Webinars
Upcoming Webinars
Stormwater Fundamental Series in 2025
Ocean Protect are excited to announce that the ‘Stormwater Fundamentals’ series will continue in 2025. We have 12 FREE ONLINE sessions focused on the fundamentals of urban stormwater design.
Event Registration – Visit our Events page to view details and register.
What is it?
- Twelve (12) separate knowledge sharing sessions (at zero cost) throughout 2025
- Each of the sessions focusses on a fundamental part of urban stormwater design, with presentations, and interactive Q&A and discussions with attendees
- All sessions will be provided ‘on-line’ (via Zoom) ‘live’ (with recordings and training material also made available to registrants)
- Each session will be led by industry experts
- Registrants can attend any (or all) of the separate sessions, with CPD certificates provided upon request.
Who should attend:
- Students – AQF 6+ (currently studying an Associates Degree or Bachelor Degree)
- Early career stormwater professionals
- Seasoned stormwater professionals yet to learn about key areas.
When are they, what are the sessions, & how do I register?
Each of the sessions are held every month (two in February), on a Wednesday lunch-time (AEST). The full schedule is shown below, visit our Events page for further information and to register.
Details and Registration visit our Events page.
- Introduction to MUSIC software for stormwater modelling – 5th February 2025
- Stormwater channel design – 26th February 2025
- GIS for stormwater engineering – 12th March 2025
- Rainfall – 9th April 2025
- Design of primary stormwater treatment assets – 14th May 2025
- Design of secondary stormwater treatment assets – 4th June 2025
- High flow bioretention – 23rd July 2025
- Integrated Water Management for Buildings – 20th August 2025
- Radial flow cartridge system technologies – 10th September 2025
- Dewatering done right – 1st October 2025
- Law & Order for WSUD Asset Maintenance – 12th November 2025
- PFAS – 3rd December 2025
Previous Webinars
Stormwater Fundamentals – WSUD Maintenance Compliance
This is session #12 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series and final for 2024, focused on WSUD Maintenance Compliance.
This webinar, held on 13th November 2024, was Session #12 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, focussing on WSUD Maintenance Compliance.
Hundreds of thousands of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) assets have been installed across Australia on private and public property. These assets have been installed to protect the health of waterways and water resources. Like any assets, their function is dependent on their appropriate maintenance. The majority of WSUD assets, however, seldom receive appropriate maintenance. There is subsequently a significant opportunity for local Government to better protect waterways and water resources by improving maintenance practices for WSUD assets (in both public and private ownership), and this can be done through WSUD Maintenance Compliance Programs.
WSUD Maintenance Compliance Programs help improve management of public assets and enforce maintenance requirements on private assets. This training event will look to take attendees through the foundations of an effective WSUD Maintenance Compliance program.
These foundations being:
- Legal framework: the legal grounds to enforce compliance.
- Information management system: a system that allows the authority to manage and track compliance and other relevant information.
- Processes: having processes in place and documented for all stages of the compliance program.
- Education: educating and engaging with the people you are trying to make comply.
- Recognition: recognising people that comply to increase compliance.
This session is particularly relevant for individuals from regulatory authorities, and individuals with an interest in understanding how to comply with maintenance requirements. By the end you will understand the foundations of WSUD maintenance compliance and know what they can do to help improve WSUD maintenance compliance.
The 45-minute session includes a short presentation by Ocean Protect’s Daniel Rider, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals – WSUD Asset Maintenance
This is session #11 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, focused on WSUD Asset Maintenance.
This webinar, held on 23rd October 2024, was Session #11 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, focussing on WSUD Asset Maintenance.
With a large range of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) asset types and models in the stormwater industry, it can be difficult to understand how to properly manage WSUD assets. This is because it could require different types of training and equipment, pose different hazards and dangers, and varied access considerations. This training event will go through the fundamentals of WSUD maintenance to help remove any uncertainty around WSUD maintenance.
We will go through questions like:
• What is a WSUD asset?
• Why it is important to maintain WSUD assets?
• How should WSUD assets be maintained?
• Who can maintain WSUD assets?
• Why do assets need to be maintained?
• What is a WSUD maintenance schedule?
• What is a WSUD maintenance contract?
