ENVS 1017 Macquarie University Scientific Report Template

ENVS1017/ENVS6202 The Living EnvironmentAssignment 1: Scientific report on the hydrology of urban streams and
benefits of restoration for downstream coastal environments
INSTRUCTION SHEET
Assignment information
Value: 30%
Length: Answer only in the spaces provided on the Scientific report template
Submission: Turnitin
Assignment submission process
You are required to submit this assignment to the online plagiarism software Turnitin. A Turnitin
submission link will be provided on the iLearn page. You may submit your assignment more than
once to Turnitin up until the due date and time, at which point the last uploaded version will be
accepted and locked.
Assignments submitted after the due date and time are marked as late by Turnitin and you will receive a
late penalty (10% of the assignment marks per day including weekends) unless you have applied for
special consideration and an extension has been granted through ask.mq.edu.au due to unavoidable
circumstances. Only the submission you make to Turnitin will be marked and you will be provided with
online feedback.
Assignment marking criteria
The marking sheet and rubric for this assignment is located on the ENVS1017/ENVS6202 iLearn
page. You will receive online feedback for this assignment.
You will be marked on all aspects of the scientific report (using the template provided) with
particular emphasis on the results and discussion sections. Your citation and referencing style will
also be marked.
Assignment overview
In Practicals 2 and 3 (Module 1) you undertook a surveying exercise across an urban stream on
the university campus. You processed this data and used velocity and discharge equations to
analyse and quantify the flow characteristics for that channel. In Practical 4 (Module 2) you
developed an understanding of water quality parameters that are important for all aquatic
environments. You will be using the skills learnt in these practicals and knowledge from relevant
lectures in this assignment. You will apply your analytical and interpretation skills to address key
questions regarding flood hydrology in an urban catchment and the potential downstream
impacts and/or benefits at the coast. You will also be required to incorporate scientific literature
into your assignment in addition to the compulsory readings. This means you will use skills you
learnt in Practical 1 (scientific writing) to research the assignment topic.
In this assignment you will:
1) Use the data provided below under ‘Assignment data to use’ to undertake calculations of flow
velocity and discharge for the channel cross-section provided, using three different roughness
(Manning’s n) coefficients.
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2) Research the scientific literature using your library database skills to investigate urban stream
restoration approaches and their effects on stream flow and storm flow (hydrology). Also
research the role of flooding in urbanized coastal catchments, for example, the effects of
turbidity, nutrients and pollutants coming from urban catchments into estuaries and lagoons
at the coast. At least 10 scientific references should be used in your assignment including the
compulsory readings, Chin et al. (2013) and Birch et al. (2015) (see below).
3) Write your scientific report in the template provided. Only the work in the template will be
marked. Any additional text, workings or figures that appear on other pages will not be
marked.
Assignment template (scientific report template)
Your assignment must be completed in the scientific report template provided. The template is available
on iLearn as a downloadable Word document. The template has been set out in boxes that follow the
structure of a scientific report (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References). The
methods section has been completed for you. You do not need to write anything additional for the
methods section. Please fill in all other sections of the scientific report. Some instructions and hints are
provided for each section. An approximate word limit is also provided for each box. You must keep your
answers to the space provided. Anything printed or written outside these boxes will not be read or
marked. Please do not change the font size or formatting of the template document.
Assignment data to use
NOTE: Transfer the answers to the results section of the scientific report template where the graph and
tables have been reproduced for your use. Make sure you use the data provided here, NOT the data
collected in the practical class.
Figure 1 shows a cross section of an urban stream in a coastal catchment near Sydney. You will
use this cross section to calculate flow velocity and discharge for a range of different roughness
(Manning’s n) scenarios. Remember the velocity and discharge equations:
Flow velocity equation
V = [(D2/3) x (S1/2) ÷ n], where
V = mean channel velocity (m/s)
D = flow depth (m)
S = water surface slope (m/m; often approximated by the slope of the bed)
n = Manning’s roughness coefficient
Discharge equation
Q = V x A, where
Q = discharge (m3/s)
V = velocity (m/s)
A = cross-sectional area (m2)
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Figure 1 Cross section across urban stream at Macquarie University
10.5
floodplain
floodplain
channel
10.0
Height (m)
9.5
9.0
8.5
8.0
7.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Distance (m)
Figure 1 Cross-section across an urban stream in a coastal catchment near Sydney.
