Greg Kerr, Director OWP
Department 4309
Office: 241 Hill Hall
1000 East University Ave
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: (307) 766-6656
Email: rrek@uwyo.edu
In the West, water is critical to survival. Water administration, management, and development issues are becoming increasingly more complex and information required for proper decision making involves technical questions which can often be addressed through research. In addition, water administrators, managers, and operators often require advanced training which is normally obtained through graduate programs associated with water related research. The State of Wyoming recognizes these needs and has joined as a participant in the support and activities of the Wyoming National Institutes of Water Resources (NIWR).
The State Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) program places an Institute at the land-grant universities or at another college or university in each of 54 states or territories. The WRRI program evolved from the Water Resources Research Act of 1964, as amended, the Water Research and Development Act of 1978, Public Law (P.L.) 96-457, and section 104 of the Water Research and Development Act of 1984. The institutes authorized by the Act are organized as the NIWR which, since 1983, cooperates with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in establishing and monitoring programmatic direction, reporting Institute activities, and facilitating regional research, information transfer, and student training.
In late 1999, the Wyoming Water Research Program (WRP) was initiated to oversee the coordination of Wyoming's participation in the NIWR program. The primary purposes of the WRP are to support and coordinate research relative to important water resources problems of the State and Region, support the training of scientists in relevant water resource fields, and promote the dissemination and application of the results of water-related research. State support for the WRP includes direct funding through the Wyoming Water Development Commission and active State participation in identifying research needs and project selection and oversight. Primary participants in the WRP are the USGS, the Wyoming Water Development Commission, and the University of Wyoming. A key element of the WRP is its focus on State needs, while concurrently meeting the objectives of the NIWR program. Benefits of the Water Research Program (WRP) to the State of Wyoming include support of water related research, both short term and long term, addressing water issues important to the State and Region; support of water related training and education; availability of personnel with water expertise to assist in addressing technical questions; and coordination of agency and UW personnel.
A WRP Priority and Selection Committee (P&S Committee)—consisting of representatives from State and Federal agencies involved in water related activities—solicits and identifies research needs, selects projects, and reviews and monitors progress. The Director serves as a point of coordination for all activities and serves to encourage research by the University of Wyoming addressing the needs identified by the P&S Committee. Faculty acquire funding through competitive, peer reviewed proposals, upon recommendation by the P&S Committee and approval by the NIWR program. Depending upon available funding, an annual request for proposal is released in late August or early September. The latest RFP can be viewed under the Funding Opportunities link.
Greg Kerr, Director OWP
Department 4309
Office: 241 Hill Hall
1000 East University Ave
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: (307) 766-6656
Email: rrek@uwyo.edu