This session is best suited for WSUD asset managers and owners, maintenance contractors, and anyone with a general interest in WSUD maintenance. By the end of the event, attendees should have a fundamental understanding of WSUD maintenance which can help them with their work in the stormwater industry.
The 60-minute session includes a short presentation by Ocean Protect’s Daniel Rider and Fotos Melaisis, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals – Development Assessment
This is session #10 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, focused on Development Assessment.
This webinar, held on 25th September 2024, was Session #10 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, focussing on Development Assessment.
Within Australia, development applications are commonly required to demonstrate how ‘post construction’ (or ‘operational phase’) stormwater quality targets will be achieved. Stormwater quality management plans/ reports (and associated information) are subsequently prepared in support of development applications – and submitted to local government (and/ or other regulatory authorities) for assessment and, if appropriate, approval. Development Assessment personnel subsequently have the challenging task of undertaking a rapid review of technical information (including reporting, drawings and modelling files) to determine whether the proposed strategy (and associated stormwater control measures, SCMs) is appropriate – and provide suitable development approval conditions.
The session focusses on the following key areas (for both proprietary and non-proprietary SCMs):
- Modelling ‘tricks’ that are commonly applied that will exaggerate the performance of SCMs, and how to quickly identify them
- Design, implementation, and management mistakes that are commonly made that invariably lead to the poor function of SCMs (including several ‘real world’ examples)
- Approval conditions to consider applying to support the appropriate long-term function of SCMs proposed as part of new development.
The 60-minute session included a short presentation by Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals – Stormwater pollution in the ‘real world’
This is session #9 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, providing an insight of what stormwater pollution actually looks like in the ‘real world’.
Have you ever wondered what the pollution looks like that is captured within stormwater treatment assets operating in urban areas within Australia? This webinar, held on 28thAugust 2024, takes everyone on a virtual journey underground – and shows them exactly what is retained within stormwater treatment assets across Australia, including gully pit inserts, gross pollutant traps, membrane filtration systems and cartridge systems. Implications for the appropriate design, construction, and management of stormwater treatment assets were also discussed. The webinar included a short presentation by Ocean Protect’s Fotos Melaisis, Daniel Rider and Brad Dalrymple, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals Series – Proprietary stormwater treatment assets
This is session #8 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, focussing on proprietary stormwater treatment assets.
Proprietary stormwater treatment assets are typically manufactured by one or more companies, and include devices such as gully baskets, gross pollutant traps, and media cartridge systems.
This webinar, held on 31st July 2024, focused on Ocean Protect’s OceanGuard, Jellyfish and StormFilter technologies – including how they work, their components, performance, and how to appropriately design, install, and manage these assets to ensure their optimal function. Common myths about proprietary stormwater treatment assets were also ‘busted’. The webinar included a short presentation by Ocean Protect’s Peter Worth and Brad Dalrymple, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals Series – Bioretention
This is session #7 of the ‘Stormwater Fundamental’ series in 2024, focussing on bioretention systems.
Bioretention systems (also called biofiltration, biofilters, bioretention basins, bioswales and raingardens) are one of the most commonly used stormwater treatment asset given their flexible design, space efficiency and applicability at a variety of scales.
This webinar, held on 3rd July 2024, provides an overview of:
– How bioretention works
– Key components of bioretention
– Review of performance monitoring studies
– Common operational problems
– Recommendations on how to do bioretention better
This webinar included a presentation from Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals Series – Gross Pollutant Traps
This webinar, held on 12th June 2024, focuses on Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs).
Gross pollutants traps (GPTs) are the oldest form and often most commonly applied stormwater quality improvement device in Australia and overseas. Their success has varied – from preventing the discharge of enormous quantities of litter and coarse sediment into our waterways and ocean, to being completely non-functional or, at times, worsening downstream water quality.
This free webinar include a brief (20-minute) presentation from Ocean Protect’s Daniel Page and Peter Worth on the history of GPTs, different types (and suitable applications), and key considerations in their appropriate design and management – followed by answers to questions from attendees.
Law & Order – WSUD Asset Maintenance
In this webinar, held on 30th May 2024, Clayton Utz’s Lauren Smith and Ocean Protect’s Daniel Rider went through the legal findings from the legal review conducted as part of the Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Maintenance Compliance Framework.
For this review, the following questions were explored:
- Is it illegal for Councils to not maintain public WSUD assets?
