Advice from Jennifer Bountry, P.E., Hydraulic Engineer: Love What You Do

Written by: Emily Quinn

Jennifer Bountry, P.E."

It’s not always easy to land a career that you enjoy. Jennifer Bountry, a Hydraulic Engineer for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group is one of the lucky ones who has found a career that is both challenging and rewarding.

Jennifer has worked for Reclamation for 18 years. In May of 2016, Jennifer received the Department of the Interior’s Distinguished Service Award alongside her manager, Tim Randle. Last year, she was recognized as Reclamation’s Engineer of the Year, and went on to win the 2017 Federal Engineer of the Year Award.

Before starting her career with Reclamation, Jennifer attended Colorado State University where she received undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Civil Engineering. She then went on to pursue her Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a focus on Water Resources from Colorado State University.

It was while she was in graduate school that Jennifer was first exposed to river work by the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Witnessing the work of these agencies motivated her to pursue a career that would enable her to put her engineering skills to work on the rivers of the West.

As a hydraulic engineer, Jennifer’s favorite days on the job are when she’s able to be out in the field and on the river. However, a day in the office for Jennifer is still interesting — she spends her in-office time analyzing river restoration and sediment transport questions for clients. She collaborates with team members to share technical information, like river restoration implementation plans that provide support to water operations.

Throughout the years, the scope and content of Jennifer’s projects have varied. The project she feels has been the most rewarding was her work on the removal of the Elwha Dam, which opened up 70 miles of fish habitat on the Elwha River watershed in the State of Washington.

Jennifer says, “I was able to view, firsthand, how a river transforms from the release of a large pulse of sediment. The project was exciting because it intersected real-time science and the largest dam removal project to date.”

“I was able to lead the Adaptive Management Sediment Program and was constantly humbled by all of the volunteers and dedicated scientists who worked so hard to make this project a success. Fish have returned to the river and are now successfully [migrating] into the upper watershed,” said Jennifer.

She is currently working on a project that focuses on sedimentation and river changes on the Truckee River near Marble Bluff Dam in Nevada. In this project, Reclamation’s role is to use its understanding of river hydraulics, sediment transport, and morphology to provide expertise and guidance on reservoir management and sedimentation, and to share this information with flow operations to ensure successful fish passage each spring as they migrate upstream to spawn.

Jennifer is proud to work for Reclamation and says, “Our position to help deliver water and maintain environmental compliance is unique.” She hopes to be able to continue learning about how to maintain this delicate balance through research and collaboration opportunities with other Reclamation offices.

Collaboration is especially helpful when you work with great people. She says, “The people we work with are incredibly dedicated to making a difference, and [they] all work very hard.”

She feels fortunate to be a part of the Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group because it enables her to work on projects designed to improve resource sustainability while ensuring water delivery demands are met.

When she’s not working, Jennifer likes hiking and camping with her family, traveling to new places, visiting local history and culture sites, and exploring the food scene. She volunteers at her local elementary school’s garden where she teaches students about the value of growing their own food and maintaining a healthy diet.

When asked what advice she would give to people who might be interested in pursuing this type of work, Jennifer says to have passion for what you do, take the time to ask questions, and make an effort to engage and collaborate with people. Most importantly, she says, “Have fun. Make a goal to learn something new every day, and love what you do!”

Published on March 29, 2018