposition processes, including:

• developing and applications of road erosion models at various scales;
• modelling the delivery of road-derived sediment to stream networks;
• road erosion model testing; and
• road erosion models as tools to assist management practices.

Studies on understanding road erosion and sediment delivery processes and the impacts on hydrological processes and water quality are also invited. We are particularly keen to include papers reporting on management approach and of parameterisation and testing of existing models.

Organisers: Dr. Manouchehr Amini, Systems Analysis, Integrated Assessment and Modeling, Eawag, Switzerland (manouchehr.amini@eawag.ch)
Dr. Karim Abbaspour (abbaspour@eawag.ch)
Dr. Annette Johnson (annette.johnson@eawag.ch)

Groundwater contamination from anthropogenic and natural sources is a worldwide problem. Geogenic contaminants, such as arsenic and fluoride leached from aquifer rocks, alone pose a major health risk to over a hundred million people who rely on this valuable resource. This session provides a forum for presentation and discussion of the state-of-the-art developments in the research on groundwater contamination at different scales. Topics for submissions may include but are not limited to: site characterization, model development, remediation techniques, and quantification of risks to human health.

Organiser:Dr Jason Evans (jason.evans@unsw.edu.au)

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) has initiated a series of Regional Hydroclimate Projects (RHP) within the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX). Australia's Murray-Darling Basin RHP has been ongoing for several years. It's main scientific focus has been to observe, understand and model the dynamics of the coupled water, energy and carbon cycles of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). Many studies relevant to this GEWEX RHP have been carried out by various groups and individuals and this session provides a forum to bring them together. This session will consider papers on any aspect of the water, energy or carbon cycles in the MDB. Studies of the coupling or interaction between these cycles are also encouraged. No prior connection to the MDB RHP is required.

Organiser: Dr Michael Barry BMT WBM Pty Ltd (mebarry@wbmpl.com.au)

Models of receiving water environments have progressed significantly in the last decade, with basic box model and 1 dimensional approaches yielding to advances in hydrodynamic, advection-dispersion, water quality and ecological modelling now routinely occurring in the 2 and 3 dimensional spheres. This has led to a stepped improvement in the understanding of complex receiving environments such as water storages and reservoirs, estuaries, embayments and lagoons. This session highlights both the existing state of knowledge in this area, and proposed future advances in modelling, including applications of existing approaches in new environments and the development of new methodologies and software tools to address current limitations. The session seeks to advance understanding and dissemination of both the issues of applying these tools and the advances possible using the proposed new tools.

Organisers: Andrea Castelletti, Politecnico di Milano (castelle@elet.polimi.it)
Jorg Imberger, CWR@UWA (jimberger@cwr.uwa.edu.au)
Rodolfo Soncini-Sessa, Politecnico di Milano (soncini@elet.polimi.it)

Integration of quality and quantity issues into the planning and management of lakes and reservoirs, is a key instrument to meet society's long-term needs for water resources while maintaining essential ecological services and economic benefits. Current water management practices are mostly targeted toward quantitative uses (hydropower production, irrigation, water supply etc) and quality is usually addressed separately as an independent an, often, secondary problem. As a result, in the last few years most of the lakes have been increasingly suffering water quality deterioration to the point where the primary lake or reservoir functions (such as drinking water supply) are being impeded. The purpose of this session is to present and discuss new methodological and empirical approaches for the improved planning and management of lakes and reservoirs considering both quantity and quality. The focus will be on (but not limited to) simulation-optimization approaches and/or dynamic optimization.