Rethinking responses to the world’s water crises New journal paper published by Nature Sustainability by the ANU team lead by Quentin Grafton and our colleagues. The world faces multiple water crises, including overextraction, flooding, ecosystem degradation and...
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Mixed Methods to increase certainty about catchment and coastal flood risks
Utilising mixed methods of defining joint probability of catchment and coastal flooding to increase certainty and utility of flood risk analysis Peter J Coombes and Robert Swan presenting at the Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium HWRS2024 on Tuesday 19 November...
Water Regulation, Legislation, Monopoly and Preference for Utility Infrastructure
New Journal paper from Peter J Coombes explores the influence of regulation, legislation and monopoly processes on preference for utility supply side infrastructure. The effects of price regulation and preference for utility supply infrastructure on Australian urban water utilities and urban water markets are considered by examination of historical data and models of the future of a case study of the Greater Sydney and Melbourne regions. Interesting read in the context of requests to double water bills and limit user pays pricing
Rainwater harvesting and systems thinking for a better world – release of YouTube Channel
The Essential Rainwater Harvesting Course was created by Peter Coombes of Urban Water Cycle Solutions (https://urbanwatercyclesolutions.com) and Michelle Avis of Verge Permaculture (https://vergepermaculture.ca). First recorded in 2020, a large majority of the course is now being released, for free, on YouTube as part of our shared mission to educate and spread information on rainwater harvesting as widely as possible.
Benefits, costs and enabling conditions to achieve ‘water for all’ in rural and remote Australia
Benefits, costs and enabling conditions to achieve ‘water for all’ in rural and remote Australia. I am honoured to announce the publication in Nature Water of our multidisciplinry research collaboration into an important challenge of access to good quality water in rural and remote communities.
Urban Flood Risks, Water Law and Insurance
Urban flood risks, water law and insurance: The intersection of emerging science, practice and authority By Professor Peter J Coombes Published in Precedent issue 178 - September/October 2023, Journal of the Australian Lawyers Alliance This article discusses the...
SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE ON CHARACTERISING RESILIENCE IN URBAN WATER MARKETS
Results from two decades of accumulated big data and systems analysis of Greater Melbourne and Sydney was investigated to develop insights into the resilience of each city. The key resilience parameters are distributed water sources and conservation in an urban water market, household welfare, government policy and regulation, pricing strategies, total dam storage and supply of desalinated water. These parameters have different levels of impact and significance across the two cities. Further studies are needed to better define the attributes and benefits of these parameters.
Systems Frameworks of Big Data: Averages, Economics and Policy
Systems Frameworks of Big Data: Averages, Economics and Policy Peter J Coombes at the GK Symposium 12 - 13 June 2019 at Noahs at Newcastle Beach Bottom up systems analysis highlights the illusion of averages and economic opportunities for development of government...
Making the Paper: Impact of Averages on Water Modelling
Making of the paper: Planning resilient water resources and communities: the need for a bottom up systems approach
Michael E Barry and Peter J Coombes. Impact of averages on water modelling.
This paper was awarded the GN Alexander Medal by the Engineers Australia National Committee on Water Engineering. This Medal is usually awarded every 18 months for the best paper in hydrology and/or water resources published in an Engineers Australia publication.
This article presents an overview of the processes leading to making this journal paper.
Application of joint probability to respond to climate change and avoid cumulative extreme assumptions
Application of joint probability to respond to climate change and avoid cumulative extreme assumptions Presentation the Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium at the Hilton George Street Sydney by Professor Peter J Coombes at 12:20 pm on Wednesday 15 November 2023....
An Interesting Year for a Systems Scientist
An interesting year for a systems scientist
It has been an interesting and productive year that included fascinating applied science and policy projects, research activity and contributions legal, economic and planning domains.
Is zero afflux the question or answer to better flooding outcomes?
Presentation by Peter J Coombes and Andrew Allan at HWRS 2022: Is zero afflux the real challenge or solution for better flood management? It is vitally important to establish science and legally based rules for fair administration of the objectives and exploration of options that respond to flood risks. Otherwise, there will be a substantial administrative burden for marginal benefit. Our professionals and agencies need to be prepared for a different and challenging future, and our methods need to be fit for purpose from a whole of society perspective.