Jennifer Pitt

Colorado River Program Director

Jennifer Pitt joined Audubon in December 2015 to advise the organization’s strategies to protect and restore rivers throughout the Colorado River Basin. At Audubon she continues to lead the United States–Mexico 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 Audubon, 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’s 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’s in Environmental Science and Policy from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Articles by Jennifer Pitt

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.

The Colorado River is Unpredictable, but its Policies and Management Shouldn’t Be

August 22, 2023 — Audubon 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.

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.

Who gets harmed as the Colorado River changes?

March 09, 2023 — Negative impacts of water shortages will be vast.

How to Save the Colorado River? Use Less Water

January 20, 2023 — Audubon submits comments to Bureau of Reclamation as they develop new operating rules.

Well, the West is Getting a Lot of Snow and Rain

January 05, 2023 — But conservation mindset still needed.

The Colorado River Compact at 100

November 22, 2022 — Can it survive another century?