Using this channel cross-section, complete Table 1. Channel slope has been provided for you.
Transfer these answers to the results section of your scientific report where this table has
been reproduced.
Table 1 Hydrology of an urban stream in a coastal catchment near Sydney.
Channel slope (m/m)
0.006
Bankfull channel depth (m)
Bankfull channel width (m)
Bankfull channel cross-sectional area (m2)
Three different Manning’s n roughness parameters are provided in Table 2. Use these to
calculate the bankfull flow velocity and discharge for scenarios 1, 2, and 3. Transfer these
answers to the results section of your scientific report where this table has been reproduced.
Table 2 Roughness scenarios, flow velocity and discharge characteristics of an urban
stream in a coastal catchment near Sydney.
Manning’s n roughness for scenario 1 (smooth stormwater pipe)
0.009
Manning’s n roughness for scenario 2 (moderate in-channel
0.05
vegetation)
Manning’s n roughness for scenario 3 (woody debris and dense
0.2
in-channel vegetation)
Bankfull flow velocity for scenario 1
Bankfull flow velocity for scenario 2
Bankfull flow velocity for scenario 3
Bankfull discharge for scenario 1
Bankfull discharge for scenario 2
Bankfull discharge for scenario 3
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Assignment questions
Question 1) As part of the introduction – What are the characteristics of stream flow (hydrology)
and water quality (e.g. turbidity, nutrients, pollutants) in urban environments?
Question 2) As part of the results – Using the results of your calculations, how does changing
roughness affect the hydrology of an urban stream?
Question 3) As part of the discussion – Assume that the aim of urban stream restoration is to
reduce flow velocity to minimise sediment erosion and improve water quality and physical
structure (i.e. geomorphology). What types of restoration/rehabilitation can be undertaken to
achieve these aims? [Hint: read Chin et al. (2013) and take a walk around campus for examples
(Mars Creek behind Y3A, University Creek between Research Park Drive and Innovation Rd)].
Question 4) As part of the discussion – Could urban stream restoration alone significantly
improve water quality and the downstream impacts from urbananised coastal catchments?
Some initial ideas for references
You should use references that are directly related to the topic. Remember: Google and Wikipedia
are NOT OK – you must use scientific sources of information (e.g. journal articles) or reputable
web sources (e.g. government agencies and industry). Use the skills you learnt in Practical 1.
You are expected to reference more than those mentioned below. At least 10 scientific
references should be used in your assignment including the compulsory readings, Chin et al.
(2013) and Birch et al. (2015).
Compulsory reading (attached to ENVS1017/ENVS6202 iLearn site):
Chin, A., O’Dowd. A.P. and Gregory, K.J. 2013. Urbanization and river channels. In Schroder, L. and
Wohl, E., (Eds.). Treatise on Geomorphology. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. vol. 9 Fluvial
Geomorphology, pp. 809-827.
Birch, G.F., Lean, J. and Gunns, T. 2015. Historic change in catchment land use and metal loading
to Sydney estuary, Australia (1788–2010). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187:594.
Other references to start with (you need to find these, and others, yourself):
Bernhardt, E.S. and Palmer, M.A. 2007. Restoring streams in an urbanized world. Freshwater
Biology, 52, 738-751.
Birch, G.F. and McCready, S. 2009. Catchment condition as a major control on the quality of
receiving basin sediments (Sydney Harbour, Australia). Science of the Total Environment, 407,
2820-2835.
Blacktown City Council. 2013. Developer handbook for water sensitive urban design. Available
online: https://www.sydneycoastalcouncils.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2018/09/v11_DEVELOPER_HANDBOOK_FOR_WSUD-1-1.pdf
Ladson, A. 2004. Optimising Urban Stream Rehabilitation and Execution. Technical Report 04/7.
Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 43pp.
Rutherfurd, I.D., Jerie, K. and Marsh, N. 2000. A Rehabilitation Manual for Australian Streams,
Volumes 1 and 2. Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology, and the Land and
Water Resources Research and Development Corporation, Canberra. Available at
https://arrc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/A-Rehabilitation-Manual-for-AustralianStreams-Vol1.pdf
https://www.engr.colostate.edu/~bbledsoe/CIVE413/Rehabilitation_Manual_for_Australian_S
treams_vol2.pdf
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ENVS1017/ENVS6202 Assignment 1 – Scientific Report Template
(Submit this document to TurnItIn)
Name:
Reminder: Do not change the font size or
formatting of this document in any way, just
type your answers in the spaces provided.