- Is it illegal for private landowners to not maintain their private WSUD assets?
- Is it illegal for Councils to not enforce maintenance on private WSUD assets?
- Are there things that Councils can put in place during development to require certain things from projects with WSUD systems?
- Are there existing legal mechanisms for Councils to use to enforce maintenance on private WSUD assets?
Lauren and Daniel went through the findings for these questions and outline how this affects stormwater management in Australia.
This webinar includes a presentation followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamental Series – Water Sensitive Urban Design
In this webinar, held on 22nd May 2024, Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple, our Principal Environmental Engineer, explained Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD).
In this session, Brad Dalrymple, our Principal Environmental Engineer, provided an overview of:
- What Water Sensitive Urban Design is
- Why WSUD is important
- What ‘best practice’ targets are (and why they aren’t really ‘best practice’)
- Examples of stormwater treatment assets commonly integrated to help achieve ‘WSUD’
This session includes a presentation by Brad, followed by Q&A with attendees.
In this webinar, held on 9th May 2024, Ocean Protect’s Daniel Rider took us beneath the surface of the Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Maintenance Compliance Framework. Daniel explained the different components of the Framework and outlined how people can use them.
The Framework is a package of information, resources and tools that local government can use to improve their implementation and management of WSUD assets within their jurisdiction so that this important infrastructure can meet its intended objective to protect the environment and benefit communities.
This webinar included a presentation (approximately 30-minutes), followed by Q&A with attendees.
This webinar, held on 1st May 2024, explores the impact of traditional, urban stormwater management on the environment and our waterways.
In this session, Brad Dalrymple, our Principal Environmental Engineer, provides an overview of the:
- Key land usage changes associated with urbanisation
- Associated changes to stormwater quantity and quality, and impacts to waterway health
- Types, sources and impacts of ‘common’ stormwater pollutants
- Emerging contaminants.
This session includes a presentation by Brad, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals - Pipe Design
This webinar, held on 27th March 2024, is the third session in the ‘Stormwater Fundamentals’ series in 2024, focusing on Pipe Design.
This webinar includes a 1-hour presentation, followed by a 20-minute Q&A with attendees. Brought to you by Quilty Engineering Hub and Ocean Protect, you will learn the theory behind pipe design with a brief introduction to pipe friction losses and pit head losses. We then dive into some worked examples where we connect theory to practical real-world examples where we quickly approximate pipe capacity using nomographs.
The session, led by Sean Quilty, includes:
- Easy to follow instructor-led training
- Theory linked to practical real-world examples
- Worked examples with step-by-step calculations
- Interactive Q&A and discussion with attendees
Pollution, Parasites & People: The Impacts of Urbanisation on Wetland Snakes
This webinar, held on 14th March 2024, features CSIRO’s Dr Damian Letoof who summarised a series of research conducted on tiger snakes across wetlands in Perth, Western Australia — focusing on bioaccumulation of chemical pollutants and the health of snake populations.
This webinar included a short (approximately 20-minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
The SQIDEP approval for OceanGuard, StormFilter & Jellyfish technologies
Stormwater Australia has recently confirmed compliance with SQIDEP for three (3) of our stormwater treatment technologies – OceanGuard, StormFilter and Jellyfish.
This webinar, held on 22 February 2024 and presented by Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple and Michael Wicks provides an overview of these technologies and their associated SQIDEP approvals, including:
– How do they work ? – Typical applications, configuration options and example case studies
– Performance studies, including those that the SQIDEP approvals are based on
– Modelling methodologies, including as per the SQIDEP certificates.
This webinar included a short presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals - Inlet Design
Held on 21st February 2024, this is the second of the sessions in the ‘Stormwater Fundamentals’ series in 2024, focussing on Inlet Design.
In this session, presented by Sean Quilty (Director of Quilty Enginering Hub) you will learn terminology for sag inlets and on-grade inlets (e.g. kerb inlets, grate inlets, combination inlets) before diving into some worked examples where we connect theory to practical real-world examples including where we need certain inlets and calculate how much stormwater runoff an inlet will capture. This 75-minute session, led by Sean Quilty, included:
– Easy to follow instructor-led training
– Theory linked to practical real-world examples
– Worked examples with step-by-step calculations
– Interactive Q&A and discussion with attendees.
