PNNL

Jeremy Giovando has worked in water resources for over 25 years for both federal agencies and now the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). His technical expertise spans multiple disciplines in the water resources field including water management and reservoir operations, large basin and snowmelt hydrology, post-wildfire hydrologic changes, climate change impacts on reservoir systems, and river hydraulics in cold regions. He is currently the team leader of the Water Resources Operations and Planning team within the Earth Systems Predictability and Resilience group at PNNL.

Giovando has extensive experience in creating advanced modeling and analysis tools for complex reservoir systems in the Columbia and Missouri Rivers. He also has practical experience performing the day-to-day water operations for large federal reservoirs, which provides him unique insight into the representativeness and practical implications of reservoir modeling results. His water management experience includes both Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers facilities, which gives him knowledge related to the hydropower, water supply, and flood risk missions that are commonly associated with large reservoir storage projects. Giovando’s infrastructure expertise also includes operational analysis of navigation facilities during hazardous conditions (e.g., floods, ice). He is also a member of the Inland Navigation Commission and Permanent Task Group on Climate Change for the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC).

In addition, Giovando is a subject matter expert in post-wildfire and snowmelt hydrology. He has numerous publications exploring the effects of wildfire on snowpack and streamflow, especially in the Western United States. He also has substantial field experience collecting data from burned watersheds to quantify soil water repellency following wildfire.

Giovando’s expertise extends to several cold region processes including river ice modeling, snowmelt hydrology, and frozen soils. He has developed guidance for ice jam mitigation and conducted training classes for state and local planners, emergency managers, and engineers related to ice jam flooding. He has led several studies evaluating the flood risk of frozen ground and rain-on-snow events.  

Broad research interests related to:

• water resources and interactions with ecology
• water resources and interactions with infrastructure
• water resources and interactions with society
• understanding the feedbacks between water and other systems 
• bringing research to operations 
• finding practical solutions to help solve issues related to water supply, wildfire, and flooding
• effects of snowpack changes on society and landscape in the Western United States

• Modeling of complex hydrologic and reservoir systems
• Field data collection
• Remote sensing analysis for snow and ice
• Technical leadership for large and multi-disciplinary projects
   

PhD, civil engineering – Colorado State University
MS, civil engineering – Colorado State University
BS, environmental engineering – Northern Arizona University
 

• PIANC Inland Navigation Commission
• PIANC PTGCC
• American Society of Civil Engineers

2026

• Birnbaum, A., and J. Giovando. In revision. “Hydropower potential derived from streamflow extremes for Alaska, USA.” Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. 
• Reis, W., J. J. Giovando, M. Bartles, and T. A. Dahl. Accepted. “Rain-on-snow events frequently drive peak streamflow across the contiguous United States.” Water Resources Research.
• Giovando, J., and J. D. Niemann. 2026. “Vulnerability of Snowpack to Wildfire and Changing Climate within Western U.S. Ecoregions.” Hydrological Processes 40 (2). https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.70377

2025

• Tedesche, M. E., T. A. Dahl, and J. J. Giovando. 2025. “Changing Snow Regime Classifications Across the Contiguous United States.” Water Resources Research 61 (12). https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr041066.
• Stewart, R. D., M. Flury, H. Ajami, R. G. Anderson, T. R. Green, Y. Jin, A. Patrignani, R. Shillito, W. Zhang, M. R. A. Najm, E. Babaeian, M. Berli, E. N. J. Brookshire, A. L. M. Daigh, S. Franklin, J. Giovando, R. Heinse, J. Heitman, J. Huang, T. Kelleners, M. Naseri, T. E. Ochsner, J. Radolinksi, M. Sadeghi, S. Sasidharan, M. K. Shukla, M. Tuller, O. Wendroth, J. Wu, B. M. Wyatt, Y. Yang, Y. Yu, and Z. F. Zhang. 2025. "Emerging issues and research opportunities in vadose zone processes." Vadose Zone Journal 24: e70030. https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.70030.
• Reis, W., J. Giovando, M. Bartles, T. Dahl, and A. Breverman. 2025. “Snow model complexity evaluation for real-time streamflow forecasting.” Journal of Hydrology 659: 133197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133197 
• Giovando, J., W. Reis, W. Zhang, and N. A. Barth. 2025. “Hydrologic Mechanisms for 2022 Yellowstone River Flood and Comparisons to Recent Historic Floods.” Hydrological Processes 39: e70099. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.70099

2024

• Giovando, J., J. D. Niemann, and S. R. Fassnacht. 2024. “Wildfire Impacts for Temperature Index Snowpack Model Parameters.” Hydrological Processes 38 (11). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15334
• Giovando, J., W. Reis, R. Shillito, E. Shaloka, C. Chow, M. Kohn, and N. Memarsadeghi. 2024. Post-wildfire curve number estimates for the Southern Rocky Mountains in Colorado, USA. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/48652
• Brooke, J., J. Giovando, T. A. Dahl, B. Joyner, and L. Herbert. 2024. “Port and Inland Waterway Design and Operation in the Face of Climate Change Uncertainty.” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering, February 1–13, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1680/jcien.23.00134.

