WestWater is pleased to announce that Jesse Jankowski has joined the firm as a Senior Associate in Fort Collins, Colorado. With 13 years of specialized experience in water resources management, water rights policy, and complex water systems modeling, Jesse brings a unique combination of technical expertise and regulatory knowledge that will strengthen our ability to serve clients across the West.
Most recently, Jesse served as a Senior Water Rights Engineer Specialist with the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Rights. In this role, he led critical projects developing water accounting models, improving water rights database systems, and supporting regulation implementation through public outreach. His work directly informed policy decisions and helped modernize how California manages its most precious resource.
Prior to his time with the State Water Board, Jesse worked as an Assistant Engineer with Natural Resources Consulting Engineers, where he supported tribal water rights negotiations, water supply development, and demand master planning projects.
Jesse’s expertise spans the full spectrum of water resources challenges—from hydrologic modeling and geospatial analysis to water rights permitting and compliance evaluation. He has advised policymakers on regulatory changes, led technical teams at the intersection of water law and resource development, and developed tools for forecasting water supply and demand.
His graduate research at UC Davis focused on remote sensing of consumptive water use from farms in California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, demonstrating his innovative approach to solving complex water management problems.
Jesse holds a Master of Science in Water Resources Engineering from the University of California, Davis, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Colorado State University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in California.
“Jesse’s combination of regulatory experience, technical modeling skills, and deep understanding of water rights makes him an excellent addition to our team,” said Chris Smith, Chief Operating Officer at WestWater. “His ability to work across multiple geographies—particularly Colorado and California—is a tremendous asset as we expand our services throughout the West. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue to help clients navigate increasingly complex water resource challenges.”
Please join us in welcoming Jesse to WestWater!