MUSIC, short for Model for Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualisation, is software designed to simulate rainfall and pollution generation which allows urban stormwater professionals to visualise a range of possible strategies for tackling the hydrology and pollution impacts of urban stormwater runoff. It also simulates flow reduction and pollution removal through rain harvesting, sediment basins, bioretention, wetlands, proprietary filtration devices and many other stormwater management systems.

MUSIC Software enables the evaluation of conceptual stormwater management designs to assess how appropriate they are likely to be if used in their proposed catchments. By simulating the proposed stormwater improvement measures, this software can also determine if the proposed systems will ultimately meet the specified water quality objectives. This software simulates water sensitive design, which allows for much easier design and assessment of WSUD in urban developments. 

As a reliable method of predicting the performance of stormwater systems, MUSIC can simulate any size catchment area including urban systems from a single dwelling regional and suburban and even entire towns and cities.

Many organisations from catchment management groups to local councils and governments have introduced aquatic environment protection initiatives within urban areas. While initially the main focus was on pollution sources, attention is now on reducing the amount of pollution in urban stormwater, which has been recognised as a major urban pollutant carrier.

The MUSIC software can simulate the use of a wide range of real-world treatment devices, such as:

Bioretention Systems

These vegetated stormwater filtration systems remove soluble contaminants and particulates via a sand or soil-based medium.

Infiltration Systems

These are unvegetated infiltration systems which have no underdrain that assist with removing contaminants.

Media Filtration Systems

Unvegetated stormwater filtration systems utilise fine granular material such as gravel or sand to remove contaminants.

Gross Pollutant Traps

These are mesh-like devices which are designed for the removal of suspended or floating rubbish or other types of debris that are above 5mm in size.

Buffer Strips

These roadside strips of vegetated land effectively remove medium-sized and coarse suspended particles.

Vegetated Swales

Vegetated swales are open channels which primarily utilise vegetation for the removal of suspended solids.

Ponds & Sedimentation Basins

Open water bodies such as ponds and basins act as temporary stores which will ultimately allow suspended solids to settle.

Rainwater Tanks

Domestic water storage which enables the roof runoff to be captured, stored, and used whenever needed, after contaminants have either been stopped before storage, settled inside the tank, or removed during use of the water.

Wetlands

Heavily vegetated water bodies like wetlands facilitate physical, biological, and chemical processes which ultimately remove soluble and insoluble contaminants as well as fine suspended sediment.

Proprietary Media Cartridge and Membrane Filters

Stormwater treatment systems often installed within Onsite Detention Tanks or standalone precast tanks and use rechargeable, self-cleaning, media-filled cartridges or membrane technology to absorb, physically trap and retain pollutants.  

Since the software was first developed in 2001, MUSIC has been successfully utilised by thousands of working professionals throughout Australia. Contact Ocean Protect today to find out more about the MUSIC stormwater modelling program.