Rory Cowie: PhD / Owner

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Rory has a PhD in Mountain Hydrology from the University of Colorado and a BA in Ecology and Wildlife Biology from Colorado College. Dr. Cowie has worked in remote mountain ranges around the world including projects on Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya, the Annapurna and Everest regions of Nepal,  Mt. Blanc and the Italian Alps, and across the Rocky Mountains and Alaska Ranges in North America. Dr. Cowie's most extensive work has occurred in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado and is currently based in Silverton, CO. 

Dr. Cowie's  professional interests are focused on the processes controlling hydrologic fluxes in mountain regions and across greater earth systems. Specifically, he works on understanding surface water and groundwater interactions in natural and human altered environments. Dr. Cowie's work focuses on both the development of remediation strategies to improve water quality in disturbed settings, and understanding how changing climate will impact water resource management practices across various spatial and temporal domains.

Alpine Water Resources  uses physical hydrology principles combined with analytical chemistry analysis to unravel complex hydrogeology scenarios in mountain settings.  Practical applications include identification of surface and sub-surface water flow paths connecting source waters to discharge points in natural (i.e. wetlands and fens) and anthropogenic (i.e. hard rock mining tunnels) locations across mountain watersheds.   

Matthew grew up in Fort Collins on the Front Range of Colorado. As a young person, he developed a passion for spending time in mountainous environments, and the formative life experiences one could have doing so. After too many hours sitting in I70 traffic, he decided to make the jump down to Durango and the Western Slope. There, he earned a BA in Geology, with a focus in Snow and Avalanche Science, as well as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certificate. His studies there culminated in an undergraduate thesis exploring the snow mechanics relationships between overlying slab thickness and bridging propensity, eventually publishing and presenting at the 2023 International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW).

Matthew has worked in the snow and avalanche industry in various mountain ranges in Colorado and Wyoming, contributing to state and national snow hydrology and avalanche science research campaigns. Matthew has also pursued a parallel career in outdoor education, with extensive experience teaching avalanche courses and moonlighting as a backcountry ski guide in the winter months. In between waiting for the snow to fly, he has pursued his passion for natural sciences and experiential education working for organizations like the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in the warmer months. 

Now with Alpine Water Resources, Matthew wears many hats as a lead hydrology field and data technician, avalanche forecaster, and technical writer. His passion for the intersection between practical natural science and supporting local communities keeps him busy with AWR. 

Matthew has lived in Silverton for the last 4 years. When not at work, you can find him out on the peaks and trails of the Southwest, playing music, or staying involved with the local search and rescue team, and local avalanche education non-profit, Friends of the San Juans. 

Contact Matthew at matt@alpinewaterresources.com

Brenden joined the Alpine Water Resources team in 2025 after founding Backdrop, an analytics engineering and data visualization consulting firm. After completing a Master of Science in Business Analytics, Brenden transitioned out of teaching and student services and into building and maintaining data products. He specializes in building data pipelines, transforming data, performing analysis, and designing data visualizations.

Brenden is actively involved in Silverton when not working in data. He hosts the Mountainfilm on Tour show that comes to town every January; he volunteers for Silverton Medical Rescue on the Mountain Rescue team as well as on the ambulance as an EMT; he supports Silverton Creative District in a variety of ways; and he captains a Hardrock aid station each summer.