Using E2 to model the impacts of bushfires on water quality in South-Eastern Australia

Abstract

Approximately 1.3 million ha of forested and agricultural land in eastern Victoria, Australia, was burnt by bushfires in early 2003. The impact of these fires on the water quality in rivers and storages has the potential to be significant. This paper describes a modelling process to assess the impacts of the fires on water quality of receiving waters and river systems in the fire-affected catchments. More specifically, this study set out to; 1. Construct and parameterise models using the E2 catchment modelling framework to represent the flow, and sediment and nutrient loads for the water storages and river systems in fire-affected catchments in eastern Victoria. 2. Assess the likely impacts ..