Water Resources Research Act Program
The Water Resources Research Act Program, authorized by section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, is a Federal-State partnership which:
- Plans, facilitates, and conducts research to aid in the resolution of State and regional water problems
- Promotes technology transfer and the dissemination and application of research results
- Provides for the training of scientists and engineers through their participation in research
- Provides for competitive grants to be awarded under the Water Resources Research Act
The state water resources research institutes (WRRI) authorized by the Act are organized as the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR). NIWR cooperates with the USGS to support, coordinate and facilitate research through the Annual Base Grants, National Competitive Grants, Coordination Grants, and in operating the NIWR-USGS Student Internship Program. Visit the Application Information page to learn more about these grant opportunities.
If you're looking for a USGS collaborator or want to talk more about our ongoing science in your area, please contact us!
The Institutes
There are 54 Water Resources Research Institutes or Centers, one in each of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.
The Water Resources Research Institute for each state or territory is located at its "1862" land-grant university or at another college or university designated by the governor or state legislature. The Institute in Guam is a regional institute serving Guam, The Federated States of Micronesia, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Institute in Hawaii also serves American Samoa.
The National Institutes for Water Resources Directory is available for download in pdf format.
Alabama
Auburn University Water Resources Center
Auburn University
1090 South Donahue Drive
Auburn, Alabama 36849-5431
Dr. Eve Brantley, Director
brantley@auburn.edu
Phone: (334) 844-3927
Fax: (334) 844-4462
Alaska
Water and Environmental Research Center
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-5860
Dr. Nicole Misarti, WERC Director
nmisarti@alaska.edu
Phone: (907) 474-7789
Fax: (907) 474-7041
Arizona
Water Resources Research Center
The University of Arizona
350 N. Campbell Ave.
Tucson, Arizona 85721
Dr. Sharon Megdal, Director
smegdal@email.arizona.edu
Phone: (520) 621-9591
Fax: (520) 792-8518
Arkansas
Arkansas Water Resources Center
University of Arkansas
Engineering Hall 203
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
Dr. Brian E. Haggard, Director
haggard@uark.edu
Phone: (479) 575-2879
Fax: (479) 575-2846
California
California Institute for Water Resources
University of California
1111 Franklin Street, Rm. 10206
Oakland, California 94607
Dr. Erik Porse, Director
eporse@ucanr.edu
Phone: (530) 240-2612
Fax: (530) 832-8612
Colorado
Colorado Water Center
Colorado State University
E-102 Engineering Building
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1033
Dr. John Tracy, Director
John.tracy@colostate.edu
Phone: (970) 491-6880
Fax: (970) 491-1636
Connecticut
Connecticut Institute of Water Resources
The University of Connecticut
W. B. Young Building, Room 308
1376 Storrs Road, U-18
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-4018
Dr. Michael Dietz, Director
michael.dietz@uconn.edu
Phone: (860) 486-2436
Fax: (860) 486-5408
Delaware
Water Resources Center
University of Delaware
DGS Annex-261 Academy Street
Newark, Delaware 19716
Dr. Gerald J. Kauffman, Director
jerryk@udel.edu
Phone: (302) 831-4929
Fax: (302) 831-4934
District of Columbia
Water Resource Research Institute
University of the District of Columbia
College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences
4200 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Bldg. 42 Room 215C
Washington, District of Columbia 20008
Tolessa Deksissa, Ph.D., Director
tdeksissa@udc.edu
Phone: (202) 274-5273
Fax: (202) 274-7016
Florida
Water Resources Research Center
University of Florida
365 Weil Hall
P.O. Box 116580
Gainesville, Florida 32611-6580
Dr. Kirk Hatfield, Co-Director
khatf@ce.ufl.edu
Phone: (352) 392-9537 ext 1441
