​The next UCD lunchtime seminar (Tuesday 19 February) will be presented by Professor Jacky Croke (Head of UCD School of Geography) on "Extreme flood events, catchment denudation rates and sediment delivery: Examples from Australia."

Abstract: 

As news of yet another extreme flood event in Townsville, Queensland filters through the international press, this talk takes a look at the role of extreme flood events in modifying the landscape of Australia's coastal catchments. Specifically, this talk addresses how recent advances in high resolution topography (repeat LiDar) and dating (single-grain Optically Stimulated Luminescence) can significantly improve our ability to better plan and manage for these sorts of 'extremes'. It also looks at the very real benefit of including past extreme events (from a range of timescales) into the Flood Frequency Analysis and therefore in the planning and design of Australia's major water storages. As flood plumes from the extreme events now extend into the sensitive marine ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef, the talk also looks at how Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides (TCNs) can provide some indication of catchments with a naturally high long-term erosion rate. This may allow for better planning and policy guidelines of appropriate land uses.

The presentation will begin at 1pm in room G01 of the School of Earth Sciences.

All are welcome to attend.