Hydrosphere Staff
Laura Belanger
Staff Engineer II
Ms. Belanger is an engineer with a broad range of skills. Her areas of expertise include the development and application of decision support systems with a focus on RiverWare surface water modeling, water quality field studies, environmental permitting and regulatory work, and international development.
Ms. Belanger participated in the design of the RiverWare modeling tool at the Center for Advanced Decision Support in Water and Environmental Systems at the University of Colorado, where she developed and modified engineering object code to meet client requirements. She currently develops and uses rule-based RiverWare models to evaluate operational alternatives related to endangered species actions, stakeholder agreements and water resources planning.
She has substantial field, laboratory and data analysis experience
related to physical, chemical and biological sampling. Ms. Belanger is
responsible for several ongoing water quality and biological monitoring
programs, planning and implementing sampling events and analyzing field
and laboratory data. Her academic research examined the impacts and extent
of natural and anthropogenic acid rock drainage at the watershed
scale. This research was developed in collaboration with a local
stakeholders group to improve scientific understanding and guide
watershed management decisions and remediation strategies.
Ms. Belanger's expertise includes environmental studies and analysis of public policy issues related to the management of water resources in Colorado and New Mexico. She provides technical expertise for regulatory review processes and has participated in the modeling and evaluation of NEPA Environmental Impact Statement alternatives. She has also developed environmental assessments, water conservation plans, and a variety of environmental permit applications.
Ms. Belanger is particularly qualified for international projects,
having substantial experience overseas. She worked as an Agricultural
Diversification Volunteer in the Peace Corps in Guatemala; managed an
Engineers Without Borders potable water project in Jalapa, Nicaragua; and
helped design a rainwater catchment and irrigation system project in Mali.
In addition, she interned at the United Nations Center for Human
Settlements in Kenya while an exchange student at the University of
Nairobi.
Ms. Belanger holds an MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado and a BS in Social Thought and Political Economy from the University of Massachusetts.