This is the only document that will be marked.
Student Number:
Introduction (approx. 200 words)
• Short literature review on the topic, using an appropriate referencing style.
• You will need to define terms such as urban hydrology. Answer assignment Question 1
as part of the introduction.
• State the aims of the assignment.
Write your text here:
The effect of urbanization has resulted
As the low lying areas of the landscape become more and more developed, streams and
rivers become particularly vulnerable and deeply affected by the changes in urbanization and suburb
anization of catchments.
Methods (approx. 200 words)
• This has been completed for you. You do not need to write or add anything to this section.
• Methods sections set out how the experiments and research were conducted.
1
In the field we surveyed a channel cross-section perpendicular to the channel. Slope was
surveyed longitudinally along the top of the bank. We used an automatic level and staff for
these surveys. Levels were recorded to millimetre accuracy and our calculations checked
in the field. Slope was originally calculated using the rise over run method.
In the laboratory we calculated bankfull discharge for a range of different Manning’s n
roughness coefficients ranging from 0.009 to 0.2. These Manning’s n coefficients were
provided for us, but were originally derived using the component method.
We used the discharge equation as follows:
Q = V x A, where
Q = discharge (m3/s)
V = velocity (m/s)
A = cross-sectional area (m2)
Bankfull flow velocity was calculated using the following equation:
V = [(D2/3) x (S1/2) ÷ n], where
V = mean channel velocity (m/s)
D = flow depth (m)
S = water surface slope (m/m; often approximated by the slope of the bed)
n = Manning’s roughness coefficient
Cross-sectional area (A), bankfull channel depth and bankfull channel width were all
calculated from our processed cross-section.
Results (approx. 250 words)
• This is where you transfer the answers to the calculations you completed in the section
‘Assignment data to use’ of the assignment instructions onto Figure 1, and into Tables 1
and 2.
• Answer assignment Question 2 in the text box. You need to describe, in the text box, the
values you have calculated and any trends you see in the data. You need to cite your
tables and figures when describing the results.
• If you wish supplement your results with additional figures or graphs, you can. An
additional box for these is provided. The good use of figures in the results sections of
scientific reports is often critical. Be imaginative! If you choose to include additional
figures or graphs make sure you add figure numbers and titles to them. However, you
should never put a figure or table into a report and then provide no description of what
they show in the text.
2
Figure 1 Cross section across urban stream at Macquarie University
10.5
floodplain
floodplain
channel
10.0
Height (m)
9.5
9.0
8.5
8.0
7.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Distance (m)
Figure 1 Cross-section across an urban stream in a coastal catchment near Sydney.
Table 1 Hydrology of an urban stream in a coastal catchment near Sydney.
Channel slope (m/m)
0.006
Bankfull channel depth (m)
Bankfull channel width (m)
Bankfull channel cross-sectional area (m2)
Table 2 Roughness scenarios, flow velocity and discharge characteristics of an urban
stream in a coastal catchment near Sydney.
Manning’s n roughness for scenario 1 (smooth stormwater pipe)
0.009
Manning’s n roughness for scenario 2 (moderate in-channel
0.05
vegetation)
Manning’s n roughness for scenario 3 (woody debris and dense in0.2
channel vegetation)
Bankfull flow velocity for scenario 1
Bankfull flow velocity for scenario 2
Bankfull flow velocity for scenario 3
Bankfull discharge for scenario 1
Bankfull discharge for scenario 2
Bankfull discharge for scenario 3
3
Write your text here:
Box to paste additional figures, if needed. Other than captions on your figures, do not add text to
this box – it will not be marked.
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Discussion (approx. 500 words)
• This is where you interpret the data and answer assignment Questions 3 and 4. This
should be a coherent body of text with a well argued and researched case (i.e. no dot
points).
• You may choose to use subheadings to define each question/section – this is fine.
• To do this section well you will need to relate your answers to the literature and use an
appropriate citation and referencing style.
Write your text here:
5
Conclusion (approx. 100 words)
• One paragraph summary of findings.
Write your text here:
Reference list (no set length)
• Set out in Harvard referencing style.
• At least 10 scientific references should be used in your assignment, including Chin et al.
(2013) and Birch et al. (2015).
Write your text here:
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