Dr Doug Booker

Contact

Dr Doug Booker

Position:

Hydro-ecological Modeller

Phone:

+64-3-343-7848

Location:

Christchurch

Science Centres:

Freshwater and Estuaries

Qualifications:

Ph.D. Fluvial geomorphology

Biography:

Dr Doug Booker is a hydro-ecological modeler at NIWA. He is an expert in development, application and testing of data analytics for improved environmental management. He specialises in advanced data analysis methods such as machine learning and physically-based numerical modelling. Doug has 19 years of experience researching environment flow requirements, and the interrelationships between flow, geomorphology and ecological values in rivers. He has recently led several large projects on pressure-state-impact modelling of fresh water flows, hydrological indices for national reporting, and indicators for water allocation. He has also conducted research on nationwide hydrological predictions, ecosystem health thresholds for suspended and deposited sediment, river water temperature data, and water quality state and trend analyses. Doug serves on the Ministry’s Technical Advisory Group for reporting on freshwater. He is the leader of the Environmental Flows Programme and the co-creator the NZrivermaps web app.

Articles:

Stoffels, R.J., Franklin, P.A., Fragaszy, S.R, Booker, D.J., Clapcott, J.E., Snelder, T.H, Wagenhoff, A., Hickey, C.W. (2021) Multiple framings of uncertainty shape adoption of reference states during reform of water policy. Environmental Science and Policy.
Boddy, N.C., Booker, D.J., McIntosh, A.R. (2020) Heterogeneity in flow disturbance around river confluences influences spatial patterns in native and non-native species co-occurrence. Biological Invasions. 22(11), 3457-3475.
Haddadchi, A., Kuczynski, A., Hoyle, J.T., Kilroy, C., Booker, D.J., Hicks, M. (2020) Periphyton removal flows determined by sediment entrainment thresholds. Ecological Modelling, 434: 109263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109263.
Morel, M., Booker, D.J., Gob, F. and Lamouroux, N., (2020) Consistent theoretical and empirical predictions of at‐a‐station hydraulic geometry exponents in stream reaches. Water Resources Research, 56(10), p.e2020WR027242.
Belmar, O., Booker, D.J., Snelder, T.H., Álvarez-Cabria, M., Peñas, F.J., Barquín, J. (2019) Modelling physical characteristics of river habitats. River Research and Applications. DOI: 10.1002/rra.3456.
Boddy, N.C., Booker, D.J. McIntosh, A.R. (2019) Confluence configuration of river networks controls spatial patterns in fish communities, Landscape Ecology, 34(1), 187-201.
Boddy, N.C., Farley, K.M., Warburton, H.J., Jellyman, P.G., Booker, D.J., Kelly, D., McIntosh, A.R. (2019) Big impacts from small abstractions: the effects of surface water abstraction on freshwater fish assemblages. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 30, 159-172.
Morel, M., Booker, D.J., Gobb, F., Lamouroux N. (2019) Intercontinental predictions of river hydraulic geometry from catchment physical characteristics. Journal of Hydrology., doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124292.
Morel, M., Tamisier, V., Pella, H., Booker, D.J., Navratil, O., Piégay, H., Gobb, F., Lamouroux, N. (2019) Revisiting the drivers of at-a-station hydraulic geometry in stream reaches. Geomorphology 328, 44–56.
Booker, D.J. (2018) Quantifying the hydrological effect of permitted water abstractions across spatial scales. Environmental Management, DOI:10.1007/s00267-018-1040.
Booker, D. J., Whitehead, A. L. (2018). Inside or outside: Quantifying extrapolation across river networks. Water Resources Research, 54. doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023378.
Crow, S.K., Tipa, G.T., Booker, D.J., Nelson K.D. (2018) Relationships between Maori values and flow: developing tools for incorporating cultural values into freshwater management decisions. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. DOI:10.1080/00288330.2018.1499538.
Haddadchi, A., Booker, D.J., Measures, R. (2018) Predicting river bed substrate cover proportions across New Zealand. Catena, 163, 130–146.
Singh, S.K., Pahlow, M., Booker, D.J., Shankar, U., Chamorro, A., (2018) Towards baseflow index characterisation at national scale in New Zealand. Journal of Hydrology, 568, 646-657.
Whitehead, A.L., Booker, D.J. (2018) Communicating biophysical conditions across New Zealand’s rivers using an interactive webtool. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. doi:10.1080/00288330.2018.1532914

https://shiny.niwa.co.nz/eflowsexplorer/ is a web app designe to aid understanding of how minimum flow and total allocation can be set, by demonstrating how they interact with reliability of water supply and an example environmental metrics representing losses in total area of aquatic habitat or availability of habitat suitable for fish.

https://shiny.niwa.co.nz/nzrivermaps/ is a web app designed to display various spatial predictions across New Zealands national river network.

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