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The Nature Conservancy Adds Environmental Flows Specialist to Advance Global Fresh Water Protection Efforts

Eloise Kendy, Ph.D., joins the Conservancy’s Sustainable Waters Program to promote the management of fresh water for both people and nature.

November 13, 2006—The Nature Conservancy announces the addition of Eloise Kendy, Ph.D., to its Sustainable Waters Program as an environmental flows specialist. Based in Helena, Montana, Kendy will help guide the organization’s efforts to advance global water policies that ensure adequate water flows in rivers, lakes and wetlands.

“I admire The Nature Conservancy’s science-based, collaborative, basin-scale approach to environmental flow protection,” said Kendy, who received her doctorate in biological and environmental engineering from Cornell University. “It’s big, it’s bold, and it’s out-of-the-box. And that’s where I am ready to apply my technical expertise, policy experience, and enthusiasm for water resource protection.” 

An experienced hydrologist and natural resource policy analyst with agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey, Cornell University and the International Water Management Institute, Kendy is joining the Conservancy’s Sustainable Waters Program at a time when fresh water systems around the world are threatened by growing demands from hydropower, agriculture and municipal services.

“As governments in the United States and abroad begin to reassess their systems for allocating fresh water, The Nature Conservancy is poised to share its expertise with policy makers and governments to ensure the protection of freshwater ecosystems while still meeting the growing human demands for water,” said Brian Richter, director of the Conservancy’s Sustainable Waters Program.

Currently active in North America, South America and Asia, the Sustainable Waters Program has adopted a 10-year goal to ensure that at least 30 state governments in the United States and 10 other countries adopt and implement adequate environmental flow policies.

Applying her extensive background in hydrogeology, water resource assessment and modeling in the United States and abroad, Kendy will collaborate with governments, energy production agencies, water resource managers, and other non-government organizations to promote environmentally friendly methods of managing water for both people and nature.

Among Kendy’s many projects will be to work with the United Nations Environment Programme to organize environmental flows training programs, including a workshop at the International Conference on Environmental Flows in Brisbane, Australia, in September 2007. She is serving as co-chair for the technical advisory committee for this conference. She will also work to expand the worldwide use of the Indicators of Hydrological Alteration software, a cutting-edge computer program developed by Nature Conservancy scientists to support the development of environmental flow recommendations. 

“We are fortunate to have someone of Eloise’s experience and reputation join The Nature Conservancy’s quest to protect the ecological integrity of our freshwater systems which are so important to the health and well-being of humanity,” said Richter.