Integrated Water Quality Modelling: Ben Chifley Dam Catchment, Australia

This paper describes an integrated hydrologic, stream sediment and nutrient export modelling system. The modelling system is designed to simulate catchment-scale land and water management activities in the Ben Chifley Dam Catchment (BCDC). The dam has experienced problematic blue-green algal blooms over the past decade. The aim of the modelling is to examine management scenarios designed to reduce nutrient and sediment delivery from the BCDC. This paper describes the framework of the system along with brief description of each of the various components. The innovation of the modelling system is the integration of otherwise separate modelling approaches. The output of the project will be methods to focus both on-ground ameliorative action at specific sites and encourage sustainable management practices more broadly in the catchment.