Stormwater Fundamentals - The Rational Method
Held on 7th February 2024, this is the first of the sessions in the ‘Stormwater Fundamentals’ series in 2024, focussing on The Rational Method.
In this session, presented by Sean Quilty (Director of Quilty Enginering Hub) you will learn the most commonly used hydrological model, The Rational Method. We start with the basics, explaining each variable, including time of concentration, coefficient of runoff, catchment area and rainfall intensity – before diving into some worked examples where we connect theory to practical real-world examples. This session includes:
– Easy to follow instructor-led training
– Theory linked to practical real-world examples
– Worked examples with step-by-step calculations
– Interactive Q&A and discussion with attendees.
How long will my bioretention last ?
This webinar, held on 22nd November 2023, was presented by Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple and seeks to advance our knowledge of bioretention longevity through research that assesses the ability of bioretention systems to provide consistent water quality and hydraulic performance at the decadal time scale with standard maintenance.
Bioretention systems (also called biofilters, bioretention basins, biofiltration systems, bioswales and raingardens) are one of the most commonly used stormwater treatment asset within Australia given their flexible design, space efficiency and applicability at a variety of scales. In Queensland alone, an estimated $1 billion per year of investment in bioretention systems is predicted. It is important that personnel involved in their design, construction, establishment and management are aware of their expected ‘lifespan’ – after which the systems do not function in a manner consistent with their design intent, and the biofiltration system (or at least the filtration media) should be replaced. The estimated lifespan of biofiltration systems cited in industry-accredited guidelines and anecdotal reports varies significantly. These estimates are anticipated to be based on limited evidence despite the significant implications to their accuracy, particularly for asset managers given the high costs (and resource requirements) required to replace these systems. This webinar included a review of long-term performance monitoring studies and hydraulic analyses of biofiltration systems, including high flow biofiltration systems and ‘conventional’ biofiltration systems.
The webinar includes a short presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Ensuring widespread maintenance of Water Sensitive Urban Design assets
Are you working in local Government and struggling with ensuring WSUD assets are appropriately maintained ? If so, this webinar is for you.
Hundreds of thousands of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) assets have been installed across Australia to help protect the health of waterways and water resources. Like any assets, their function is dependent on their appropriate maintenance. The majority of WSUD assets, however, seldom receive appropriate maintenance. There is subsequently significant opportunity for local Government to better protect waterways and water resources by improving maintenance practices for WSUD assets (in both public and private ownership).
In this webinar, recorded on 23rd August 2023, Ocean Protect’s Daniel Rider provides an overview of recommended actions for local Government to improve the maintenance of WSUD assets. Daniel also provides an overview of the WSUD Maintenance Compliance Framework that he is leading to help local Government implement and operate their own WSUD maintenance compliance program.
The webinar included a short (15-20 minute) presentation by Ocean Protect’s Daniel Rider , followed by Q&A with attendees.
Five years of treatment performance monitoring for a high flow rate biofiltration system at Western Sydney, Kingswood, NSW
Since May 2018, stormwater treatment performance testing has been undertaken for a high flow biofiltration system located in Western Sydney, NSW, Australia.
The biofiltration system uses an engineered filter media (Filterra) that can treat flows at a significantly higher flow rate than typical biofiltration filter media and the media is produced to strict quality control procedures. For example, the design drainage rate of the engineered filter media is 3550mm/hour, whereas a typical ‘sandy loam’ filter media has a design drainage rate of 200mm/hour. Subsequently, biofiltration systems using this engineered filter media can treat significantly more flow (and can potentially be significantly smaller, typically sized at 0.3% of the upstream catchment) relative to a typical biofiltration system (typically sized at between 1 to 2% of the upstream catchment).
This webinar, held on 3rd August 2023, provides an overview of the high flow (Filterra) biofiltration systems and the performance monitoring undertaken to date.
The webinar included a short (15-20 minute) presentation by Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple, followed by Q&A with attendees.
The New OceanGuard – stopping plastic waste with plastic waste
This webinar, held on 13th July 2023, features the latest innovation from Ocean Protect – our new OceanGuard technology.