Fax: (352) 392-3394
Dr. Mark Newman, Co-Director
markn@ufl.edu
Phone: (352) 392-9537 ext 1518
Fax: (352) 392-3394
Georgia
Georgia Water Resources Institute
Georgia Institute of Technology
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
790 Atlantic Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0355
Dr. Aris P. Georgakakos, Director
ageorgak@ce.gatech.edu
Phone: (404) 894-2240
Fax: (404) 894-2677
Guam
Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific
University of Guam
303 University Drive
Mangilao, Guam 96923
Dr. Ross Miller, Interim Director
millerr@triton.uog.edu
Phone: (671) 735-2145
Fax: (671) 734-8890
Hawaii
Water Resources Research Center
University of Hawaii
2540 Dole Street, Room 283
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
Dr. Thomas Giambelluca, Director
thomas@hawaii.edu
Phone: (808) 956-7847
Fax: (808) 956-5044
Dr. Tao Yan, Associate Director
taoyan@hawaii.edu
Phone: (808) 956-7848
Fax: (808) 956-5044
Idaho
Idaho Water Resources Research Institute
University of Idaho
1031 N. Academic Way, Rm 216
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814
Dr. Bradley Ritts, Acting Director
ritts@uidaho.edu
Phone: (208) 885-1146
Fax: (208) 885-6431
Illinois
Illinois Water Resources Center
University of Illinois
391 NRB, MC-650
615 East Peabody Drive
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Dr. Yu-Feng Lin, Director
yflin@illinois.edu
Phone: (217) 300-2101
Indiana
Indiana Water Resources Research Center
Purdue University
195 Marsteller Street
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
Dr. Keith Cherkauer, Director
cherkaue@purdue.edu
Phone: (765) 496-7982
Fax: (765) 496-2422
Iowa
Iowa Water Center
Iowa State University
Department of Agronomy
3212 Agronomy Hall
Ames, Iowa 50011-1010
Dr. Rick Cruse, Director
rmc@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-7850
Fax: (515) 294-3163
Kansas
Kansas Water Resources Institute
Kansas State University Research and Extension
44 Waters Hall
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
Dr. Susan Metzeger, Director
smetzger@k-state.edu
Phone: (785) 532-0393
Fax: (785) 532-2023
Kentucky
Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute
University of Kentucky
233 Mining and Mineral Resources Building
Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0107
Dr. Jason Unrine, Director
jason.unrine@uky.edu
Phone: (859) 257-3655
Fax: (859) 323-1049
Louisiana
Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute
Louisiana State University
3418G Patrick F. Taylor Hall
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
Dr. Frank Tsai, Director
ftsai@lsu.edu
Phone: (225) 578-4945
Fax: (225) 578-5043
Maine
Maine Water Resources Research Institute
University of Maine
Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research
102 Norman Smith Hall
Orono, Maine 04469-5710
Dr. David Hart, Director
david.hart@maine.edu
Phone: (207) 581-3257
Fax: (207) 581-3320
Maryland
Maryland Water Resources Research Center
University of Maryland
Civil and Environmental Engineering
1173 Glenn L. Martin Hall
College Park, Maryland 20742
Dr. Kaye L. Brubaker, Director
kbru@umd.edu
Phone: (301) 405-1965
Fax: (301) 405-2585
Massachusetts
Water Resources Research Center
University of Massachusetts
209 Ag Engineering Bldg
250 Natural Resources Rd
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
Dr. Timothy Randhir, Director
randhir@eco.umass.edu
Phone: (413) 545-3969
Marie-Francoise Hatte, Associate Director
mfhatte@umass.edu
Phone: (413) 545-5531
Michigan
Institute of Water Research
Michigan State University
101A Manly Miles Building
1405 South Harrison Road
East Lansing, Michigan 48823-5243
Dr. Dana M. Infante, Interim Director
infanted@msu.edu
Phone: (517) 432-7232
Fax: (517) 353-1812
Dr. Jeremiah Asher, Assistant Director
asherjer@msu.edu
Phone: (517) 432-5586
Fax: (517) 353-1812
Minnesota
Water Resources Center
University of Minnesota
173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
Dr. Jeffrey M. Peterson, Director
jmpeter@umn.edu
Phone: (612) 624-9282
Fax: (612) 625-1263
Mississippi
Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute
