Overview
In this unit, you will be introduced to the principles of hydraulics and hydrology and how to apply solutions to solve water engineering problems. This unit introduces the principles to solve water resources engineering problems on catchment hydrology and urban floodwater management. You will study governing concepts of probability, risk, and uncertainty applied to hydrology and hydraulics. You will also study rainfall patterns, river and reservoir routing, rapid and gradually varying flow in open channels, flood and stormwater control, and the design of hydraulic structures. To complete these tasks, you must use appropriate technical language, communicate professionally, and work in teams and individually.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: ENEC12010 Hydraulics & Hydrology
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE
Useful learning materials
This course is quite heavy, and students may have felt overwhelmed by its content, which must be delivered within the stipulated timeframe. Therefore, a reassessment of the course content should be recommended in the next session to enable students to better understand the subject.
Feedback from SUTE
Useful feedback
It was found that students requested feedback on a variety of topics, including lectures, tutorials, assessments, and tests. Therefore, providing more personalised feedback should be recommended in the next session.
- Apply skills in hydraulics and hydrology to water engineering design
- Conduct a hydrology assessment of a catchment
- Design urban stormwater management systems
- Prepare team reports for water engineering projects.
The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Introductory
Intermediate
Advanced
Refer to the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle site for further information on Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers and course-level mapping information
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 35% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 35% | ||||
| 3 - Online Test - 30% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
Water-Resources Engineering
- Third Edition (2013)
- Authors: David A. Chin
- Pearson Education Limited
- Harlow Harlow , Essex CM202 2JE , UK
- ISBN: ISBN-13: 978-0-273-78591-0
- Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- MUSIC software
- HECRAS software
- Access to a computer with administrator rights where different software can be installed (needs Windows operating system)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
u.bhattarai@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 13 Jul 2026Module/Topic
Probability, risk, and uncertainty in water resources engineering
- Introduction
- Probability distributions
- Frequency analysis
- Risks and uncertainty
- Introduction to Project 1
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 20 Jul 2026Module/Topic
Probability models and estimation of flood at gauged stations
- Flood frequency analysis
- Rating curves
- Regional flood frequency estimation
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Project 1: Flood Estimation and Water Sensitive Urban design Part A
Week 2 (Friday 09:00 AM)
Week 3
Begin Date: 27 Jul 2026Module/Topic
Runoff routing and design of detention basins
- Stormwater management principles
- Design of detention basins
- Hydrologic runoff routing
- Introduction to MUSIC modelling software
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 03 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Water-Sensitive Urban Design I
- Introduction to water sensitive urban design
- Urbanization and water quality
- Introduction to WSUD assets
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 10 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Water Sensitive Urban Design II
- WSUD assets continued
- WSUD modelling
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Project 1: Flood Estimation and Water Sensitive Urban design Part B
Week 5 (Friday 09:00 AM)
Week 6
Begin Date: 17 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Intensity Frequency Duration (IFD) for design rainfall depths
- Concept of design rainfall
- IFD and DDF curves, PMP
- ARR data
- ARF
- Introduction to Project 2
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 24 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Break and catch up
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 31 Aug 2026Module/Topic
Urban drainage I- Longitudinal drainage
- Design philosophy
- Minor / major approach
- Design steps
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Project 2: Drainage Design and Flood Modelling Part A
Week 7 (Friday 09:00 AM)
Week 8
Begin Date: 07 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Urban drainage II - Cross drainage
- Culvert design
- Design considerations
- Culvert operating conditions
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 14 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Rainfall losses and temporal patterns
- Rainfall losses
- Loss models
- ARR regional loss information
- Rainfall temporal patterns
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 21 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Rainfall to runoff modelling
- Rainfall-runoff representation
- Flow routing fundamentals
- R-R models
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 28 Sep 2026Module/Topic
Water futures
- Water demand
- Impact of urbanization on water resources
- Climate change impacts
- Adaptation to climate change
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 05 Oct 2026Module/Topic
Review and recap
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Project 2: Drainage Design and Flood Modelling Part B
Week 12 (Friday 09:00 AM)
Exam Week
Begin Date: 12 Oct 2026Module/Topic
Online Test
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Test
Exam Week
Vacation/Exam Week
Begin Date: 19 Oct 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Project 1: Stormwater Drainage Strategy
Duration: Weeks 1–5
Submission Milestones:
- Week 2 – Scope and preliminary progress [Letter to the council]-10% marks
- Week 5 – Final report submission-90% marks
In this project, you will develop a Stormwater Drainage Strategy report for a designated site, intended to support a development application to the local council. The objective is to evaluate the hydrologic and hydraulic impacts of urban development, particularly changes in water quality and quantity, and to propose appropriate mitigation strategies to address adverse post-development conditions.