The OceanGuard technology is a gully pit basket designed to fit within new and existing gully pits to remove pollution from stormwater runoff. The system has a choice of filtration liners, designed to remove gross pollutants, total suspended solids and attached pollutants as either a stand-alone technology or as part of a ‘treatment train’ (with stormwater treatment assets located downstream to provide further treatment). To date, over 25,000 have been installed across Australia to better protect our oceans and waterways from pollution.
The new OceanGuard provides the same great performance, but includes several new features – including being 90% made from plastic waste. The new OceanGuard will also be significantly lighter and easier to supply and install, and designed and made in Australia (and 100% Australian owned).
In this webinar, Ocean Protect’s Michael Wicks, Warren Jones, Blake Allingham and Brad Dalrymple provided a short (approximately 15-minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Introducing the StormFilter PFAS
This webinar, held on 15th June 2023, introduced Ocean Protect’s latest innovation – the StormFilter PFAS technology. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured persistent organic chemicals that have been developed and used since the 1940s. The use and application of PFAS has previously been widespread, particularly in in aqueous film forming foams for fire-fighting (and associated training) at many military, airport and fire training facilities. The environmental management of PFAS is a high priority for environmental regulators within Australia and globally. The StormFilter PFAS technology is an innovation to our StormFilter® technology, which is comprised of one or more structures that house rechargeable, media-filled cartridges that trap particulates and adsorb pollutants from stormwater runoff such as total suspended solids, hydrocarbons, nutrients, metals, and other common pollutants – with over 30,000 installations in Australia to date. The StormFilter PFAS technology, however, utilises a media blend specifically designed and sized to remove PFAS.
In this webinar, Ocean Protect’s Blake Allingham, Michael Wicks and Brad Dalrymple describes recent ‘real world’ performance testing of the StormFilter PFAS, potential applications, and operation and management requirements. The webinar includes a short (25 minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees,
Filterra biofiltration systems in the ‘real world’
Are you keen to see and discuss ‘real world’ case studies of Filterra biofiltration systems ? Then, please watch this recording of Ocean Protect’s webinar “Filterra biofiltration systems in the ‘real world’”, held on 18 May 2023.
Over the last five years, many Filterra® biofiltration systems have been integrated into new ‘water sensitive’ urban development projects. In particular, this is often due (at least in part) by the significantly smaller area they require (typically 0.3% of upstream area) relative to conventional bioretention systems (that use ‘sandy loam’ media, and often require 3 to 5 times more land) and the growing body of evidence demonstrating their performance (and more widespread local government approval for their use).
In this webinar, Ocean Protect’s Harout Tcherkezian, Nathan Raco and Michael Wicks will show-case several ‘real world’ examples of Filterra biofiltration systems installed within Australia. A wide diversity of project examples will be shown – from small ‘tree pit’ systems to large ‘bioscapes’. Key design, construction and management constraints, challenges and features will be described and discussed, supported by an extensive collection of photos of various systems over time.
The webinar includes a short (~25 minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Urban stormwater pollution in the ‘real world’
Have you ever wondered what the pollution looks like that is captured within stormwater treatment assets operating in urban areas within Australia ? In this webinar, held on 4th May 2023, Ocean Protect’s Daniel Rider, Fotos Melaisis and Brad Dalrymple take you on a virtual journey underground – and show you exactly what is retained within some of Ocean Protect’s 50,000+ stormwater treatment assets within Australia, including gully pit inserts, gross pollutant traps, membrane filtration systems and cartridge systems. Implications for the appropriate design, construction, and management of stormwater treatment assets will also be discussed.
This webinar included a short (approximately 15-minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Starting your own WSUD Compliance Program
In 2012, Blacktown City Council established a Water Sensitive Urban Design Compliance Program. The first of its kind in Australia, the Program aims to increase compliance with legal requirements for the management of privately-owned water sensitive urban design assets in the Council area. To improve compliance, a new version of this program is currently being trialled. In this webinar, held on 20th October 2022, Blacktown City Council’s Daniel Rider provided a brief overview of the new program, and outlined what other local authorities (e.g. Councils) can do to start working on their own compliance program.
