Jessie Thomas-Blate
Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
Department: Conservation
Area of Focus: Jessie works with our staff and partners to develop our Most Endangered Rivers Program and annual report.
Background: Jessie joined American Rivers in 2010. Prior to that she worked for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission as their Habitat Coordinator. There she played a fundamental role in the establishment of the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership. Jessie also did an internship at the Natural Resources Defense Council where she focused on the reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act.
Education: B.S. in Biology from Mary Washington College, and M.S. in Natural Resources from Delaware State University
Favorite River: Rappahannock River
Blog Posts By This Author
Preserving Green Space and Protecting the Flint River
April 22, 2013 | Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
As the director of a land trust in the Southern Crescent area of Metropolitan Atlanta, I see first-hand the need for a healthy natural environment in my community. Since 1993, we at Southern Conservation Trust have worked diligently to preserve and protect farms and forests, environmentally sensitive land, valuable wildlife habitat, and scenic green space in the fast-growing counties south of metro Atlanta.
Read more »Outdated Water Management on the Colorado River Need to be Updated for this Century
April 19, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
As farmers in Colorado’s North Fork Valley, my husband Jason and I know full well that the waters of the Colorado River are the lifeblood of agriculture for us as well as many Western farmers in the seven basin states. Outdated water management requires us to "use it or lose it", which does not make sense in this century.
Read more »A Paddler’s Perspective on Protecting the Colorado River
April 18, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
O.A.R.S., a family-owned river rafting company, has been running trips on the Colorado River since 1969. During the last 44 years, we have guided over 50,000 vacationers on river trips on the Colorado and its tributaries. Healthy river flows are crucial to our business and countless others in the Colorado River corridor. These businesses serve clients who want to spend recreational time experiencing the excitement, tranquility, and restorative value of the river each year.
Read more »Smarter Farming Leads to More Water for Rivers
April 18, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
My family lived in Denver for many years and one day on a trip to Grand Junction in 2008 we fell in love with and then bought the Mesa Park Vineyards in Palisade, Colorado. Our operation is a small, family-owned and run business. The farm is 10 acres total, and we focus on creating superior wines— over a 1000 cases per year. To produce the plump grapes we need for our winemaking, we rely heavily on a healthy flowing Colorado River.
Read more »The Colorado is America’s Most Endangered River
April 17, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
Mark Twain once said, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” His words ring true today about another river, the Colorado, that many call the lifeblood of the West. In some places the Colorado River is drained dry, in others its flows are so depleted and manipulated that fish and wildlife are federally listed as “endangered,” and in yet others more dam/diversion/pipeline projects are proposed that would drain the last legally allowed drops of water out of the river.
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