Engineered design Solutions

Having desiged engineering solutions to waterway erosion issues for almost two decades, we are one of the most experienced consultants in the country. We use sophisticated hydraulic modelling to design pile fields, rock armouring and other intervention techniques to mitigate bank instability and prevent further erosion in vulnerable areas. Our approach combines both scientific understanding and engineering expertise to deliver sustainable solutions.

We take a nature-based, systems-thinking approach to coastal engineering, focusing on solutions that work with natural processes rather than against them. Our team has extensive experience delivering projects from concept design through to detailed design of coastal protection measures such as dune stabilisation systems, beach nourishment, revetments and seawalls. We apply advanced numerical modelling to assess both short-term and long-term coastal impacts and shoreline change, allowing us to develop robust designs that work with the dynamic coastal conditions. By combining deep scientific knowledge with practical engineering expertise, we offer clients tailored, cost-effective, and nature-based focused solutions to complex coastal erosion and inundation challenges.

Our experience in the design of urban water systems includes assets that mitigate flooding (detention basins), treat stormwater (wetlands, passively irrigated street trees and bioretention) and convey flows (constructed waterways). We also naturalise ‘grey’ drainage corridors, reinstating blue and green landscapes with revitalised ecological and hydrologic function. Our engineers work collaboratively with our ecologists and landscape architects to develop assets that are integrated seamlessly into planned and existing urban communities, delivering a range of social and ecosystem benefits in addition to water management such as urban cooling, habitat and a place for people to connect with nature.

Our multidisciplinary engineering approach to constructed wetlands combines hydraulic, ecological, and geotechnical considerations to create sustainable systems to treat stormwater. Our designs include vegetation selection (native species that are effective at nutrient uptake), hydraulic design (ensuring proper water flow and residence time to allow for filtration and treatment), and substrate composition (designing soil and gravel layers to facilitate filtration and root growth). Well-designed inlet and outlet controls manage water distribution, prevent erosion, and ensure adequate flow through the system.

Alluvium has a 20-year history of repeated annual diversion monitoring, and was instrumental in writing the guidelines for monitoring diversions in Queensland. Alluvium has a unique skillset and a strong track record in the design and construction of reinstated waterways through backfilled voids. Our experienced engineers and scientists established the hydraulic criteria for stable waterway designs.

We work across Australia and internationally in the engineering design of fish passage structures, including all types of assets, from rock ramps to vertical slot fishways. We understand the need to design for both average and extreme conditions, ensuring structures are functional, durable and resilient. Core to our design work is strong collaboration with biologists, ecologists, regulatory agencies, First Nations/Indigenous groups, and community stakeholders. 

We take a holistic approach to gully erosion, and always determine the root causes and extent of erosion, such as water flow patterns, soil type and vegetation cover. Our solutions often involve stabilising the gully with a combination of physical and natural interventions. We always integrate long-term watershed management strategies, like improving drainage, to reduce future erosion risks and enhance the stability of the gully over time.

Instream water regulation structures, such as weirs, dams and diversion channels, play a crucial role in managing water resources by controlling flow rates, enhancing water quality and supporting aquatic habitats. We design instream structures to manage flow in channels and over floodplains to generate ecological outcomes while continuing to provide water for consumption.