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WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Theme 2 Project 3.4 Development of a Numerical Dredging Model

Created 25/06/2025

Updated 25/06/2025

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In Western Australia (WA), the Environmental Impact Assessment process requires dredging proponents to make scientifically sound predictions of the likely extent, severity, and persistence of environmental impacts of the proposed activity under a spatially defined zoning pattern. This is achieved by using coupled hydrodynamic, wave and sediment transport models in conjunction with water quality (ecological) thresholds for sensitive receptors such as corals, filter feeders, or seagrasses/macroalgae. These predictions guide the scale and scope of associated monitoring programs, providing assistance to proponents as to where to establish environmental monitoring and reference sites. Increasingly, modelling is also being used by dredging programs to forecast a few days in advance, so as to understand the potential consequence of various dredging scenarios and optimize the dredging programs to minimize environmental damage. The overall objective of Project 2/3.4 was to improve the predictive capabilities of sediment dispersion modelling that incorporate dynamic plume and passive plume processes through assessing model sensitivity to key forcing and parameter values, such as met-ocean condition, particle settling velocity distribution, critical shear stress, sediment erosion and deposition, provide frequency and duration of biological stressor fields including suspended sediment concentration, sediment accretion and erosion, and available light; and provide guidance on developing best practice algorithms and parametrizations for dredge plume modelling. Based on the outcome Project 2/3.1, an appropriate modelling suite that includes hydrodynamics, waves, and sediment transport was chosen (Delft3D) to model the far-field passive plume. The model was set up and validated using the bathymetry and baseline data collected as part of the Chevron Australia Wheatstone Project, located near Onslow, Western Australia. The model outputs were assessed against monitoring data from Chevron Australia's Wheatstone Dredging program, including, remote sensing and in-situ data collected in Project 2/3.2. A 20 month hindcast of passive plume dispersal from the dredging project to the furthest extent of the passive plume were compared with the field data and MODIS images (where available). Spatial and temporal variability of plume dispersal under different forcing scenarios and sediment release rates were investigated and reported. This metadata record provides a description of the model input data (and where appropriate its location) and a short description of the software and model set-up. The simulation data files are located in the CSIRO DAP.

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Theme 2 Project 3.4 Development of a Numerical Dredging Model
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/fe81df95-ff2f-49b7-b77d-b9faae85ce2d
Contact Point
CSIRO Marlin Data Catalogue
Chaojiao.Sun@csiro.au
Reference Period 01/11/2013 - 01/10/2017
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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      ],
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      ],
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      ],
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      ],
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      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal CSIRO Marlin

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on CSIRO Marlin "WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Theme 2 Project 3.4 Development of a Numerical Dredging Model". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://marlin.csiro.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/wamsi-2-dredging-node-theme-2-project-3-4-development-of-a-numerical-dredging-model