The Virginia Water Resources Research Center is pleased to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the National Institutes of Water Resources!
The National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) comprises 54 Water Resources Research Institutes—one in each state, D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam—established under the Water Resources Research Act of 1964 and 1984. This extensive network plays a crucial role in addressing water-related challenges and fostering collaboration to ensure sustainable water resources.
After the 1964 Water Resources Research Act was passed, Dr. T. Marshall Hahn, Jr., the president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI; as it was named at this time) worked closely with the then governor, Albertis S. Harrison, Jr. to have a water center located at VPI. On May 7, 1965, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Director of the Office of Water Resources Research, U.S. Department of the Interior establishing a water center at VPI. This also established the Virginia Water Resources Research Center as a member of NIWR.
Over the past 60 years, NIWR has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of water resources management, water quality, and related environmental issues. Through its member institutes, NIWR has supported countless research projects, trained new generations of water scientists and engineers, and provided valuable information to policymakers and the public.
Read more about the National Institutes of Water Resources and the Water Resources Research Act here.
