What is it? By Karl Wood, Director

Radio Station? Federal Agency? Environmental Group? Law Firm? Something to do with water?

Is the Water Resources Research Institute at New Mexico State University located in Las Cruces but serving all of New Mexico, the Borderlands Region, and the Nation

NMSU WNMU NMT UNM NMHU ENMU WRRI serves all the State’s universities

Became one of 54 state institutes approved nationwide under the federal Water Resources Research Act of Established in 1963 by the New Mexico State University Board of Regents

- - One of 54 institutes nationwide -Member of National Institutes for Water Resources -Rated in top 5 during last review in 2000

- - Member of Powell Consortium Arizona Water Resources Research Center California Water Resources Center Colorado Water Resources Research Institute Nevada Water Resources Center New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute Oklahoma Water Research Institute Texas Water Research Institute Utah Water Research Laboratory Wyoming Water Research Program

The Mission To develop and disseminate knowledge that will assist the state, region and nation in solving water resources problems

Specifically: WRRI 1. Encourages university faculty statewide to pursue critical areas of water resources research 2.Provides training opportunities for students who will become our future water resources scientists, technicians, and managers

Specifically: WRRI continued... 3.Provides an outlet for transferring research findings and other related information to keep water managers and the general public apprised of new technology and research advances. Our mailing list contains 2,013 names

Specifically: WRRI continued Maintains a unique infrastructure that links it with many federal, state, regional, and local entities to provide expertise and specialized assistance. Our Web Site receives about 1,000 hits each month

Areas of Specialty 1. Water Conservation 2. Planning and Management 3. Atmospheric-surface- groundwater relationships 4. Water Quality

Facilities WRRI is solely housed in Stucky Hall on the NMSU Campus.

Facilities A reference room located at WRRI includes nearly 10,000 books, technical reports, periodicals and maps. A Geographic Information System (GIS) laboratory is the data base of water resources in New Mexico. A web page ( provides extensive information to accomplish WRRI’s mission

Successes During the last three decades, WRRI has: 1. Administered over 300 research and educational projects, funded from federal, state, local and privates sources, led by approximately 250 investigators statewide 2. Trained more than 2,000 graduate and undergraduate students

Successes continued Conducts the New Mexico Water Conference, which has been held annually for more than 45 years in different cities throughout the state as a popular public forum for state water issues (200 – 300 participants) 5. WRRI is considered to be the statewide nucleus for coordinating water resources research. 4.Conducted the first New Mexico Water Research Symposium – August 13, 2002 (175 participants)

What is the problem? WRRI has a research mission Current state funding has not increased except for inflation since its founding in 1964 Current funding has not increased even for inflation since 1980

What is the problem continued… Current funding covers operation of the WRRI but leaves no money for research. Current funding does not give money for state match to federal projects, so that federal projects are not obtainable WRRI received a 7.5% decrease in state funding for

What is the problem continued…. Many federal projects are going to adjacent states because we are not able to meet the state matching requirements Current funding does not allow travel and per diem to obtain additional money Attempts were made in 2001 and 2002 at the New Mexico Legislature to obtain an increase in base funding for WRRI. These attempts have failed.

Questions?