This webinar included a short (approximately 20-minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Stormwater - the #1 source of ocean plastic that (almost) no-one is talking about
Approximately 80% of plastic pollution in our ocean comes from land-based sources, with the vast majority flowing through drains to our waterways and oceans via stormwater runoff. Urban stormwater runoff often also contains harmful levels of other less visible (but extremely damaging) pollutants, such as microplastics, suspended solids, heavy metals, nutrients and bacteria. Stormwater is recognised as the key source of pollution in our urban waterways and the vast majority of plastic entering Australian waters is land-based and generated locally. In this webinar, held on 29 September 2022,
Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple discussed (i) how stormwater is such a major source of plastic in our oceans and waterways, (ii) what CAN be done about it and (iii) what IS being done about it within Australia. This webinar included a short (approximately 20-minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Mass capacity, long-term performance, & maintenance analysis of biofiltration stormwater treatment systems
The role of buildings in sustainable stormwater management
With many local governments and water authorities around Australia requiring that buildings and small developments treat their own stormwater, the requirement to find compact integrated water management solutions to stormwater management can be a challenge for designers and engineers. Integrated water management takes a systems thinking approach to managing urban stormwater, considering multiple objectives of stormwater runoff quality, aesthetics, vegetation, peak discharge flowrates, stormwater volume reduction and water efficiency.
Urban drainage faces major issues as the area of impermeable surfaces connected to a drainage system increases. Existing pipe systems are designed for a specific purpose, such as for drainage for low density housing. As an area develops into higher-density development, and more impervious surfaces are connected, piping systems no longer function well and are more frequently flooded. Additional stormwater runoff volumes and increased flooding frequency scour downstream watercourses and pollute coastal environments.
This webinar was held on 14th July 2022 and was presented by Ian Adams (Organica Engineering), providing an overview of the following:
• New stormwater management requirements for buildings, such as those given in the 2019 Australian Rainfall and Runoff Guide (ARR 2019), new Victorian EPA stormwater laws, and the new best practice Green Star requirements from the Green Building Council of Australia
• Use of the on-line InSite Water toolkit (www.insitewater.com.au) to design for and address recent developments in stormwater requirements for buildings
• Best practice and practical examples in lot-scale stormwater management that meet the requirements.
The webinar included a 20-minute presentation followed by Q&A with attendees.
Achieving better practice stormwater treatment asset maintenance
Hundreds of thousands of stormwater treatment assets have been installed across Australia, and the majority of these assets do not receive appropriate maintenance and monitoring. There is an obvious need to better educate (and resource) industry stakeholders to achieve better stormwater treatment asset maintenance (and associated asset function and protection of our waterways)
This webinar was presented by Ocean Protect’s Fotos Melaisis and Lachlan Shackcloth-Bertinetti on 26 May 2022, and included a range of topics:
–An assessment of current shortage of site-specific maintenance and monitoring programs
– How a lack of proper management can lead to reduced stormwater treatment performance
– Recommendations for policy change and development approval conditions
– Advice for reviewing maintenance contracts for stormwater treatment assets
This webinar included a short (approximately 25-minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Law & Order for the Maintenance of Stormwater Treatment Assets
Published studies and anecdotal evidence indicates that the majority of the hundreds of thousands of stormwater treatment assets within Australia are highly unlikely to be receiving appropriate maintenance. This lack of appropriate maintenance for STAs has significantly contributed to their poor condition, is currently limiting the stormwater treatment performance of these assets, and is subsequently estimated to be resulting in hundreds of tonnes of additional stormwater pollution (e.g. litter, microplastics, sediment, heavy metals) entering Australia’s waterways every year.
On 12 May 2002, a diverse panel was assembled for this on-line ‘webinar’ event, for an open and frank discussion about the relevant legislation and appropriate enforcement of the maintenance of stormwater treatment assets. The panel included:
– Dr Andrew Thomas, Cooks River Alliance
– Ben Penhallurick, Healthy Land & Water
– Brad Dalrymple, Ocean Protect
– Daniel Rider, Blacktown City Council
– Liza Dicks, Sea Shepherd Australia
– Grahame Lloyd, Sea Shepherd Australia
– Murray Powell, Optimal Stormwater.
The webinar included a short presentation, followed by interactive discussions and responses to questions from attendees.
Evolution of Bioretention Research and Use in the US Mid-Atlantic by Dr Bill Hunt
Biofiltration systems (also called biofilters, bioretention basins, bioretention systems, and raingardens) has been used in the mid-Atlantic US since the early 1990’s. Their design has evolved in great part due to research that has been conducted in the region.
