UNSW Water Research Laboratory

chemical in the water

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can be found almost everywhere and in almost everyone and can take over 1000 years to break down.  

Waves crashing

A new study from the UNSW Water Research Lab has shown that extreme weather events could help buffer beaches from the impact of sea-level rise – by bringing in new sand from deeper waters or from nearby beaches.

the aftermath of a severe storm damaging beachfront property

Deep sand movements stirred up by intense storms may offset some of the impacts of coastal erosion caused by sea level rise.

A person on a bike in a city with green spaces

Urban gardens, parks and green walls are crucial ways to tackle flash floods and city heat. But new global research finds its effectiveness varies from city to city.

Everlasting Swamp

Engineers at UNSW Water Research Laboratory are helping restore Everlasting Swamp, located in the North Coast of NSW.

Beach after storm

UNSW engineers are leveraging the popularity of Insta-famous sites to study severe weather events and improve coastal planning practices.

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The tube fishway allows fish to glide past dam walls, weirs and other river barriers, with the potential to revitalise Australia’s ailing freshwater fish stocks.

Coastal estuary

A multi-disciplinary team led by UNSW Sydney researchers is releasing the first large-scale summary of how our estuaries – and the 80 per cent of NSW residents living on them – will be impacted by climate change.

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Ian Turner is internationally regarded for his work on protecting our coastlines. Now, he sees supporting gender equity as his next important challenge.

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The wild storms that hammered Australia’s east coast in June demonstrated the frightening power of nature. But for a group of hardy UNSW engineers, the tempest was manna from heaven.