What is it? By Karl Wood, Director. Radio Station? Federal Agency? Environmental Group? Law Firm? Something to do with water?

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 Universitylocated 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 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

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 (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.

Questions?