Jennifer Bowman

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Photo of Jennifer Bowman Director of Environmental Programs
Ohio University
Voinovich School
BLDG 22, The Ridges, rm 209
Athens, Ohio 45701
Email: bowmanj2@ohio.edu
Phone: 740-597-3101

Visit Jennifer's Research Website

 Research Disciplines: Research Interests:

Riparian corridor mapping and restoration, acid mine drainage characterization and remediation, watershed restoration and preservation, environmental STEM education and outreach, public drinking water access,

Biographical Sketch

Jen Bowman, Director of Environmental Programs / Hydrogeologist

Jen Bowman has an MS in Environmental Geochemistry from Ohio University (2000). She started working at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs in 2004, she has experience in watershed and data management, water quality assessment, and stream restoration. Previous to working at Ohio University she was the watershed coordinator for the Sunday Creek Watershed with Rural Action, a non-profit agency in southeast Ohio 2000-2004.  She holds her OEPA Credible Data Program level 3 Quality Data Collector (QDC) Status for Chemical Water Quality Assessment and Level 2 QDC for macroinvertebrates. She currently is the Director of the Energy and Environment team at the Voinovich School. She meets with stakeholders to align environmental needs in the region to the expertise across the University; bringing ‘real-world’ projects to the School where students, faculty, and professional staff work cross collaboratively to solve complex environmental issues.

She has been the lead hydrologist on numerous water quality characterization projects across the state including the production of seven acid mine drainage and abatement plans in which each consisted of two years of intensive field reconnaissance, water sampling, data analysis, map production, and final report.  She coordinates the watershed research efforts of the Appalachian Watershed Research Group across Ohio University with representation from Environmental Studies, Biology, Plant Biology, and Geology. The group has brought in numerous grants from US EPA STAR program, American Electric Power, and ODNR-DMRM to fund over a decade of graduate and undergraduate research. While many more publications have resulted from the effort put forth by this group the following list of publications Jen contributed to: Environmental Earth Sciences. 67(5): 1389-1395, Mine Water and the Environment. 31(4): 266-272, Journal of Environmental Management. 128 (2013) 1000-1011, Mine Water and the Environment 33:177-186, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 186:4111-4127

Over the course of the past 17 years Jen has lead the effort to produce an online ESRI GIS based data platform called watersheddata.com to host chemical and biological data for the state of Ohio.  This platform contains over 90,000 records of data; includes a graphing and mapping feature.  As a result of watersheddata.com ODNR-DMRM saw an opportunity to do more in-depth data analysis that could be used for watershed management decisions.  Jen lead these efforts as the project manager of the Annual Nonpoint Source (NPS) Monitoring Project for Acid Mine Drainage an Evaluation of Water Quality, Biology, and Acid Mine Drainage Reclamation in Five Watersheds: Raccoon Creek, Monday Creek, Sunday Creek, Huff Run, and Leading Creek for the past ten years. This project is funded by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management.

Education

  • 1998- 2000 M.S. Environmental Geochemistry, Ohio University, Athens, OH, G.P.A. 3.8
  • 1993- 1997 B.S. Environmental Geology, minor in Geography, Ohio University, Athens, OH, Cum Laude with Departmental Honors

Other Research

  • Director of the development of the online watershed planning tool called ‘HydroVIEW’ to assist with watershed project development across the Appalachian Basin. Hydrologically Visualize Impaired and Exceptional Watersheds (HydroVIEW), is rich with water quality data showing areas of impact and high quality. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency funded project, which combines multiple layers of water quality information, from a variety of state sources, to help communities and organizations in the first steps of project selection and planning. This tool has been instrumental in identifying critical areas impacted from sedimentation/lacking adequate riparian corridor cover. 2016-present.
  • Director of the Rain to River Program funded by Ohio Environmental Education Fund. Worked with local non-profit agencies, soil and water conservation districts, and local communities across the Appalachian Basin in Ohio to conduct storm drain stenciling projects including the development of a guidance document, six stenciling kits, and an interactive stormwater portable exhibit. 2017-present. More information about the projects can be found at: https://www.ohio.edu/voinovichschool/services/rain-to-river.cfm
  • Project manager of the Annual Nonpoint Source (NPS) Monitoring Project for Acid Mine Drainage an Evaluation of Water Quality, Biology, and Acid Mine Drainage Reclamation in Five Watersheds: Raccoon Creek, Monday Creek, Sunday Creek, Huff Run, and Leading Creek for the past nine years. Funded by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management AMD program. 2005-present.
  • Lead hydrogeologist and project manager for two watershed assessments, to identify sources of acid mine drainage (AMD) impacts from abandoned underground and surface coal mines in southern Coshocton and northern Muskingum Counties in Ohio. Wills Creek Reservoir and White Eyes Creek, together drain 237 sq. mile area. Funded by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy district in partnership with Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management (ODNR-DMRM). 2013-2015.
  • Research collaborator with the Appalachian Watershed Research Group focusing on acid mine drainage in southeast Ohio. A cross disciplinary collaboration with Voinovich School, Environmental Studies, Biology, Plant Biology, and Geology. The group has brought in numerous grants from US EPA STAR program, American Electric Power, and ODNR-DMRM to fund over a decade of graduate and undergraduate research. While many more publications have resulted from the effort put forth by this group the following list of publications I have contributed to: Environmental Earth Sciences. 67(5): 1389-1395, Mine Water and the Environment. 31(4): 266-272, Journal of Environmental Management. 128 (2013) 1000-1011, Mine Water and the Environment 33:177-186, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 186:4111-4127. 2004-present
  • Project manager for a quality assurance quality control (QAQC) plan developed and written for surface water quality data collection and analysis methods to be used by ODNR-DMRM’s AMD program and watershed partners utilizing water quality data to make AMD reclamation decisions. 2013-2015.
  • Launched a citizen science data program called My Backyard Stream in Ohio River Tributaries. 2020 -present.

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