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