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Ms Frances Charters

Contact

Department: Civil and Natural Resources Engineering

Email: frances.charters@canterbury.ac.nz

Direct Dial: +64 3 3694632

Office: Civil and Natural Resources Engineering E307

Language: English

About
Research / Creative works
Supervision
Networks
Projects
Methods & Equipment

Fields of Research

  • Stormwater treatment and blue-green infrastructure
  • Water quality characterisation (stormwater, urban waterways)
  • Pollutant modelling

Researcher Summary

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

Subject Area: Disciplines

  • Engineering and Technology: Design; Hydrological and Ecological Engineering; Modelling; Resource/Environment Engineering

Prizes and Awards

  • 9Wire Environmental Innovation Programme ( 2019 - 2020)
  • National Stormwater Innovation Award ( 2019 - present )
  • Stormwater Superhero Award ( 2019 - present )
  • UC Sustainability Award ( 2019 - present )

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles
  • Charters F., O'Sullivan A. 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.
  • 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.
  • Chakravarthy K., Charters F. and Cochrane T. (2019) The impact of urbanisation on New Zealand freshwater quality. Policy Quarterly 15(3): 17-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.26686/pq.v15i3.5683.
  • Charters F., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2017) Characterising urban zinc generation to identify surface pollutant hotspots in a low intensity rainfall climate. Water Science and Technology 76(6) WST-EM161777R1: 1370-1377. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2017.306.
  • Charters FJ., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2016) Untreated runoff quality from roof and road surfaces in a low intensity rainfall climate. Science of the Total Environment 550: 265-272. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.01.093.
  • Fraga I., Charters FJ., O'Sullivan AD. and Cochrane TA. (2016) A novel modelling framework to prioritize estimation of non-point source pollution parameters for quantifying pollutant origin and discharge in urban catchments. Journal of Environmental Management 167: 75-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.11.003.
  • Charters FJ., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2015) Particle Size Distribution Variance in Untreated Urban Runoff and its Implication on Treatment Selection. Water Research 85: 337-345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.08.029.
Conference Contributions - Published
  • Bilek F., Cochrane T., Charters F., O'Sullivan A. and Hannah M. (2021) Variation in performance of media based stormwater treatment systems. In In: Proceedings of the 2021 Stormwater Conference, Water New Zealand, Tauranga, New Zealand.
  • Silveira F., Cochrane T., Bello Mendoza R. and Charters F. (2021) Influence of groundwater condition on nutrient dynamics in urban waterways. In Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Urban Drainage.
  • Silveira F., Cochrane T., Charters F. and Bello Mendoza R. (2021) The influence of groundwater conditions on nutrient dynamics in waterways. In Proceedings of Stormwater 2021.
  • Charters F., Cochrane T., Hall G. and Dele U. (2020) Characterising untreated stormwater quality to guide stormwater management planning: A Timaru case study. In Proceedings of the 2020 Stormwater Conference, Water New Zealand, Tauranga, New Zealand, 26-28 August 2020..
  • O'Sullivan A., Hansen S., Maranan J., Cochrane T. and Charters F. (2020) The Storminator™ - A Retrofittable, sustainable, stormwater solution for treating metal roof runoff. In Proceedings of the 2020 Stormwater Conference, Water New Zealand, Tauranga, New Zealand, August 26-28, 2020..
  • Bilek F., Cochrane T., Charters F., O'Sullivan A. and Hannah M. (2019) Characterising load, treatment and monitoring as sources of variability in stormwater treatment devices. In Proceedings of the 2019 Stormwater Conference, New Zealand Water Association, Auckland, New Zealand, May 1-3, 2019.
  • Chakravarthy K., Kumar H., Watters J., Stevenson M., Charters F. and Cochrane T. (2019) Identification, prioritization and mitigation - A three step process for stormwater quality management. In : 10.
  • O'Sullivan A., Cochrane T. and Charters F. (2019) The Storminator™ - a retrofit and sustainable stormwater treatment solution. In Proceedings of the 2019 Stormwater Conference, Water New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand, 1-3 May 2019..
  • Charters F., O'Sullivan AD. and Cochrane T. (2017) Inline pond treatment performance and longitudinal instream monitoring in a stormwater-affected urban waterway. In http://stormwaterconference.org.nz/: 11. Water New Zealand.
  • Charters FJ., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2016) Characterising urban zinc generation to identify surface pollutant hotspots in a low intensity rainfall climate. In.
  • Charters FJ., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2016) Predicting event-based stormwater contaminant loads from individual urban surfaces. In Proceedings of the 2016 Stormwater Conference, Water New Zealand, Nelson, New Zealand, 18-20 May 2016..
