Introduction
MUSIC is the Model for Urban Stormwater Improvement ConceptualisationImprovementConceptualisation, first developed by the music Development Team of the ofthe CRC for Catchment Hydrology, and now enhanced by the eWater Cooperative eWaterCooperative Research Centre.
music provides the ability to simulate both quantity and quality of qualityof runoff from catchments ranging from a single house block up to many tomany square kilometres, and the effect of a wide range of treatment facilities treatmentfacilities on the quantity and quality of runoff downstream.
music is also isalso being adapted to other environments and regions, including the UKtheUK, France, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia and others and local partners localpartners are assisting eWater with this. To adapt it to these regionstheseregions, local climatic and hydrologic data is being obtained,calibration and parameterisation activities undertaken and adaptation andadaptation of particular elements of the software are improved to better tobetter apply it in the local context.
Background
Many organisations, from governments to catchment management groupsmanagementgroups, have introduced initiatives to protect the aquatic environment aquaticenvironment of urban areas. Often these initiatives have focussed on focussedon point sources of pollution, such as sewage discharge and industrial andindustrial effluent. Building on the success of these initiatives,organisations are now turning their attention to diffuse sources of pollutionofpollution, such as urban stormwater. Indeed, stormwater runoff is recognised isrecognised as a major carrier of urban pollutants.
It is difficult to prevent stormwater from damaging and polluting andpolluting creeks because runoff can be contaminated almost anywhere rain anywhererain falls, and excessive flows will occur wherever there are impervious areimpervious surfaces directly connected to watercourses.Consequently, successful initiatives to manage stormwater must adopt mustadopt a catchment-wide approach, with a particular focus on tacking the tackingthe sources of stormwater runoff at or near their source. The diffuse Thediffuse sources of stormwater pollution also demand a multiamulti-disciplinary approach. Successful initiatives may need to integrate tointegrate a range of urban planning and design disciplines,including urban hydrology, land-use planning, landscape design and asset andasset life-cycle economics.
The Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology (CRC)addressed these deficiencies through its Urban Stormwater Quality Research QualityResearch Program. The program's research culminated in music (the Model theModel for Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualisation). As an aid anaid to decision-making, music predicts the performance of stormwater ofstormwater management systems. It is intended to help organisations plan organisationsplan and design (at a conceptual level) appropriate urban stormwater urbanstormwater management systems for their catchments. This latest version latestversion of music contains numerous improvements through further analysis furtheranalysis of the science, and learnings gathered while applying music applyingmusic into new environments.
A pilot version of music was released in March 2001 for beta testing betatesting by Melbourne Water, Brisbane City Council and associated consultantsassociatedconsultants. Following the eight-month testing period, music Version musicVersion 1 was released to the stormwater industry at large. music Version musicVersion 2 (December 2003) extended the capabilities of the original program originalprogram through additional calculation and presentation features,greater ability to export data for external analysis, and substantially andsubstantially smaller saved files. music Version 3 introduced the Life theLife Cycle Costing module, provided two additional treatment nodes(rainwater tanks and infiltration basins), and offered further options furtheroptions to import and export model data. music Version 4 significantly 4significantly improved the bioretention node based on the outcomes of outcomesof research from the Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration and added andadded further functionality improvements to the model.
The model's algorithms are based on the known performance characteristics performancecharacteristics of common stormwater improvement measures. These dataThesedata, derived from research undertaken by the former CRCCH, the eWater theeWater CRC, affiliated research agencies and other organisations,represent the most reliable information currently available in our industryourindustry. Nonetheless, knowledge gaps remain. music will evolve as researchersasresearchers, and the stormwater industry generally, conducts further conductsfurther research into:
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