Integrated Research Project 5 Stage 1 Report

Executive Summary

The CRC for Water Sensitive Cities’ Integrated Research Project 5 (IRP5, Knowledge-based water sensitive city solutions for groundwater impacted developments) aims to better understand the impact of urban development in groundwater impacted environments. Project outputs will include guidelines and innovative solutions that achieve more effective, water sensitive outcomes for groundwater impacted developments.

Stage 1 was a scoping study, conducted by GHD, Water Technology and the University of Western Australia. Its objectives were to:

• Collate and critically evaluate the current state of knowledge locally (WA/Australia) and globally in the design and implementation of urban (residential) development and water management approaches in areas with high and variable groundwater tables, focused on addressing priorities directed by the Project Steering Committee (PSC)
• Identify contested or unknown design and implementation parameters and methodologies for such developments and urban water management systems that could be further investigated (at full scale) in the follow-up project phase (Stage 2)
• Investigate alternative building/construction and land development methods and their performance in high groundwater environments from a national and international perspective
• Develop an action and research plan to address key knowledge gaps, with a focus on applications to inform water sensitive development at the Brabham research case study site.