  • Charters F., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan A. (2014) Modelling stormwater management options for enhancing water quality of urban streams. In Proceedings: 10pp.
  • Charters F., O'Sullivan A. and Cochrane T. (2014) Modelling Stormwater Contaminant Loads in Older Urban Catchments: Effects of Climate Influences on Selecting Management Options. In Proceedings: 10pp.
Conference Contributions - Other
  • Charters F. (2022) Healthy Urban Waterways through Innovative Stormwater Technology. Christchurch: IPWEA 2022 Sustainability through Reform, 3-5 Oct 2022.
  • Bilek F., Cochrane T., Charters F., O'Sullivan A. and Hannah M. (2021) Sources of Efficiency Variability Within Mussel-Shell Media Based Stormwater Treatment Systems. Melbourne, Australia: 15th International Conference on Urban Drainage, 1 Oct 2021.
  • Charters F. (2021) Untreated runoff quality: a comparative study across catchments and impermeable surface types. Melbourne, Australia: International Conference on Urban Drainage 2021, 6-10 Sep 2021.
  • Bilek F., Cochrane T., Charters F., O'Sullivan A. and Hannah M. (2020) Treatment performance variability in two at-source stormwater treatment systems. Christchurch, New Zealand: 2020 Waterways Postgraduate Conference, 11 Nov 2020.
  • Skews R., Webster-Brown J., Charters F., Cochrane T. and O'Sullivan A. (2020) Get them outta here! How dissolved Cu and Zn are filtered out of stormwater by waste seashells. University of Canterbury: 2020 Waterways Postgraduate Conference, 11 Nov 2020.
  • Skews R., Webster-Brown J., Charters F., Cochrane T. and O'Sullivan A. (2019) What’s the attraction? The hold a mussel shell can have over a heavy metal. Christchurch, New Zealand: 2019 Canterbury Postgraduate Waterways Conference, 19 Nov 2019.
  • Charters F., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2017) Temporal Variations in Surface-Specific Stormwater Pollutant Loads. Prague, Czech Republic: 4th IWA/IAHR Congress on Urban Drainage, 10-15 Sep 2017.
  • Charters F., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan A. (2016) Modelling Sediment and Heavy Metals Loads in Stormwater from Different Impermeable Urban Surfaces. Wellington, New Zealand: WaterNZ Modelling Symposium, 16-17 Mar 2016.
  • Cochrane TA., Charters FJ. and O'Sullivan AD. (2015) Characterizing urban runoff particle size distributions and the implications for stormwater treatment. Austin, TX, US: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2015, 17-22 May 2015.
  • Charters F., Cochrane TA. and O'Sullivan AD. (2014) Particle size analysis of runoff from impermeable surfaces. Blenheim, New Zealand: 2014 Water Symposium, 24-28 Nov 2014.
  • Charters F., Bowie S., West D. and O'Sullivan AD. (2013) Building barriers: Saving our natives. Wellington, New Zealand: National Fish Passage Management Symposium, 26-27 Nov 2013.
  • Charters F., Bowie S., West D. and O'Sullivan AD. (2013) Water barrier design for protection of New Zealand native fish. Palmerston North, New Zealand: New Zealand Hydrological Society Annual Conference, 19-22 Nov 2013.
Intellectual Property
  • O'Sullivan A., Cochrane T. and Charters F. (2018) A Device for Treating Roof Runoff.Patent No. 740976, New Zealand Patent Application 740976.
Reports
  • Charters F. (2022) Literature review on factors that influence street sweeping performance for pollutant removal.Commissioned by Christchurch City Council.
  • Charters FJ. and Cochrane TA. (2017) Pollutant Load Scenarios for Stormwater Management in Addington Catchment. In Pollutant Load Scenarios for Stormwater Management in Addington Catchment, University of Canterbury. Commissioned by Environment Canterbury. 33.
  • O'Sullivan A., Charters F. and Cochrane T. (2017) Zinc removal from hardstand stormwater runoff at the CSP Coating Systems Plant (Christchurch). In Zinc removal from hardstand stormwater runoff at the CSP Coating Systems Plant (Christchurch), University of Canterbury. Commissioned by CSP. 23.
  • O'Sullivan AD., Cochrane TA. and Charters F. (2017) Stormwater Contaminant Load Monitoring (2016) and Modelling of the Heathcote Catchment and Six Representative Subcatchments. In Stormwater Contaminant Load Monitoring (2016) and Modelling of the Heathcote Catchment and Six Representative Subcatchments, University of Canterbury. Commissioned by Christchurch City Council. 44.
  • White I., Storey B., Owen S., Bell R., Charters F., Dickie B., Foster L., Harvey E., Hughes J. and Kerr S. (2017) Climate Change & Stormwater and Wastewater Systems. In Climate Change & Stormwater and Wastewater Systems, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research.
  • Charters F. (2016) Stormwater contaminant load monitoring and modelling of the Addington Brook catchment. In Stormwater contaminant load monitoring and modelling of the Addington Brook catchment, University of Canterbury. Commissioned by Environment Canterbury. 88.
  • O'Sullivan A. and Charters F. (2014) Haytons Stream 2013 Water Quality Investigation at Gerald Connolly Place.Commissioned by Environment Canterbury.
  • Charters F. (2013) Waterway barrier design for protection of native aquatic values.University of Canterbury. Commissioned by Department of Conservation. 62.
Theses / Dissertations
  • Charters F. (2016) Characterising and modelling urban runoff quality for improved stormwater management. Christchurch. University of Canterbury.

