Our future in living with Water – Making collective decisions supported by tools, visualisation and serious games

The way in which we can plan and test ways on how we can best live, work and play with water is a collaborative exercise (no one person or entity has such a universal power!!) – often it is about explaining water supply options, building on others flood risk experiences and ensuring that collectively we find a solution pathway that works for stakeholders. Often those stakeholders are other professional colleagues – though more and more other interest groups, informed community members and eventually decision makers also need to appreciate the complexity that is being solved.

Setting the Scene and Context

This June 2017 workshops builds off a previous exploration of the Smarty Scanner during a Water Summit convened in November 2016 with a mix of visiting Dutch and Queensland professionals to share experiences and insights on resilient urban deltas and floodplains.

The workshop was compliments of the combined efforts from Simone De Kleermaeker – Regional coordination Oceania, Delatres and Brian Jackson – Senior Principal Engineer WaterTechnology. Initially an overview of the various tools that can be used in stakeholder engagement and consultation were provided – and here is Simone’s initial presentation along with discussion and comment from workshop participants such as:

adaption planning and its infancy status in Australia
challenge for Brisbane River Flood Management strategy to best explain the role and effectiveness of different adaptation and flood brisk measures
engagement purpose can vary between wanting to have a specific solution to wanting to explore the unknown knows or just wanting to better understand what collective opportunities are on offer

Workshops and Links to the Tools

The 40 participants divided into 2 groups where the focus was:

Experiencing the Sustainable Delta game – where 3 teams took on various role playing responsibilities to explore the Te Ara River: A floodplain river section similar to those found in New Zealand where key long term issues confronted include flooding, agricultural drought and nature – and here is Simone’s presentation to the group.
Utilising the Smart Scanner to simulate flash flooding impacts in West End and how differing responsibilities will influence what is a priority for an entity – yet a full solution mix requires an appreciation – and here is Brian’s presentation to the group

In support of these engagement activity a suite of innovative tools are also available to assist in the decision making, concept framing and data-information provision

Online Water Control Room – that can connect you to a suite a rainfall data sets, visualisations, alerts and reports that can be purpose designed for a user
Library of adaptation measures and solutions – described as part of an adaptation support framework
Visualisation framework on “Critical Infrastructures: Relations and Consequences for Life and Environment” – CIRCLE tool to depict the interactive and sequential affects that a hazardous event – like a flood – can have on utility and services
Steps that can move a plan and implementation program through an adaptation pathway

Team resilient – two convenors who ensured the day went ahead – left Simone De Kleermaeker – fractured arm and right Piet Filet – fractured ankle – and both healing well!!

A summary of all the tools and follow up contacts for Simone and Brian if you have queries and/or would like to explore the use of the tools

Brian Jackson on the right leads his group through the Smart Scanner