What is it? By Karl Wood, Director. Radio Station? Federal Agency? Environmental Group? Law Firm? Something to do with water?
Post on 21-Dec-2015
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Is the Water Resources Research Institute
at New Mexico State Universitylocated in Las Cruces
but serving all of
New Mexico,
the Borderlands Region,
and the Nation
Became one of 54 state institutes approved nationwide under the
federal Water Resources Research Act of 1964.
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 opportunitiesfor 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...
4. 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
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 (http://wrri.nmsu.edu/index.html) 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...
3. 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 ResearchSymposium – 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 2002-2003
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.
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