Frances Charters

Senior LecturerFrances Charters

Civil and Natural Resources Engineering E307
Internal Phone: 94632

Qualifications & Memberships

Research Interests

My research interests are currently focussed on stormwater applications, but are interdisciplinary. They include:
Water quality monitoring and analysis (chemical/physical properties)
Pollutant load modelling
Ecological treatment systems for improving water quality
Low impact/multi-value community infrastructure
Incorporating co-benefits in engineering design of blue-green infrastructure

I welcome contact about new research ideas, including the following new projects:

1. Development of novel instream treatment filters for treating stormwater pollutants in ephemeral channels
2. Post-construction hydraulic and water quality performance of stormwater ponds
3. Use of real time controls (RTC) to optimise treatment performance in stormwater ponds
4. Post-construction infiltration and media changes in bioretention (raingardens)
5. The contribution of vegetation in bioretention (raingardens) to climate change mitigation, adaptation and stormwater management
6. Optimal stormwater pond bathymetry for low rainfall climates
7. Development of a model for predicting nutrient pollutant loads from urban permeable surfaces

Recent Publications

  • Charters F., O'Sullivan AD. and Cochrane T. (2022) Influences of zinc loads in urban catchment runoff: roof type, land use type, climate and management strategies. Journal of Environmental Management http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116076.
  • Nguyen TT., Pahlow M., Benavidez R., Charters FJ. and Jackson B. (2022) Implementation and application of an urban pollutant load modelling tool within an ecosystem services assessment modelling framework to assess water purification capabilities of blue-green infrastructure under climate change. Urban Water Journal 19(9): 945-961. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2022.2105724.
  • Charters F., Gregoire Carai N. and Cochrane T. (2021) Performance of downpipe treatment system for removal of dissolved metals from roof runoff. Environmental Technology and Innovation 22: 101472-101472. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2021.101472.
  • Charters FJ., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2021) The influence of urban surface type and characteristics on runoff water quality. Science of The Total Environment 755: 142470-142478. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142470.
  • Charters F., Cochrane T. and O'Sullivan A. (2020) Predicting Event-Based Sediment and Heavy Metal Loads in Untreated Urban Runoff from Impermeable Surfaces. Water 12(4) http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w12040969.