This task will involve:
- The design of a detention basin tailored to the site’s hydrologic context
- Integration of Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) principles and practices in urban design
- An assessment of flood risk using deterministic and probabilistic approaches
AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) Level: AI Collaboration
You may use AI responsibly and ethically to assist with specific tasks such as in the planning phase and language/grammar check and refining your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI based content you use. Declare and reference any AI use. Use of AI is not permitted for carrying out the analysis or performing calculations in this assessment. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined ideas.
Part A Week 2 (Friday 09:00 AM) and Part B Week 5 (Friday 09:00 AM)
14 days after the submission
The assessment will be marked based on the followings:
1. Technical Accuracy & Application 40%; Must score ≥50% in this criterion to pass the project overall
2. Design Quality & Innovation 35%; Must score ≥50% in this criterion to pass the project overall
3. Structure, Communication & Clarity 15%; Only considered if Criteria 1 and 2 thresholds are satisfied
4. Engagement with Feedback and Reflection 10%; Only considered if Criteria 1 and 2 thresholds are satisfied
Scores in Criteria 3 and 4 are not awarded if the core technical work is deemed inadequate.
- Apply skills in hydraulics and hydrology to water engineering design
- Conduct a hydrology assessment of a catchment
- Prepare team reports for water engineering projects.
2 Written Assessment
Project 2: Drainage Design and Flood Modelling
Duration: Weeks 6–12
Submission Milestones:
- Week 7 – Scope and preliminary progress [Letter to the council] -10% marks
- Week 12 – Final report submission -90% marks
This project focuses on the hydrologic and hydraulic assessment of a proposed residential development in a coastal floodplain. Your objective is to evaluate flood behaviour under current and developed conditions and to design a drainage system that ensures the site remains flood-free during a 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) event.
The project will include:
- A hydrologic analysis of the catchment using procedures consistent with ARR2019
- The design of a site-specific drainage system including longitudinal drains and culvert
- Flood modelling in HEC-RAS including identification of flood-prone areas and flood risk assessment
AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) Level: AI Collaboration
You may use AI responsibly and ethically to assist with specific tasks such as in the planning phase and language/grammar check and refining your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI based content you use. Declare and reference any AI use. Use of AI is not permitted for carrying out the analysis or performing calculations in this assessment. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined ideas.
Part A Week 7 (Friday 09:00 AM) and Part B Week 12 (Friday 09:00 AM)
14 days after submission
The assessment will be marked based on the followings:
1. Technical Accuracy & Application 40%; Must score ≥50% in this criterion to pass the project overall
2. Design Quality & Innovation 35%; Must score ≥50% in this criterion to pass the project overall
3. Structure, Communication & Clarity 15%; Only considered if Criteria 1 and 2 thresholds are satisfied
4. Engagement with Feedback and Reflection 10%; Only considered if Criteria 1 and 2 thresholds are satisfied
Scores in Criteria 3 and 4 are not awarded if the core technical work is deemed inadequate.
- Design urban stormwater management systems
- Prepare team reports for water engineering projects.
3 Online Test
The test comprises content covered in the entire term. Some of the questions will be of numerical types which would require short calculations and some will be multiple choice types. The test will be time bound.
The test will be held during the Exam Week.
NO AI
You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
The exam will be of two hours duration and held during the Exam week. The exact date and time will be communicated within Week 11.
After the certification of grades.
Each response will be assessed as correct or incorrect.
- Apply skills in hydraulics and hydrology to water engineering design
- Conduct a hydrology assessment of a catchment
- Design urban stormwater management systems
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
