BSc(Hons) PhD CGeol

Principal Hydrogeologist 

Helen has 25 years of experience in hydrogeological research and investigation. Helen’s expertise is in both physical hydrogeology (including resource assessment, recharge processes, groundwater flooding and catchment characterisation) and the application of GIS techniques to assist in analysing spatial data.

She has led the Field Services team for Aqualinc for the past five years, and she is very familiar with the hydrogeology of the Canterbury Plains. This included characterising the hydrogeology of the Valetta/Ashburton River zones to provide evidence for a hearing.

Helen is currently leading a component of a research project to investigate the impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes on groundwater, a project that work requires aquifer testing and the modelling of changes from pre- to post-earthquake. She has developed approaches to extending the temporal and spatial coverage of groundwater-level data from limited datasets, including the development of a ‘Master Hydrograph’ approach to characterise particular areas in order to make more effective use of limited temporal data.

She was previously employed by the British Geological Survey for 17 years, where she worked on various aspects of physical hydrogeology both in the UK and Africa.