Jon Riedel — North Cascades Institute

Jon L. Riedel holds a M.S. degree in Geography from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in Earth Science from Simon Fraser University (2007). His academic and professional career have focused on understanding the glacial and fluvial history of Skagit Valley, and he has published more than a dozen peer-reviewed studies.

Jon retired from the U.S. National Park Service at North Cascades National Park after a 40-year career as an interpreter, ranger, wilderness steward, and geologist. He applied knowledge of geology to manage erosion issues on rivers and reservoirs throughout the region, and by leading development of the Stehekin River Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. Major accomplishments include development and implementation of erosion control plans for Lake Chelan and the Skagit reservoirs. Jon led development of the Stehekin River Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement following the record flood of 2003. He established a glacier monitoring program at North Cascades NP in 1993 that was extended to Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks in 2003 and 2013, respectively.

Jon continues to be active professionally as a licensed geologist with his consulting business, Skagit Quaternary. He is currently leading a multi-year effort to map the surficial geology of the Skagit Valley floor from Gorge Dam to Puget Sound and is investigating groundwater resources in lower Skagit Valley. He is a Research Associate at Western Washington University, serves on the board of directors for the Northwest Scientific Association and the Skagit Climate Science Consortium, and is an alternate U.S. Commissioner for the Skagit Environmental Endowment Fund.