Hydrology and Hydrodynamics
Understanding the movement, distribution and quality of water, and how it can be impacted by natural and man-made interventions, and in turn how these impacts can further influence our lives, is crucial.
GHD's globally connected team of hydrology and hydrodynamics specialists use various analytical methods and scientific techniques to collect and analyse data to help solve water-related challenges, such as environmental preservation, natural disasters, and water management. We work with clients to understand project challenges and apply imaginative thinking to find cost-effective solutions that will have a lasting community benefit.
Climate change
Climate change is a complex risk to business and the community. Exceedingly technical science, inconsistent and varying regulations, uncertainties about the timing and scale of hazards, and expectations of the community and shareholders combine to make responding to climate change very challenging.
Climate change is expected to result in many environmental changes, including increasing intensity and frequency of storms, decreasing snow cover, earlier and more frequent snowmelt, changes in the hydrological regime and water cycle, increasing frequency and magnitude of floods and storm surges, sea level rise, coastal flooding and erosion, saltwater intrusion, range shifts in flora and fauna, ecosystem changes, and increasing risk of forest fires.
Climate change adaptation and mitigation is one of the most important issues facing governments and organisations today. New engineering solutions are required to minimize negative impacts of climate change and ensure public safety and sustainable economic growth. GHD offers climate change modelling, impact analysis, risk and vulnerability studies, and adaptation and mitigation services to provide our clients with proactive solutions to adapt to the changing climate. Our teams work with organisations to identify and understand both the strategic risk and opportunity presented by possible long-term global impacts.
We understand the importance of taking early action and positioning companies to manage and respond to potential future changes in climate. Our connected global network of engineers, scientists, risk professionals, planners, economists, and social strategists deliver comprehensive climate risk, and energy and greenhouse gas management services to enable efficient and sustainable business practices.
Our services include:
- Adaptation strategies and planning for resilient coastal communities
- Carbon solutions (footprinting, life cycle, capture, storage, farming)
- Climate change modeling
- Climate variability, risk assessment and management
- Consideration of emerging legislative frameworks
- Data monitoring and analysis
- Design storm/flood updating
- Energy efficiency, fuel switching and renewable energy
- Environmental impacts
- Greenhouse gas emission measurement, reduction, verification and reporting
- Infrastructure risk and vulnerability studies
- Insurance loss and risks
- Investor-reporting and new market evaluation
- Sustainable water reuse
- Urban flood management
Waterways and coastal
Surface water is both an opportunity and risk to many projects. Flooding affects more people globally than any other natural hazard, and causes significant damage to property and infrastructure. Climate change threatens to increase this risk.
Through understanding and quantifying the risk to people, infrastructure, or property, we can take appropriate steps to mitigate or adapt to the risk, avoiding major business disruption. Opportunities to manage surface water that are sensitive to the natural environment offer our clients a sustainable solution.
While understanding the opportunities and risks of surface water is important, GHD also delivers solutions to realise the opportunities and mitigate the risks. Our integrated approach involves:
- Understanding project objectives and challenges
- Combining local and global knowledge and experience
- Utilising leading commercial and in-house software, tools and processes
- Adding value through early involvement, and providing services through the life of a project
- Applying innovative solutions while implementing quality, safety and sustainability
With a depth of resources, we are able to offer teams of globally connected professionals with a broad range of skills, including:
- Hydrologic and watershed/catchment studies
- Water balance and/or yield studies
- Flow forecasting, flood warning systems, and/or evacuation planning
- Hydrologic and hydraulic numerical modelling
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
- Flood risk mapping and management
- Receiving water assimilative capacity and/or mixing studies
- Hydraulic structures design and optimisation (dams, levees, weirs)
- Dam failure studies and impact assessment
- Fluvial geomorphology, sediment transport, landform evolution
- River/stream/waterway monitoring and/or management
- Stormwater management and design
- Stormwater quality analysis and management, including WSUD/SuDS/LID/BMP
- Spill modelling, planning and response
- Erosion, scour and sediment control
- Water resource assessments, planning and management