Clare Houlbrooke Water Lead - NZ
HMTN
Clare is a senior Hydrogeologist with extensive experience in hydrological resource investigations. With a focus on sustainable management of groundwater resources and connected surface systems, she has led groundwater investigations and modelling projects throughout New Zealand.
Following her strong interest in managed aquifer recharge and resource management, Clare has extended her professional development across industry and government organisations. She has gained outstanding skills in communicating technical recommendations and groundwater policies to the general public, and technical groups through reports and public meetings. Clare has attended many consent hearings and has presented evidence as a technical expert at Environment Court.
Fostering a forward-thinking holistic approach, she enjoys working with a collective team and recognises the importance of exchanging skills and experiences to gain a comprehensive understanding of projects in their entirety.
It is this progressive community focused approach that has driven Clare throughout her career. She cites her involvement in establishing an injection bore for a managed aquifer recharge trial near Gisborne, NZ as a personal highlight. The trial is intended to lead to the formation of a groundwater replenishment scheme that will facilitate stabilisation of the declining groundwater levels and allow full utilisation of the groundwater resource. Furthermore, she enjoys the complexities and challenges of working with ever-changing environments such as the recent rapid increase in water demand for irrigation in New Zealand.
Respected by both clients and peers for her intuitive and meticulous approach to managing groundwater resources, Clare adds considerable value to the successful outcome of projects by implementing appropriate and innovative solutions.
Looking to the future Clare would enjoy the opportunity to develop water projects to manage groundwater resources by balancing groundwater use with environmental flows and community needs.
Clare’s project experience includes:
- Managed Aquifer Recharge feasibility, installation, monitoring and operations projects
- Groundwater modelling
- Groundwater policy advice
- Groundwater in mining environments
- Groundwater resource consent applications (including expert evidence at Environment Court)
- Bore drilling and pumping tests
- Design and management of groundwater monitoring networks