Current Research Interests

• Optimisation techniques applied to groundwater management.
• Optimal bore network design.
• Coupled river-aquifer simulation.
• Underground mining impacts on hydrogeology 

Research Expertise

• Groundwater modeling – flow, solute, contaminants, stochastic.
• Optimisation modeling - resource management, groundwater allocation, dewatering, pump-and-treat
• Electrical geophysics - software, resource assessment, salinity monitoring
• Computer programming - FORTRAN, GAMS 

Recent Professional Experience

• Acting Director, National Centre for Groundwater Management (University of Technology, Sydney).
• Research Scientist, Institute for Water and Environmental Resource Management (UTS).
• Associate Professor, University of Technology, Sydney
• Senior Lecturer, University of NSW, Department of Applied Geology
• Associate Editor, Hydrogeology Journal (2202-2007)

Academic Qualifications

• PhD, 2000, University of Technology, Sydney.
• Graduate Course in Hydrology, 1981, The University of New South Wales.
• Graduate Diploma in Data Processing, with Distinction, 1980, The New South Wales Institute of Technology.
• Master of Science Research Degree, 1977, The University of Sydney.
• Bachelor of Science Degree, 1971, The University of Sydney

Professional Society Memberships

• MIAH - Member, International Association of Hydrogeologists
• MASEG - Member, Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists
• MNZHS – Member, New Zealand Hydrological Society

Publications Summary

More than 300 publications and reports in the following fields: -

• groundwater modelling
• groundwater management
• environmental impact
• peer reviews
• optimisation - power, water
• monitoring networks
• groundwater recharge
• sustainable yield
• groundwater and engineering geophysics
• inversion algorithms and software
• genetic algorithms
• aquaculture.

BOOK CHAPTERS

1. MERRICK, N.P., 1996, The Electrical Resistivity Method.  Chapter 11, in:  Zanetti, P. (Ed.), Environmental Modelling Vol. 3, Computer Methods and Software for Simulating Environmental Pollution and its Adverse Effects.  Computational Mechanics Publications, Southampton, 329-370.
2. MERRICK,N.P. and MIDDLEMIS,H., 1993, Optimisation of Buronga Salt Interception Scheme. In McNally, G., Knight, M.J. and Smith, R.B. (eds.) : Collected Case Studies in Engineering Geology, Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology (Second Series). Butterfly Books, Springwood, 63-71.

PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL PAPERS / RESEARCH REPORTS (Selection Only)

1. MERRICK, N.P., 2007, A Review  of Groundwater Issues Pertaining to Underground Mining in the Southern Coalfield. AccessUTS Report for NSW Minerals Council, Project C07/044/004. Final Report July 2007.
2. MERRICK, N.P., 2003, Optimising Groundwater Usage to Mitigate Native Vegetation Decline in the Namoi Valley, NSW. IWERM/NCGM University of Technology, Sydney, Milestone Report No. 3 for Land & Water Australia, Phase 2: Management Model, March 2003, 116p.
3. MERRICK, N.P., MIDDLEMIS, H., WILLIAMS, R. M. and MAMPITYARACHCHI, D., 2002, Buronga Salt Interception Scheme Borefield Optimisation. NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Report CNR 2002.042, 83p.
4. MERRICK, N.P. and POEZD, E, 1997, RINVERT for Windows software for the interpretation of resistivity soundings.  Exploration Geophysics 26, 110-113.
5. MERRICK, N.P., 1997, A new resolution index for resistivity electrode arrays.  Exploration Geophysics 26, 106-109.
6. PUNTHAKEY, J.F., PRATHAPAR, S.A., SOMARATNE, N.M., MERRICK, N.P., LAWSON, S. and WILLIAMS, R.M.,  1996, Assessing impacts of basin management and environmental change in the Eastern Murray Basin. Environmental Software 11, 135-142.
7. GAO, J. and MERRICK, N.P., 1996, Simulation of temperature and salinity in a fully mixed pond. Environmental Software 11, 173-178.

PEER REVIEWED CONFERENCE PAPERS (Selection Only)

1. ALLEN, D.A. & MERRICK N.P. 2005, Towed Geo-electric Arrays for analysis of surface water groundwater interaction. Proceedings of the SAGEEP conference – April – Atlanta, USA.
2. MIDDLEMIS H., and N.P. MERRICK, 2004, Australian groundwater modelling guidelines – lessons learned from the review process. FEM-Modflow; International Conference on Finite Element Models, Modflow and More, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, 13-16 September, 2004. CD Proceedings, ed. J. Bruthans.
3. MIDDLEMIS, H., MERRICK, N.P., ROSS, J.B., and ROZLAPA, K., 2002, Groundwater modelling guidelines for Australia – An overview of the need for and use of the guidelines. CD Proceedings of the IAH International Groundwater Conference, Darwin, Australia, 12-17 May, 2002.
4. MERRICK, N.P. and MERRICK, D.P., 2002, A dual aquifer analytical model with rain and river recharge. CD Proceedings of the IAH International Groundwater Conference, Darwin, Australia, 12-17 May, 2002.
5. MERRICK, N.P., 2001, Groundwater simulation using the minimum dissipation principle. In: Seiler , K-P. and Wohnlich, S. (eds.),  New Approaches Characterising Groundwater Flow, Proceedings of the XXXI IAH Congress, Munich, Germany, 10-14 September, 2001. Balkema, Rotterdam, Lisse, ISBN 90 2651 849 8, 371-374.
6. MERRICK, N.P., 2001, How best to handle competition for a scarce resource. In: Seiler , K-P. and Wohnlich, S. (eds.), New Approaches Characterising Groundwater Flow, Proceedings of the XXXI IAH Congress, Munich, Germany, 10-14 September, 2001. Balkema, Lisse, ISBN 90 2651 849 8, 569-572.