Student Supervision

Displaying all items.
    Current
  • PhD - Bilek F: Comparison of stormwater treatment performance characteristics of small-scale vs regional-scale systems
  • PhD - Cabral Silveira F: Understanding stormwater pollutant transport in treatment ponds and waterways (2020)
  • PhD - McNabb T: Social-ecological and community co-benefits of blue-green infrastructure (2024)
  • Masters - Sarmento I: Stormwater-contributed emerging contaminants in urban waterways (2023)
  • Honours - Appleyard and Fookes: Underground stormwater treatment system efficiencies and variability (2022)
  • Completed
  • Masters - Gregoire N: Removal of dissolved zinc and copper from roof-runoff: a downpipe filtration system (2018)
  • Masters - Skews R: Mechanisms of heavy metal removal from stormwater by mussel shells (2021)
  • Honours - Aldridge and Klok: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Eco-Engineered Stormwater Treatment Systems
  • Honours - Allan and Couldrey: Understanding Pollutant Transformation in the Environment
  • Honours - Bartley and Garner: Stormwater Contaminant Load Modelling of the Future Christchurch Central Business District
  • Honours - Bindon and Evans: Stormwater as a Harvested Resource for Improved Resilience at Burnham Military Camp
  • Honours - Hansen and Maranan: Treatment Performance of an Innovative Downpipe Stormwater Treatment System
  • Honours - Heffernan and Howe: Treatment Media Lifespan and Long-Term Removal Rates of Dissolved Zinc in a Downpipe Treatment System
  • Honours - Hoetjes and Tong: Developing a SWMM model for the Avon catchment through the UC campus (2020)
  • Honours - Lines and Furnish: Comparing Urban Contaminants in Coastal and Inland Stormwater
  • Honours - Pattinson and Wearn: Hydraulic properties of the Storminator treatment technology (2020)
  • Honours - Ross and Young: Kinetics of the Storminator treatment process (2020)
  • Honours - Stern and Broughton: Hydrological and Hydraulic Modelling of the Okeover Stream Catchment

Review and Refereeing

Displaying all items.
  • New Zealand Stormwater Conference 2019 ( 2019 - 2023)
  • New Zealand Stormwater Conference 2020 ( 2020 - 2023)
  • Environmental Science and Pollution Research ( 2016 - 2023)
  • Journal of Environmental Management ( 2016 - 2023)
  • Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment ( 2022 - 2023)
  • Science of the Total Environment ( 2016 - 2023)
  • Sustainability ( 2020 - 2023)
  • Water ( 2020 - 2023)

Affiliations

  • Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) (Professional Organisation): Graduate
  • Water New Zealand - The New Zealand Water & Wastes Association (Professional Organisation): Member

Future Research

  • Stormwater pollutant transformation from source to receiving environment
  • Climate influences on stormwater pollutant load generation
  • Development of novel treatment technologies for reducing water pollution
  • Post-construction performance assessments of blue-green infrastructure
  • Optimising co-benefits of blue-green infrastructure through engineering design

Key Methodologies

  • Analytical lab techniques for water quality characterisation
  • Pollutant load modelling
  • GIS (Geographic Information Systems)
  • Field sampling techniques
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