Mississippi State University
Mailstop 9601
Bost Extension Building, Rm 404
Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762-9601
Dr. Larry J. Krutz, Director
jkrutz@ext.msstate.edu
Phone: (662) 588-8974
Fax: (662) 325-8407
Missouri
Missouri Water Resources Research Center
University of Missouri-Columbia
E2509 Laferre Hall
Columbia, Missouri 65211
Dr. Baolin Deng, Director
dengb@missouri.edu
Phone: (573) 882-4638
Fax: (573) 884-2766
Montana
Montana Water Center
Montana State University
Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences
Bozeman, Montana 59715
Dr. Stephanie Ewing, Director
stephanie.ewing@montana.edu
Phone: (406) 994-5247
Fax: (406) 994-1774
Nebraska
Nebraska Water Center
University of Nebraska
Daugherty Water for Food Institute
2021 Transformation Dr., Ste. 3220, P.O. Box 886204
Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-6204
Dr. Chittaranjan Ray, Director
nwcdirector@unl.edu
Phone: (402) 472-3305
Fax: (402) 472-3610
Nevada
Nevada Water Resources Research Institute
Division of Hydrologic Sciences
Desert Research Institute
2215 Raggio Parkway
Reno, Nevada 89512
Charles Russell, Director
chuck.russell@dri.edu
Phone: 702-862-5486
Fax: 702-862-5427
New Hampshire
NH Water Resources Research Center
University of New Hampshire
114 James Hall
56 College Road
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
William H. McDowell, Director
bill.mcdowell@unh.edu
Phone: (603) 862-2249
Fax: (603) 862-4976
Michelle Daley, Associate Director
michelle.daley@unh.edu
Phone: (603) 862-2341
Fax: (603) 862-4976
New Jersey
New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute
Rutgers University
Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
14 College Farm Road
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
Dr. Christopher C. Obropta, Director
obropta@envsci.rutgers.edu
Phone: (848) 932-5711
Fax: (732) 932-8644
New Mexico
New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute
New Mexico State University
Box 30001
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8001
Dr. Alexander G. ("Sam") Fernald, Director
afernald@nmsu.edu
Phone: (575) 646-4337
Fax: (575) 646-6418
New York
New York State Water Resources Institute
Cornell University
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
1123 Bradfield Hall
Ithaca, New York 14853-1901
Dr. Brian Rahm, Director
bgr4@cornell.edu
Phone: (607) 254-7163
Fax: (607) 255-2106
North Carolina
NC Water Resources Research Institute
North Carolina State University
Campus Box 7912
Raleigh, North Carolina 27695
Dr. Susan White, Director
snwhite3@ncsu.edu
Phone: (919) 513-1145
Fax: (919) 515-7095
Dr. John Fear, Deputy Director
jmfear@ncsu.edu
Phone: (919) 515-9104
Fax: (919) 515-7095
North Dakota
North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute
North Dakota State University
Department #2890
P.O. Box 6050
Fargo, North Dakota 58108-6050
Dr. Xinhua Jia, Director
xinhua.jia@ndsu.edu
Phone: (701) 231-6453
Fax: (701) 231-6185
Ohio
Ohio Water Resources Center
The Ohio State University
311 Hitchcock Hall
2070 Neil Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1275
Dr. Linda Weavers, Co-Director
ohiowrc@osu.edu
Phone: (614) 292-4061
Fax: (614) 292-3780
Dr. John Lenhart, Co-Director
ohiowrc@osu.edu
Phone: (614) 688-8157
Fax: (614) 292-3780
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Water Resources Center
Oklahoma State University
110 Noble Research Center
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078-6010
Dr. Kevin Wagner, Director
kevin.wagner@okstate.edu
Phone: (405) 744-7093
Oregon
Institute for Water and Watersheds
Oregon State University
210 Strand Agriculture Hall
Corvallis, Oregon 97331-3906
Dr. Todd Jarvis, Interim Director
Todd.Jarvis@oregonstate.edu
Phone: (541) 737-4032
Fax: (541) 737-1887
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center
The Pennsylvania State University
304 Forest Resources Building
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
Dr. Andrew Warner, Director
atwarner@psu.edu
Phone: (814) 863-6441
Fax: (888) 865-8454
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Water Resources and Environmental Research Institute
