Research Methods for Engineers Assignment

Research Methods for Engineers 1
Research Methods for Engineers:
“Coastal reservoirs for floodwater development and flood disaster mitigation"
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Research Methods for Engineers 2
Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Literature Reviews...........................................................................................................................5
Research Designs...........................................................................................................................16
Research Questions........................................................................................................................18
Literature Planner..........................................................................................................................19
Mind Map......................................................................................................................................20
References......................................................................................................................................22

Research Methods for Engineers 3
Abstract
The continual population growth is one of the key contributors to the scarcity of water along the
sea shores in Australia. In fact, the ever increasing and growing population along the coastal
regions and shores of the ocean accounts for the unprecedented aspect recorded in the area. This
is because the piling pressure caused by the dense population in the region has compromise the
sustainable use and management of water along the area (Levy et al. 2015 p.350). The norm has
therefore, precipitated various degradation activities along the area which include depletion of
the coastal reservoirs, erosion, pollution, ineffective management as well as unbalancing of water
in the area (Birkland et al. 2013 p.50).
Moreover, the area has also continued to experience climatic changes which have
resulted in unevenly distributed rainfall in the areas as well as unpredicted precipitation. These
has not only affected the common people living in area but also have impacted on the overall
volumes of freshwater in the areas. In essence, piling pressure from the population in the area
indicates that the area has low supply of water, the demand for the freshwater for the domestic as
well as industrial utilization continues to increases.
Thus, from the aspect of economics, it means that if the proper logistics and framework
are not taken into consideration, then the overall process might end-up being at stalk. This
therefore calls for an action plan and research to explore and recommend the suitable way to
control the channel before it gets out of control. Thus, this paper explores all the avenues
regarding the coastal reservoirs in terms of the designing process to meet the water demands but
at the same time have sustainable development and management plan. However, the driving
aspect in this research is that there is high floodwater waters along the sea shores which need to
be utilized in the process and hence, their mitigations and monitoring plans must be incorporated
in the process (Mancini et al. 2011 p.1700).

Research Methods for Engineers 4
Introduction
Water shortage in the recent days, is a fundamental phenomenon which is evident
worldwide more so for the unsullied water reserves. Arefiev et al. (2015) noted that clean water
crisis continues to be vital issue and if not probably tackled then 66% of the overall world
population will be prone to the treat by 2025. Moreover, the waters stored in the aquifers are
currently utilized before they are even complemented by the nature and this poses a threat as the
source provides almost a third of the water which is utilized worldwide. Thus, the water scarcity
has raised concerns and draw attentions not only in the native countries but across the worldwide
as a whole. For instance, areas such the Southwest and the Midwest located in the United States
of America and the Australia Continents are currently faced by the water scarcity and crisis.
Moreover, Australia as a country has continued to experience decline in the amount of rainfall as
well as runoff they receive in the area as a result of the allocating water for the purposes of
irrigation over the past years. Thus, Billa et al. (2006) recorded a proposal for the purposes of
increasing and managing the existing fresh water in Australia using various concepts such as
desalination, plants, dams as well as the detention processes. This is because people continue to
experience water scarcity and crisis on daily basis. Even in the 6th Word Water debate, various
concerns on the mitigation plans regarding the water use emerged and various proposals on it
were tabled (Lai et al. 2015). Therefore, this analysis tries to evaluate the coastal reservoirs as
new strategy and recommendation to remedy the water crisis in Australia. In fact, coastal
reservoirs in this study mainly appraised in terms of the effectiveness as well as compared with
the other existing sustainable and water methods in the area. This analysis mainly based on the
fact that the new coastal reservoirs techniques utilize the rainfall and flood concepts and their
functionality mainly relies on the future climatic trends across the board (Kog, 2001).

Research Methods for Engineers 5
Literature Reviews
Over the past decades and the recent day, the need for water has continued to be a vital
element and important aspect in the community. Water is an essential commodity not only for
human consumption but also for other biotic lives such as the aquatic. Moreover, population
growth have continued to deplete the existing water reservoirs in various parts of the world and
therefore reducing the water capacity worldwide. Therefore, various studies have been conducted
to explore and appraise the mechanism of addressing this key and fundamental basic
requirement. It is in this line that, this literature review have been designed to evaluate the
overall coastal reservoirs, in terms of the overall concept, the floodwaters and storm waters, the
design the aspect, as well as the how it can be improved to prove sustainable water to people
living along the coastal shores in Australia (Loucks, Moore and Zeng 2011 p.1800).
Harnessing of Stormwater from Coastal Reservoirs
Yang and Ferguson (2010), noted that most parts of Australia are dry in terms of the
amount of the rainfall they received however; the coastal areas do receive higher rainfall
amounts annually. In most cases, the amount of waters which drains into the sea from rivers is
approximated to be 279,000GL but the overall utilization of the sea water is about 21,000GL.
This amount is water is obtained from the runoff and thus, demarcates the lowest amount in
comparison to other places worldwide. Moreover, there is a large amount of water which flows
from various rivers into the ocean and this can actually be captured using the coastal reservoirs
and later only be utilized for various activities in the country. Some of the activities in which this
water can be used include agriculture, industries as well as residential houses. Yang and
Ferguson (2010) also established that a number of Australians fleet have embarked on settling
along the coastlines and the rivers banks as the water in this areas seem to have endless supply.
Therefore, the current population who are living along the coastlines and river banks is

Research Methods for Engineers 6
established to be about 65% and this analysis, is for the five cities in the country. These cities
mainly include Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. In essence, most people have
opted to settle in these regions as a result of the lack of clean water for daily use in their native
areas.
Climate Change and its Impacts on Coastal Reservoirs
Over the past decades, Australia as a country has been subjected to the climate change
and this aspect has tend account for the fluctuations in the amount of rainfall and storm waters
recorded along the coastal shores more so from the rivers. Moreover, these effects have
indicated that there is variation in the amount of rainfall and thus, the current amount of water
recorded from the storm water is longer equivalent to the initial amount which the area used to
receive before. Although, the climate changes is a genuine concern but the major problem is that
the issue related to the low levels of water comes a result of lacking a proper channel and
mechanism of handling the existing flood waters in terms of the capturing and storage. In fact,
from the past analysis , it is clear and evidential that water is mainly capture at the upstream
sections in the iconic dams and this have tend to be a relied way over the centuries. Although, the
mechanism of relying waters in the upstream dams in Australia has captured various attention
and have been used decisively but still the overall amount of water which the country receives is
marked to be at lowest level with reference to the international standards (Smith 2011).
Levels of Waters Recorded in Reservoirs
Grant et al. (2013) indicated that Australian reservoirs have continued to record low level
of waters in terms of the overall stored water in the systems. Moreover, the ever increasing
rainfall amounts resulting from the climate change have continued to demarcate the inland
reservoirs unfit and reducing their viability. The study conducted by Grant et al. (2013) also