Water Modelling & Hydrology

Understanding how water moves through the landscape.

Before you can manage a water system well, you need to understand how it behaves. We provide the hydrological assessments, flow analysis and catchment modelling that underpin good decisions, from a single farm crossing to a regional catchment, from a resource consent to a long term planning process. The science that connects data to decisions.

What we do.

Water modelling and hydrology is the technical foundation for a wide range of water management decisions. We work at every scale and provide hydrological inputs to a broad range of disciplines including engineering, ecology, planning, economics and stormwater. Our outputs are clear, well-documented and defensible under scrutiny.

Hydrological assessments.

Assessment of rainfall, runoff, infiltration, evapotranspiration and stream flow. We draw on available monitoring data, assess its fitness for purpose and build a coherent picture of how the catchment system actually behaves.

Ungauged catchment flows.

Many New Zealand catchments have little or no flow monitoring data. We use established methods to estimate flow regimes where data is absent, providing the numbers needed for allocation decisions, ecological assessments and infrastructure design.

Flow regime analysis.

Analysis of flow records to characterise low flows, flood frequencies, seasonal patterns and drought return periods. This feeds directly into water allocation calculations, ecological assessments and economic impact analysis for primary sector water users.

Catchment modelling.

Modelling water availability at catchment scale, assessing how much is available and how current and proposed water use affects flow regimes and other users. The whole catchment picture, not just the point of take.

Water demand assessment.

Assessment of demand from all sectors including irrigation, municipal supply and industrial use, and how those demands interact with available supply across seasons and drought years. Connecting demand to the system that has to meet it.

Catchment characterisation.

Analysis of land use, soils, topography and drainage to build the full picture of how a catchment functions. The foundation for understanding what future changes to land use or water use might mean for the system.

Flood and drought assessment.

Flood frequency and magnitude assessment for infrastructure design, effects assessment and risk management. Drought analysis covering reliability of supply, frequency of shortfall years and quantification of production impacts for primary sector water users.

Reliability of supply.

Translating hydrology into meaningful metrics for water users. How often will supply fall short, by how much and what does that mean for crop production or municipal supply? We work with farm advisors to quantify the economic implications and with Councils to help them understand network impacts.

Climate projection analysis.

Interpreting climate model outputs and translating them into projected changes in groundwater recharge and water demand. We make climate projections usable rather than just available, giving water and infrastructure managers the numbers they can plan with.

Surface water modelling.

Modelling flood behaviour, the impacts of floods on infrastructure and how proposed infrastructure affects flood flows. Used for bridge design, floodplain assessment, land drainage design and resource consent applications.

GIS analysis.

Spatial analysis of catchments, sub-catchments and flowpaths supporting hydrological modelling, infrastructure siting, land use assessment and resource management planning. Mapping the connections that drive water behaviour across the landscape.

Water quality assessment.

Assessment of surface water quality data against regional and national guidelines and consent conditions. We also design water quality monitoring programmes for consent applications and baseline studies.

Specialist discipline inputs.

Hydrological analysis provided as specialist input assessments by other disciplines: stormwater and geotechnical engineers, ecologists, planners and agricultural economists. The hydrological piece, connected clearly to the bigger picture your project needs.

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.

Farmers and rural landowners needing site-specific flow or flood analysis. Councils and regional authorities assessing water availability and allocation. Infrastructure engineers and project managers needing hydrological inputs for design. Environmental and planning consultancies needing specialist hydrology within a wider project. We work directly with clients and as sub-contractors – always flexible and easy to engage.

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How we approach it.

Good hydrology depends on good data and on knowing what to do when the data is incomplete or unreliable. We start with what’s measured, assess whether it’s complete and robust enough to tell the story and fill the gaps with methods appropriate to the question. Data and dirty hands: we collect in the field and analyse at the desk, and both inform the final answer. We don’t run models on autopilot. Every catchment is different and the analysis has to reflect that.

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Related services

Groundwater Management.

From aquifer testing and monitoring to complex numerical modelling. We build the complete picture of what's happening below the surface and what it means for users, regulators and the environment.

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.

Development & Infrastructure.

Water assessments for development projects from pre-purchase due diligence through to consenting and compliance. Groundwater, water supply, land treatment and infrastructure impacts covered in one team.