Marvel Engineers carried out engineering investigations to address immediate drainage impacts on the Redcliffe Golf Course, n a joint venture with Earth & Sea Consulting.
The goal was to develop practical drainage solutions that could be implemented immediately to:
- reduce the time the course is closed and improve playability of the course following storm events
- reduce inundation of championship holes on the course from rising sea levels, king tides and storm surges, increasing the course’s resilience to climate change impacts
- minimise redundant works and be compatible with the Master Plan vision of the golf course, increasing the longevity of the club for future generations.
Starting out
Investigations comprised:
- a desktop review of site information and historical data
- mapping of opportunities and constraints associated with the site
- options development
- preparation of indicative cost estimates.
The site’s key constraints included adjacent residential land use to the north and Ramsar Wetlands to the south (Moreton Bay Marine Park). The key challenge was to identify solutions that were practical and achievable for the golf club to implement in the short-term.
The detail
We undertook a detailed site visit to aid the collation of site and historic information. This information, together with photographs of areas of the course subject to frequent flooding and tide inundation, informed the development of a 3d representation of the golf course’s terrain.
Understanding the natural gradients and flow paths on the course allowed us to identify and develop options that avoided intrusive construction and optimised the natural features of the site.
Three outlets from the existing storm water drainage network north of the golf course contribute to the runoff through the site. A typical engineering solution to reduce the volume of surface runoff flowing through the course would have been to introduce a pit and pipe network to capture the storm water. However, the difference in height between the flows entering the golf course and discharging were not adequate to achieve appropriate self-cleaning velocities. Hence, our attention turned to enhancing the natural flow paths on the course.
The solution
Developing a range of nature-based solutions provided the golf club with practical options that could be implemented progressively, minimising impact to the operation of the golf club.
Focusing on solutions that used minimal materials helped achieve the project’s objectives. It also gave the golf club flexibility to stage works while maintaining playability.
The same fundamental principles of storm water management can be applied to any transport infrastructure projects Marvel Engineers delivers in the future.
Identifying ways to reduce construction materials and optimise natural site conditions can create additional value for road authorities.
Reach out to us for your civil design needs.
Read more about drainage in our article Understanding road drainage.