This webinar, held on 28th April 2022, traces that evolution with a focus on media, underdrainage, and “crediting”. Biofiltration-spawned green infrastructure practices was also discussed. The webinar includes a short presentation by Dr Bill Hunt, followed by responses to questions from attendees.
"Myth busting" regulatory authority concerns about proprietary stormwater treatment assets
This webinar was held on 6th April 2022 and aims to review and discuss the issues/ concerns often cited by some regulators associated with the application of proprietary stormwater treatment assets.
This webinar included a 40-minute presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
Ensuring Bioretention Media Performance Success
Engineered media is the heart of bioretention system performance, optimised to filter and/or infiltrate stormwater through a plant-soil-microbe complex. Physical, chemical, and biological treatment removal mechanisms capture sediment, nutrients, heavy metals, bacteria, and oil and grease among other contaminants. Qualification and protection of the media components ensure the bioretention media can meet overall performance objectives. A successful bioretention installation involves oversight of media production, not just onsite construction and installation.
This 1-hour webinar focuses on the framework necessary to transfer raw materials to a blended, commercially installed product. This framework should encompass standard operating procedures (SOPs) for qualifying, sourcing, verifying, producing, storing, and handling media and media specifications to ensure recipe consistency.
Key topics include:
• The role engineered media plays in the overall performance of a bioretention system
• The importance of proper sourcing, producing, and storage of engineered media to ensure optimal performance.
• The role that specifications, QA/QC, and certification play in the consistent production of engineered bioretention media.
Best Practice Design & Management of the OceanSave GPT
The OceanSave is a vortex type engineered stormwater treatment asset designed to remove litter, gross pollutants, sediment and associated pollutants from stormwater runoff as either a stand-alone technology or as part of a ‘treatment train’ (with stormwater treatment assets located downstream to provide further treatment).
This webinar provides an overview of the OceanSave – its components, performance, and how to appropriately design, install, and manage these assets to ensure their optimal function. The webinar includes a short presentation by Ocean Protect’s Damien Egan & Daniel Page, followed by answers to questions from attendees.
Bioretention & High Rate Biofiltration - Research & Performance Updates from USA
Bioretention is one of the most widely used and heavily researched stormwater control measures in the United States. However, there is a growing gap between lessons learned from academic research and what is applied to protect our rivers, lakes, and oceans from urban pollution. Bioretention media and system component optimisation that is recommended by research varies from region to region and typically requires significant quality control and oversight to achieve expected water quality goals.
This presentation will summarise the latest bioretention research from literature reviews performed by the Mile High Flood District and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and examine issues with how this knowledge is transferred into practice. Topics include media specification, vegetation, nutrient removal, and designing for maintenance. Recent efforts to improve and enforce bioretention specifications from a regulatory standpoint will also be discussed in the context of new guidance from the Washington State Department of Ecology.
In response to challenges associated with deploying successful bioretention systems, there are a growing number of innovative high rate biofiltration (HRBF) devices in USA. Field monitoring data from the latest International BMP Database summary will be used to compare bioretention and HRBF water quality performance for multiple urban pollutants of interest.
Lastly, a brief discussion on data gaps will be introduced, including an introduction of research which aims to examine the long-term performance and maintenance demands of both conventional bioretention and HRBF.
Blacktown City Council's WSUD Compliance Program
In 2012, Blacktown City Council established a Water Sensitive Urban Design Compliance Program. A first of its kind in Australia, the Program aims to increase compliance with legal requirements for the management of privately-owned water sensitive urban design assets in the Council area.
This webinar will provide an overview of the Program as well as a project that seeks to improve its capacity to increase compliance with legal requirements. It may offer important insights for local authorities seeking to establish their own compliance programs and initiatives.
Does bioretention actually work?
Over recent decades, the implementation of stormwater control measures (SCMs) to achieve a more ‘water sensitive’ urban environment and reduce the hydrologic and water quality impacts of urban development has increased across Australia (and overseas). With Australia, biofiltration systems (also called biofilters, bioretention basins, bioretention systems, bioswales and raingardens) are one of the most commonly used SCM given their flexible design, space efficiency and applicability at a variety of scales. But, do biofiltration systems actually work ? Specifically, are biofiltrations likely to provide a sustained, effective stormwater treatment function consistent with their intent ?
