About

WRM knows that climate change is a genuine risk to communities, infrastructure and businesses and must be addressed through comprehensive risk assessment, mitigation and adaptation.

Our team has a deep understanding of the rapidly changing climate science and guidance. We can provide training and capacity building to help understand how rainfall and flooding might change in the future, prepare updated flood modelling and mapping to reflect new climate change guidance, and develop mitigation, adaptation and policy responses to support an evolving flood risk profile.

WRM has a strong track record of delivering high-quality technical studies for environmental impact assessment of energy, resources and infrastructure projects.

Our team works closely with the design team to ensure we deliver effective, integrated outcomes. We understand the key regulatory requirements and deliver comprehensive technical studies that address regulator and community interests in surface water, including drainage, erosion, hydrology, flooding, water balance and monitoring.

With our extensive experience and reputation for delivering quality work, WRM’s experts are regularly invited to peer review key projects and appear as expert witnesses.

Our peer review services add significant value to projects, instilling greater confidence in study approaches and outcomes. For legal cases, WRM’s expert witnesses all have a proven track record of providing independent and rigorous advice and comprehensive evidence.

Flood modelling is core business for WRM, and we are highly regarded for our expertise in developing hydrologic and hydraulic models from small urban environments to major river systems.

We understand the complexities of large catchment flood studies, the challenges of calibration and verification and practical application of industry standards. In addition to flood modelling, we offer complementary expertise in dam operations, dam break modelling and flood forecasting.

WRM’s principals have been delivering floodplain management studies across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory for several decades.

These studies range from flood modelling and mapping to risk assessment, flood damage estimation, mitigation, land use planning, emergency response and community consultation. Our experts have also contributed to a number of key state, territory and national floodplain management policy documents.

Our team of specialist water engineers are highly experienced in undertaking rigorous hydraulic analysis and design of structures.

Failure of hydraulic structures can result in significant cost and major damage to other infrastructure. WRM’s engineers routinely applies hydrologic and hydraulic modelling to analyse the performance of existing structures and design culverts, bridges, drains, spillways and drop structures that are cost-effective, hydraulically efficient and minimise failure risk.

WRM is Australia’s most experienced provider of hydrology advice to the insurance industry, from site assessments to regional event reports and assessment of flood risk.

We forensically assess the cause of flood damage and business interruption for residential, commercial and major infrastructure claims. Our extensive flood modelling expertise also enables us to undertake more detailed investigations for complex claims, AFCA and court appeals.

WRM are industry leaders in mine site water management across the life of mine from design to operation and rehabilitation.

Surface water management plans and environmental impact assessment are core business for WRM. Our technical specialists develop complex water balance models for approvals, feasibility and operations, as well as flood studies to manage risk to infrastructure. At closure phase, our engineers are instrumental in the assessment of final voids and development of rehabilitation plans.

Our experts routinely assess and characterise the geomorphology of creek and river systems in varying landscapes, and design bed and bank protection works and diversions.

Our design methodology is based on understanding the hydraulic and geomorphic characteristics and performance of natural systems to ensure that any engineered system mimics the natural environment to ensure long term function and sustainability.

Our expertise in erosion and sediment control plans extends from small development sites to complex mining operations, for both construction and operations.

This includes specification and concept design of best practice measures as well as custom-designed systems that are both effective and practical. Our approach focuses on robust drainage design and erosion control measures at the source to minimise downstream sediment controls.

WRM has a strong track record working with local government and developers on catchment planning studies and development approvals.

Our team of specialist water engineers develop hydrologic and hydraulic models and design infrastructure including open channels, trunk pipe systems, and flood detention basins. Our experts in water sensitive urban design have implemented infrastructure solutions for low and high-density urban development and contributed to industry guidelines and policy.

WRM’s experts work collaboratively with government authorities to help understand their flood risk profile and how to manage flood risk through evidence-based strategic planning.

We have proven experience translating technical flood risk information to inform land use planning decisions. Our team of specialists can prepare flood risk assessments to support scheme amendments, contribute to feasible alternatives assessments, draft engineering advice for planning scheme policies,  development control plans and other planning instruments, and undertake community vulnerability assessments. We also offer capacity building and training to ensure that planners make the most of engineering data.

Managing and protecting water quality is integral to many of our projects, from urban development to infrastructure and resources.

Our expertise ranges from design of stormwater quality management measures to the modelling and management of mine site pollutants. We interpret water quality data sets to characterise baseline conditions, identify impacts and design solutions. We have also assessed data for the establishment of water quality objectives within national and state regulatory frameworks.

Our catchment modelling expertise includes assessment of catchment yield to assess the reliability of water supply dependent on surface runoff.

We also have expertise in modelling supply and demand to identify storage requirements based on different levels of supply reliability. We have undertaken both local and basin-wide studies of rainfall-runoff behaviour, catchment yield, water demand and reservoir operations.