Projects

Dunsborough Lakes Residential Development

RPS’ team of environmental scientists have been supporting Western Australia’s Dunsborough Lakes residential redevelopment since 2013 by developing acid sulfate soils and dewatering management plans, and providing environmental construction supervision.

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Challenge

Dunsborough Lakes is a premier land estate in Quindalup, Western Australia, located on the coastal lowland adjacent to the popular Geographe Bay.

Before redevelopment of the site, seasonal wet weather would create waterlogged and flood inundated areas on the site, and, in turn, acid sulfate soils would form. These naturally occurring soils are typically found in under waterlogged, iron and sulfate-rich conditions, and remain stable under anaerobic conditions. However, exposure to air can lead to their oxidation, with the result being the formation of sulfuric acid and the release of iron, aluminium and other heavy metals and nutrients from soils into surface water bodies and groundwater.

Monitoring and managing areas with acid sulfate soils is an important and ongoing step in preventing significant environmental harm to the Dunsborough Lakes development.

Solution

Recognising the potential environmental risks associated with actual acid sulfate soils and potential acid sulfate soils, property developer Urban Quarter engaged our team to undertake an acid sulfate soils and dewatering management plan.

Concentrating on high-risk areas (the proposed sewer alignments and drainage infrastructure) our contaminated land and water specialists delivered a comprehensive management plan. The plan included soils and groundwater quality baseline data and outlined soil and dewatering management programs to be adopted during the excavation and dewatering of soils stages of the development.

Outcomes

Positive results from the environmental monitoring our specialists undertook during the construction phase showed that no substantive impacts were caused to the surrounding natural environment throughout the onsite works.

As the development progressed, we supported our client with supervision for the treatment of acid sulfate soils, the extraction of groundwater, and associated environmental monitoring during the construction and installation of the infrastructure.

Dunsborough Lakes is a growing residential estate and we continue to support the development providing ongoing advice for environmental monitoring and approvals.