Groundwater Management

Understanding what’s below the surface.

Groundwater is invisible, interconnected and sometimes poorly understood, often until something goes wrong. We bring the field work and the modelling together, bore testing and sampling on site, numerical analysis back at the desk, to build the complete picture. Whether you need to understand an aquifer for the first time or manage it over the long term, we work from the data up.

What we do.

Groundwater doesn’t give up its answers easily. It takes systematic data collection, careful analysis and the right models. We bring all three and we connect what we find in the field, directly to the technical work that informs decisions. Our scientists have worked on New Zealand groundwater systems for decades, from shallow coastal aquifers to deep Canterbury plains systems.

Groundwater quality assessment.

Assessment of groundwater quality against national guidelines, consent conditions and drinking water standards. We identify contamination sources, assess risk to users and recommend protection measures connected to the land use and activity driving them.

Monitoring programme design.

Design of fit-for-purpose monitoring networks including piezometers, water quality sampling points and logging equipment, and ongoing assessment of what the data tells you. We design programmes for consent applications, baseline studies and long-term resource management.

Piezometer network management.

Installation, maintenance, data retrieval and reporting for piezometer networks. We manage the full process on behalf of network owners, providing councils and water users with reliable, continuous groundwater- level data over the long term.

Aquifer testing and yield.

Field testing to characterise aquifer properties including permeability, storage and connectivity. Data collected on site and fed directly into effects assessment, sustainable yield calculations and consent applications. The field work that makes the modelling meaningful.

Pump and well testing.

Testing of existing wells and pumping systems to assess performance, identify deterioration and inform decisions about maintenance, deepening or replacement. Practical field work and expert analysis that protects your water supply investment.

Sustainable allocation.

Assessment of how much water can be taken from an aquifer without causing unacceptable effects on other users or the environment. We work with councils and water users on allocation frameworks that reflect actual system behaviour.

MODFLOW modelling.

Numerical groundwater modelling using MODFLOW to simulate aquifer behaviour, predict drawdown effects and assess the impacts of proposed takes on the groundwater system and connected surface water. Industry standard modelling grounded in field data, not assumptions.

Integrated water models.

Models that capture the interaction between surface water and groundwater, critical for catchments where the two are closely connected. Looking at either in isolation gives an incomplete picture of how the system actually behaves.

Contaminant transport modelling.

Modelling the movement of contaminants through the groundwater system including nitrate, pathogens and industrial compounds. We predict effects on users and receiving environments, understanding the pathway not just the source.

Thermal impact modelling.

Hydrogeological modelling of thermal impacts from ground source heat pump systems. We assess effects on aquifer temperature and on other groundwater users in the area, providing the evidence base for consent applications.

Ground Source Heat Pump assessments.

Full hydrogeological assessment, resource consent preparation and project manager liaison for ground source heat pump (GSHP) installations of all scales. One team across the technical assessment, modelling and regulatory work.

Saltwater intrusion studies.

Assessment of saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers including identifying the extent of intrusion, monitoring its progression and advising on sustainable take limits. A problem that only gets harder to fix over time.

SWRMA delineation.

Delineation of Source Water Risk Management Areas for drinking water supplies using default or bespoke methods. A key requirement under the drinking water regulatory framework and an area of significant experience for our team.

Drinking water protection.

Assessment and protection of groundwater sources used for drinking water supply, from source characterisation through to monitoring programme design and Taumata Arowai compliance support. Connecting the science of the aquifer to the safety of the tap.

Climate change impacts.

Assessment of how projected climate change will affect groundwater recharge, levels and quality. We provide the long-term picture that water managers and consent authorities need, to make decisions that hold up over time.

Every water challenge starts with a conversation.

Tell us what you need and we’ll connect you with the right person.

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Who we work with.

Territorial and regional councils, farmers and irrigation scheme operators, e, infrastructure project managers and drinking water suppliers. We’re also regularly engaged by engineering and environmental consultancies who need specialist groundwater input for projects where groundwater is one component of a larger technical picture.

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How we approach it.

Groundwater doesn’t give up its answers easily. It takes systematic data collection, careful analysis and knowing which model is appropriate for which question. Data and dirty hands: our scientists and engineers work at the bore site and at the desk, and those two things inform each other. We know the regional hydrogeology, we understand how Canterbury’s aquifer systems behave differently from Waikato’s or Tasman’s, and we bring that local knowledge to every assessment.

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Related services

Water Modelling & Hydrology.

Hydrological assessments, catchment modelling, flood and drought analysis. The science that underpins good water management decisions at every scale – from a single farm crossing to a regional catchment.

Water Resource Management.

Strategic, integrated, cross-sector. We work with councils, government and scheme operators on long-term water strategy, allocation frameworks, storage feasibility and national-scale supply assessment.

Resource Consents & Compliance.

Our on-farm water management services cover irrigation performance, effluent and farm water systems.