Matt Niemerski
Director, Western Water Policy
Department: Conservation
Area of Focus: Matt works with natural resource agencies and the U.S. Congress to implement the goals and objectives of the organization's Water Supply Program and related efforts in Washington, DC, with work primarily focused on the Colorado River Basin to achieve specific federal policy outcomes that transform water management in the Western U.S. and improve ecosystem health.
Background: Matt joined American Rivers in 2012. Prior to that he worked for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as Manager of Congressional Relations focused on Clean Water Act issues. Matt possesses many years of experience in conservation and water quality issues having worked with Oceana, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Save Our Wild Salmon as well.
Matt holds a Juris Doctor Degree from Vermont Law School. Matt lives with his wife and Children in Takoma Park Maryland and is an avid fly fisherman and amateur baseball historian.
Education: J.D. Vermont Law School B.A. University of Connecticut
Favorite River: Deschutes River, Oregon
Blog Posts By This Author
Healthy Rivers Make Colorado Healthy
April 27, 2013 | Most Endangered Rivers
Gov. John Hickenlooper has launched a state rebranding initiative, Making Colorado, to stimulate the state’s economy, streamline statewide programs, and reintroduce the state to the rest of the world. Through April 30, the initiative is seeking state residents’ input on what it is that makes Colorado, Colorado.
Read more »Plumbing the Colorado River
April 17, 2013 | Water Supply
Great poster former HCN publisher, Ed Marston, depicting how the Colorado River basin's rivers drain into various reservoirs and, from there, into water management systems.
Read more »Water Management Could Become Game of Hardball
April 12, 2013 | Climate Change, Water Supply
As drought continues to loom over much of the Colorado River Basin reservoir capacities are at critically low levels. With the upcoming year not looking at all well for water users in the basin, the questions will turn very quickly to how we will manage this resource through a crisis.
Read more »Colorado River Study: Will There Be Enough Water To Support The Demand?
December 13, 2012 | Water Supply, Climate Change
Yesterday, The Bureau of Reclamation issued its Final Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study. Authorized by Congress through the Secure Water Act of 2009 and jointly funded and prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation and the seven Colorado River Basin states – that projects water supply and demand imbalances throughout the Colorado River Basin and adjacent areas over the next 50 years.
Read more »Glimpses of the Colorado River
November 28, 2012 | Water Supply
It is said that each journey begins with one step and that a flood begins with a trickle of water. Over the past couple of weeks the Colorado River may have taken two small, but not insignificant steps, towards becoming something like the mighty Colorado explored by John Wesley Powell over 100 years ago.
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