In this free webinar, Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple and Michael Wicks will provide a brief (25-minute) review of available lab and field-scale studies of their stormwater treatment performance, assess the ‘transition’ of performance data to the ‘real world’, and outline key recommendations – followed by Q&A with attendees.
This webinar is provided to assist personnel from local government (and other regulatory authorities) and private industry involved in the planning, design, implementation, management and review of biofiltration systems.
Best practice design and management of Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs)
Development assessment for stormwater quality management – tips, tricks & tribulations
Development Assessment personnel subsequently have the challenging task of undertaking a rapid review of technical information (including reporting, drawings and modelling files) to determine whether the proposed strategy (and associated SCMs) is appropriate – and provide suitable development approval conditions.
In this free webinar, Ocean Protect’s Brad Dalrymple and Michael Wicks will provide a brief (20-minute) presentation of common deficiencies in stormwater quality-related aspects of new development applications – followed by answers to questions from attendees. The webinar will focus on the following key areas (for both proprietary and non-proprietary SCMs):
– Modelling ‘tricks’ that are commonly applied that will exaggerate the performance of SCMs, and how to quickly identify them
– Design, implementation, and management mistakes that are commonly made that invariably lead to the poor function of SCMs (including several ‘real world’ examples)
– Approval conditions to consider applying to support the appropriate long-term function of SCMs proposed as part of new development.
Best practice design & management for the OceanGuard and StormFilter treatment train
Stormwater treatment performance for a high flow rate biofiltration system at Western Sydney, Kingswood, NSW
The biofiltration system uses an engineered filter media (Filterra) that can treat flows at a significantly higher flow rate than typical biofiltration filter media and the media is produced to strict quality control procedures. For example, the design drainage rate of the engineered filter media is 3550mm/hour, whereas a typical ‘sandy loam’ filter media has a design drainage rate of 200mm/hour. Subsequently, biofiltration systems using this engineered filter media can treat significantly more flow (and can potentially be significantly smaller, typically sized at 0.3% of the upstream catchment) relative to a typical biofiltration system (typically sized at between 1 to 2% of the upstream catchment).
This webinar provides an overview of the high flow (Filterra) biofiltration systems and the performance monitoring undertaken to date. The webinar will include a short (15-20 minute) presentation, followed by Q&A with attendees.
How SQID proprietors will exaggerate stormwater treatment performance claims via SQIDEP
Within Australia, the vast majority of stormwater industry stakeholders (including Ocean Protect) have been in favour of a national program for the evaluation and verification of stormwater quality improvement devices (SQIDs).
Stormwater Australia’s (2018) Stormwater Quality Improvement Device Evaluation Protocol (SQIDEP) describes a criteria for the testing and performance claim reporting of SQIDs and was anticipated to be the basis of this national program. Unfortunately, SQIDEP (in its current form) is recognised by many key regulators and other industry stakeholders as having significant deficiencies which, if allowed to remain without amendment, will produce exaggerated or over-estimated treatment performance results for SQIDs – and, ultimately, reduced ‘actual’ protection of the health of our waterways. Many of these deficiencies have been documented in submissions by key industry stakeholders to Stormwater Australia, including Stormwater Queensland and Stormwater NSW.
In this webinar, Michael Wicks (Technical Director at Ocean Protect) explains the deficiencies within SQIDEP, how SQID proprietors are subsequently able to exaggerate performance claims, and the associated implications to the design (and ultimate function) of SQIDs. This is anticipated to assist designers and regulators in their understanding of SQIDEP and alternative SQID protocols.
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Ocean Protect webinars and associated files remain the ownership of IES Stormwater Pty Ltd. Any unauthorised use is expressly prohibited.
Ocean Protect webinars are for general discussion purposes, and the views expressed by presenters and attendees are opinions only. Care has been taken in the preparation of the webinars, however no guarantee, representation or warranty is given or made as to the accuracy or completeness of the information conveyed. Personnel seeking information relevant to their own personal circumstances should seek independent advice as appropriate. To the maximum extent permitted at law, IES Stormwater Pty Ltd and its affiliates, and the presenters and attendees of the webinars, exclude liability for any loss or damage to any party caused by or arising from reliance on its content.