2023

• Harrell, J., C. Frans, R. Aoki, J. Chang, K. Mickelson, M. Warner, J. Giovando, K. Duffy, and E. Heisman. 2023. A Comprehensive Approach to Assess Current and Future Vulnerabilities in the Columbia River Reservoir System Under Climate Change. Technical Report. Seattle, WA: US Army Corps of Engineers–Northwestern Division. 
• Yu, G., T. Liu, L. A. McGuire, D. B. Wright, B. J. Hatchett, J. J. Miller, M. Berli, J. Giovando, M. Bartles, and I. E. Floyd. 2023. “Process‐Based Quantification of the Role of Wildfire in Shaping Flood Frequency.” Water Resources Research. American Geophysical Union (AGU). https://doi.org/10.1029/2023wr035013
• Barnard, D. M., T. R. Green, K. R. Mankin, K. C. DeJonge, C. C. Rhoades, S. K. Kampf, J. Giovando, M. J. Wilkins, A. L. Mahood, M. G. Sears, L. H. Comas, S. M. Gleason, H. Zhang, S. R. Fassnacht, R. D. Harmel, and J. Altenhofen. 2023. “Wildfire and climate change amplify knowledge gaps linking mountain source-water systems and agricultural water supply in the western United States.” In Agricultural Water Management 286: 108377. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108377
• Daly, S. F., J. Giovando, D. Hamill, T. Dahl, and M. Bartles. 2023. Snowmelt Estimation using an Empirical Radiation Model. Journal of Hydrology 619: 129290. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129290
• Engel, C., J. Giovando, and S. Daly. 2023. “River ice modelling for hydropower operations at Albeni Falls Dam, Idaho.” Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering. Canadian Science Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjce-2023-0030
• Engel, C., J. Giovando, and G. Halvorson. 2023. Analysis of Paxton Siphon frazil ice blockage event during January 2022. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/47078
• Giovando, J., C. Engel, D. Vandevort, and C. Chow. 2023. Summary of ice jams and mitigation techniques in Alaska. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/47069
• Wagner, A., C. Engel, D. Ho, J. Giovando, B. Morriss, and E. Deeb. 2023. Stage frequency analysis from snowmelt runoff near Utqiagvik, Alaska. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/47821

2022

• Giovando, J., and J. D. Niemann. 2022. Wildfire impacts on snowpack phenology in a changing climate within the western U.S. Water Resources Research 58: e2021WR031569. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR031569
• Engel, C., R. Hastings, J. Giovando, E. Gabel, C. Duncan, and T. Dahl. 2022. Summary of ground-based snow measurements for the Northeastern United States. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/44122

2021

• Giovando, J., C. Engel, S. Daly, M. Warner, D. Hamill, and E. Heisman. 2021. Wintertime snow and precipitation conditions in the Willow Creek watershed above Ririe Dam, Idaho. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/40479

2020

• RMJOC (River Management Joint Operating Committee). 2020. Climate and Hydrology Datasets for RMJOC Long-Term Planning Studies: Second Edition, Part II: Columbia River Reservoir Regulation and Operations-Modeling and Analysis. Portland, OR, River Management Joint Operating Committee. https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p266001coll1/id/9936.

2019

• Giovando, J., and S. F. Daly. 2019. “Mississippi River Ice Bite.” 20th Workshop on the Hydraulics of Ice Covered Rivers, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 14–16, 2019. CGU HS Committee on River Ice Processes and Environment.
• Giovando, J. J., C. S. Engel, J. S. Rocks, S. F. Daly, D. T. O’Connor, and D. D. Hamill. 2019. Ice management operations at Albeni Falls Dam. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/34364.
• Hamill, D., J. Giovando, C. Engel, J. Rocks, and S. Daly. 2019. “River Ice Classification from High-Angle Oblique Imagery Using Deep Neural Networks.” In Cold Regions Engineering 2019. 18th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering and 8th Canadian Permafrost Conference. American Society of Civil Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482599.032.

2018

• Giovando, J. J., R. B. Haehnel, T. B. Baldwin, and S. F. Daly. 2018. Ice forces along the Missouri River shoreline of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe lands. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://doi.org/10.21079/11681/28005.