University of Puerto Rico
P.O. Box 9040
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00681-9040
Dr. Walter Silva Araya, Director
walter.silva2@upr.edu
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext 2134
Fax: (787) 832-0119
Rhode Island
Water Resources Center
University of Rhode Island
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
318 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering
2 East Alumni Avenue
Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
Dr. Vinka Oyanedel-Craver, Director
craver@uri.edu
Phone: (401) 874-2784
Fax: (401) 874-2786
South Carolina
South Carolina Water Resources Center
Clemson University
509 Westinghouse Rd.
Pendleton, South Carolina 29670
Dr. Jeffrey S. Allen, Director
jsallen@clemson.edu
Phone: (864) 646-2145
Fax: (864) 656-4780
South Dakota
South Dakota Water Resources Research Institute
South Dakota State University
Agricultural Experiment Station
AE 107, Box 2120
Brookings, South Dakota 57007-1496
Dr. John McMaine, Director
john.mcmaine@sdstate.edu
Phone: (605) 688-5141
Fax: (605) 688-4917
Dr. Rachel McDaniel, Assistant Director
rachel.mcdaniel@sdstate.edu
Phone: (605) 688-5669
Fax: (605) 688-4917
Tennessee
Tennessee Water Resources Research Center
The University of Tennessee
600 Henley St., Suite 311
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-4134
Dr. John S. Schwartz, Director
jschwart@utk.edu
Phone: (865) 974-7721
Fax: (865) 974-1838
Mr. Tim Gangaware, Assistant Director
gangwrrc@utk.edu
Phone: (865) 974-2151
Fax: (865) 974-1838
Texas
Texas Water Resources Institute
Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural
Resources
2260 TAMU
College Station, Texas 77843-2260
Dr. T. Allen Berthold, Interim Director
allen.berthold@ag.tamu.edu
Phone: (979) 314-2467
Fax: (979) 845-0662
Utah
The Utah Center for Water Resources Research
Utah State University
8200 Old Main Hill
Logan, Utah 84322-8200
Dr. David Tarboton, Director
dtarb@usu.edu
Phone: (435)-797-3172
Fax: (435) 797-3663
Vermont
Vermont Water Resources and Lake Studies Center
The University of Vermont
George D. Aiken Center for Natural Resources
81 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, Vermont 05405
Dr. Anne Jefferson, Director
Anne.Jefferson@uvm.edu
Fax: (802) 656-8683
Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Water Resources Research Institute
University of the Virgin Islands
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802
Dr. Kristin Wilson, Director
kristin.wilson@live.uvi.edu
Phone: (340) 693-1392
Virginia
Virginia Water Resources Research Center
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
210 Cheatham Hall, MC 0444
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0001
Dr. Stephen Schoenholtz, Director
schoenhs@vt.edu
Phone: (540) 231-0711
Fax: (540) 231-6673
Washington
State of Washington Water Research Center
Washington State University
Jonathan Yoder, Director
Professor, School of Economic Sciences
P.O. Box 646210
Hulbert 203b
Pullman, Washington 99164-6210
yoder@wsu.edu
Phone: (509)-335-8596
Fax: (509) 335-1590
West Virginia
West Virginia Water Research Institute
West Virginia University
Box 6064
Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6064
Dr. Paul Ziemkiewicz, Director
pziemkie@wvu.edu
Phone: (304) 293- 6958
Fax: (304) 293-7822
Melissa O’Neal, Assistant Director
moneal@mail.wvu.edu
Phone: (304) 293-7006
Wisconsin
Water Resources Institute
The University of Wisconsin-Madison
1975 Willow Drive - 2nd Floor
Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1177
Dr. James P. Hurley, Director
hurley@aqua.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-0905
Fax: (608) 262-0591
Wyoming
Office of Water Programs
The University of Wyoming
Department 4309
1000 E. University Avenue
Laramie, Wyoming 82071
Mr. Greg Kerr, Director
rrek@uwyo.edu
Phone: (307) 766-6656
Annual Reports
To obtain an annual report, first select a year from the Year menu. The available reports for that year will then appear in the Reports menu.
To obtain annual reports for 2017 and earlier, please send us a request with the year and Institute you want.
News and Events
WRRA 5-year Evaluation Covering Fiscal Years 2016-2020
June 7, 2023
The WRRA 5-year evaluation report covering fiscal years 2016-2020 is currently in process and is due by 5:00 pm ET on August 15, 2023. Your Institute should have received an email from us with the files needed to complete the evaluation. If you did not, please contact us as soon as possible at gs-w.wrri.web.team@usgs.gov.
Sponsored Research of the National Institutes for Water Resources
May 17, 2023
The latest issue of the Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education (JCWRE) features important water research by researchers and students studying at The National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) and The Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR) institutions of higher learning. This research was supported by USGS WRRA 104b and 104g grants.
DOI Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Policy Change
December 15, 2022
The Department of Interior has issued new guidelines for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS). In particular, all UAS operated under DOI operational control, including cooperator aircraft, must have a current OAS-36U DOI UAS Data Card or letter of authorization issued by the Office of Aviation Services. Please review the updated OPM-11 documentation for detailed information if you are submitting a budget or proposal that includes UAS.
Status, Opportunities, and Priorities for 2020-2030
Water Resources Research Act Program—Current Status, Development Opportunities, and Priorities for 2020–30 was released on 24 November 2021. This report presents a 10-year vision for the WRRA Program that the USGS Water Resources Mission Area and 54 State water resources research institutes can use to help solve the Nation’s water problems.
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Contact Us: If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the WRRA Program team at gs-w.wrri.web.team@usgs.gov.