Healthy Freshwater
The Healthy Freshwater Flagship is working to support healthy freshwater ecosystems and sustainable catchments by predicting how surface- and ground-water systems respond to a changing environment.
We work with end-users to develop fit-for-purpose decision-support tools for enduring management of freshwater contaminants and resource use. Our tools support long-term freshwater system management by leveraging emerging molecular technologies, developing a stronger and more accessible evidence-base to enable sustainable farming while protecting and rehabilitating ecosystems, and predicting how hydrological and thermal regimes under a changing climate will affect freshwater biodiversity.
Chief Scientist - Healthy Freshwater: Rick Stoffels
Rick has over two decades of experience working at the interface of freshwater science, policy and planning in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. He is passionate about leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams that deliver the science required to facilitate the sustainable management and prosperity of our freshwater catchments. Rick’s research experience is broad, spanning freshwater ecology, ecological modelling, environmental monitoring and assessment, and structured decision-making in water resource management.