WaterCress (Water - Community Resource Evaluation and Simulation System) is a PC based water balance model for designing and testing trial layouts of water systems which can access multiple sources of water, including those generally regarded as being less conventional.
The model is designed to meet the problems of exploring alternative systems layouts at the feasibility stages.
WaterCress is particularly useful in designing water systems for:
Situations where the designer wishes to explore a range of system layouts in which the economic value of many system benefits are hard to quantify. In such cases `trial and error’ design approaches are far superior to approaches involving mathematical optimisation.
Where more complex optimisation is required, the model due to its simple file input and output, can be readily incorporated into external optimisation routines.
such work is currently underway at Adelaide University and University of SA.
Sub-divisions, where alternatives to connection to existing water supply mains and sewers may be costly and/or opportunities are sought to utilise drainage water for amenity enhancement or supply
Small isolated communities in drier areas
Design situations where environmental impacts must be minimised.
Certain model developers of recently developed models suggest that theirs are the only ones capable of handling the entire water cycle.
WaterCress has been modelling the entire watercycle since its inception in 1995.
The program is used in the South Australian Government by the Department for Water to aid the development of water allocation plans throughout the State.
Water resources, flood modelling, roof rainwater, urban stormwater, rural runoff and sewage effluent are all incorporated in both drainage and water supply (re-use) cycles.
A range of farm dam options including control of diversion capacity allow planners to develop water allocation plans, farmers to model their own water supply capacity and home owners to plan their self sufficiency using rain water tanks.
WaterCress is easy to set up and operate.
A full manual is available on line.
Layouts can be rapidly modified.
WaterCress does not require a high powered computer to run.
Developments include an operational model capability allowing real time control of water transfer. Linking the model with hydrological databases provides the capacity to run real time resouce and flood assessment.
A new front end "WaterClerk" provides the user real time comparisons of recorded and modelled flow, and allows the user to model structure releases with an aim to optimise the resource interception.
All this and the model is free.