About

WRM Water & Environment is an Australian employee-owned consultancy specialising in water resources. With a reputation for technical expertise and exceptional client service, WRM provides comprehensive advice across all fields of surface water.

A standing woman shows a folder to a man seated at a workstation

Established in Brisbane in 2003, WRM has grown to become one of Australia’s most highly respected specialist water management consultancies. Having worked on projects in the Northern Territory since its inception, WRM expanded its presence to Darwin in 2018, with both offices now seamlessly delivering water resource projects across all Australian states and territories.

Our reputation is built on the close involvement of principals in every project we undertake.

This hands-on approach has consistently proven to be effective in delivering projects to the highest standards, and has helped us to establish long-term partnerships with our clients.

WRM excels in finding practical, innovative and cost-effective solutions to water resource challenges for our clients across a wide range of sectors including government, infrastructure, resources, land development and legal.

Capabilities

At WRM, our team of specialist engineers offer comprehensive expertise across all areas of surface water engineering.

The application of industry-standard approaches is a key component of our work. However, we always look for opportunities for innovation and better ways to solve problems.

Our proven track record and long-standing client relationships are a testament to our ability to develop tailored solutions that effectively meet the requirements of each project.

Coastal studies

Our specialists have extensive experience in delivering coastal numerical modelling studies. We understand that coastal numerical modelling plays a pivotal role as a decision support tool for enhancing coastal adaptability and resilience.

WRM’s expertise encompasses a variety of areas, including coastal adaptability and vulnerability assessment, dredging and dredged material management strategies, investigation of sea processes and coastal erosion problems, impact assessments for port planning, baseline data collection studies, metocean design and extremal analysis, chemical fate modelling, sediment transport, shoreline changes, storm surge, as well as studies related to rivers, estuaries, and flooding.

Environmental impact assessment

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.

Expert witness and peer review

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

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.

Floodplain management

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.

Hydraulic analysis and design

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.

Insurance assessments

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.

Mine site water management

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.

River engineering and geomorphology

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.

Sediment and erosion control

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 roust drainage design and erosion control measures at the source to minimise downstream sediment controls.

Stormwater management

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.

Strategic planning advice

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.

Water quality management

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.

Water supply and catchment yield

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.

People

Leadership team

Greg Roads

Director

Dr David Newton

Director

Michael Batchelor

Director

Rhys Cullen

Director

Julian Orth

Director

Sharon Wallace

Chief Operating Officer

Cathie Barton

Senior Principal Engineer

Team

Amy Smith

Business Operations Manager

Andrés Riffo Luco

Project Engineer

Ardianto Notodirdjo

Principal Engineer

Carlos Simão

Senior Engineer

Carrie Dearnley

Principal Engineer

Daniel Sheehy

Senior Engineer

Denish Gautam

Project Engineer

Hayden Guse

Senior Engineer

Jean Ferox

Lead Project Engineer

Joshua Lokatili

Lead Project Engineer

Kah Ong

Lead Project Engineer

Lindsay Millard

Principal Engineer

Dr Lorena Suede Miranda

Project Engineer

Mahsa Talebi

Project Engineer

Mathew Martin

Lead Project Engineer

Matthew Buckley

Senior Engineer

Nikhil Pillai

Project Engineer

Patrick Stanley

Project Engineer

Phill Piper

NT Business Development Manager

Dr Priya Philip

Project Engineer

Ruebin Nguon

Lead Project Engineer

Dr Sharmil Markar

Senior Principal Engineer

Shelley Moen

Office Manager

Stephen Unsworth

Lead Project Engineer

Tarkan Pasin

Project Engineer

Todd Carlsson

Senior Engineer

Dr Trang Nguyen

Project Engineer

Zahra Ghayour

Project Engineer

Zhehao Yang

Project Engineer

Where we work

We partner with clients to deliver projects in every state and territory of Australia.