Catchment to Coast & Coastal Modelling Workshop

1. Catchment to Coast & Coastal Modelling Workshop November 3-4, 2008 Summary

2. Motivation • Failure to connect catchment to receiving water research in CSIRO • Some good CMAR-CLW collaboration in receiving water modelling • But increasing diversification in modelling approaches • MSE Requirements for fast coupled models

3. Agenda • CMAR & CLW Program Perspectives • Overview of some models • EMS • In Vitro-Atlantis • CLW Catchment models • MSE Requirements • Design principles and challenges: • Process representation • Integration • Implementation & computation • Strategic Research Priorities • Future Opportunities

4. Key Conclusions • Advances in computing power, observing technologies and model-data fusion allow the cost-effective generation of models and model products with improved resolution, accuracy and coverage. • vs continuing demand from clients for simple desktop tools which address a wide range of management objectives, performance measures and options. • There is a need for strategic alignment between CSIRO modelling groups: a common strategy to drive overall science in the C2C domain and improved communication between groups. • Multiple models, covering parts of the system to be modelled, are needed to answer management questions. Identify gaps in the CSIRO model toolbox and fill them by improving existing models and/or developing new ones.

5. Strategic Research Priorities • Models to deal with multiple scales • Dynamically linking multiple models • Data assimilation, model-data fusion and error/uncertainty analysis • Hybrid models? • Visualisation & GUIs

6. Recommendations • Leo Dutra to undertake an audit across relevant CSIRO divisions to determine what C2C models exist and how they have been or are being used. • Mark Gibbs to explore funding opportunities for a workshop to develop the vision and the strategy of the community-of-practice modelling group and to develop a “demonstration” whole of system C2C project. • All participants to decide within the next week whether or not the C2C community-of-practice requires a leader/coordinator and, if so, who should this be. • Leo Dutra can be responsible for facilitating the communication between catchment and coastal issues.

7. Recommendations (2) • Apply for OCE post-docs jointly supported (close in January); get Flagship and broader support. • Apply for “Office of the Chief” development fund to support joint proposals and “acting together”. Fund can also be used for regular meetings of the community-of-practice to map out strategy and support federal business development plans. • Program Leaders in CLW and CMAR propose to WfO and WfHC that they consider organising a joint workshop in order to develop a common strategy and to develop an integrated portfolio approach for coastal systems (volunteers are required to move it forward). Use the workshop to more effectively target collaborative funding opportunities (CLW+CMAR). • Propose to WfO and WfHC that they consider forming a joint steering committee to more effectively plan and oversee the joint C2C project portfolio.