Jennifer Pitt

Colorado River Program Director

Jennifer Pitt joined 探花精选 in December 2015 to advise the organization鈥檚 strategies to protect and restore rivers throughout the Colorado River Basin. At 探花精选 she continues to lead the United States鈥揗exico collaboration to restore the long-desiccated Colorado River Delta. She serves as the U.S. co-chair of the bi-national work group whose partners will, through 2026, implement existing treaty commitments providing environmental flows and habitat creation.

Prior to joining 探花精选, Jennifer spent 17 years working to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems in the Colorado River Basin at the Environmental Defense Fund. With partners, she led the conservation community鈥檚 efforts to prioritize and implement restoration of the Colorado River Delta, and she worked with Colorado River stakeholders to produce the unprecedented Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study, the first federal assessment of climate change impacts in the basin and the first basin-wide evaluation of the impacts of river system operation on water supply reliability and river health. Jennifer has also worked at the National Park Service headquarters and in Mesa Verde and Sequoia National Parks, as a legislative assistant to U.S. Congressman Mike Kopetski, and in the headquarters office of the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.

Jennifer graduated from Harvard University and received a master鈥檚 in Environmental Science and Policy from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Articles by Jennifer Pitt

探花精选鈥檚 Jennifer Pitt Testifies before Congress on Colorado River Habitats
November 20, 2024 — 探花精选 supports bills that support wildlife habitat amid changing climate.
Water Conservation Proving Successful as Colorado River Water Users Avoid Crisis Again
August 16, 2024 — Today鈥檚 Colorado River forecast underscores need for future conservation commitments.
Colorado River Flowing in Its Delta Again, But Restoration Hangs in the Balance
May 21, 2024 — Revived river depends on consensus in binational and domestic negotiations for river management after 2026.
gray bird with a yellow bill and a white neck in green foliage
A Future for Birds and People in the Colorado River Basin
March 29, 2024 — 探花精选 and partner NGOs propose an alternative for post-2026 operations.
Will the Colorado River States Agree?
March 07, 2024 — Consensus would bring better outcomes and avoid legal battles.
Science to Help Birds and Reduce Costs in the Colorado River Delta
January 22, 2024 — A new publication uses machine learning to optimize habitat restoration.
Living on a Smaller Colorado River Water Supply
September 25, 2023 — Arizona, California, and Nevada are proving they can live with less.
A bright yellow bird perches on a thorny branch against a blurred green background.
The Colorado River is Unpredictable, but its Policies and Management Shouldn鈥檛 Be
August 22, 2023 — 探花精选 weighs in on federal decisions in the short and long-term.
Short-term Federal Management on Colorado River Needs Long-term Outlook
June 27, 2023 — And an urgent need to consider irreplaceable habitats.
Landscape with waterfowl in a stream with mountains behind it.
Federal Decision on Colorado River Management in the Third Decade of Climate Change-Driven Drought
May 11, 2023 — As decision-makers consider how to reduce water use, they should consider all impacted resources.