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Alabama Water Institute

Shaped by Water: From Marr’s Spring to a Global Water Research Institute

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — In 1827, the location of The University of Alabama was influenced by the presence of a critical water resource called Marr’s Spring. Nearly 200 years later, the University is at the center of global water research advancing science, technology and policy to create a more secure and sustainable water future.

Marr’s Spring’s marker located in The University of Alabama’s campus which reads “Part of Marr’s Field, on farmland owned by William Marr, this spring was a major factor in the selection of this site for the University of Alabama campus in 1827. From its opening in 1831 well into the 20th century, the institution relied upon Marr’s Spring as its principal water source. Water flowing from hillside crevices was collected in these brick cisterns and hauled in buckets to the rooms of students and throughout the campus. A dam for a swimming pond and bathhouse was constructed, supported by the spring and cisterns. By the mid-1880s, as the cisterns began to deteriorate, the University considered repairs until deciding, as the 1889 trustees’ minutes recorded, “it has always been considered doubtful whether the plunging and swimming in the very cold water so directly from the spring is conducive to health.” A 1955 survey found that Marr’s Spring yielded 100 gallons of good, clear, odorless water per minute. The cisterns were renovated in 2010 in an effort to restore the original beauty of this University of Alabama historical landmark.
Marr’s Spring’s marker located on The University of Alabama’s campus.

Drawn by the Spring

On April 20, 1818, the United States Congress passed an act authorizing the creation of a “seminary of learning” in the Alabama territory. Soon named The University of Alabama, a necessary first step after this legislation was passed was to decide where it would be located. According to James B. Sellers in History of The University of Alabama, it was determined that a suitable University site should have “due regard to health, and the fertility of the surrounding country.”

Thirteen locations were considered to have met these criteria and after 19 ballots, Tuscaloosa emerged the selected location with 47 out of 81 votes. Thereafter, Marr’s Spring, a part of the Marr’s Field farmland owned by William Marr was selected as the building site. In a National Intelligencer publication from 1828, Marr’s Spring was reported as eligible on several accounts, particularly due to its water source.

“The site is high and healthy, with several constant springs of pure freestone water, and a sufficiency of forest land to furnish a supply of fuel for the accommodation of generations yet unborn,” the publication stated.

Marr’s Spring walkway bridge built over brick cisterns.
Close-up view of the Marr’s Spring walkway bridge and pond, which spans the historic brick cisterns that once collected and stored water from the spring for use by The University of Alabama.]
Marr’s Spring pool now surrounded by grass and trees.

From 1831 when the University eventually opened until well into the 20th century, the spring served as the University’s primary water supply.

Supporting Water Sustainability, One Drop at a Time

Nearly 200 years after access to a reliable water source shaped the founding of UA, the institution continues that relationship through research and innovation aimed at addressing critical water challenges and supporting a more sustainable future.

The Alabama Water Institute, a research institute located on the University campus, sits at the center of that innovation. Established in 2017, AWI unites interdisciplinary teams to tackle the most pressing water challenges and ensure that communities are better informed, better equipped and better prepared to manage water in a changing world.

An aerial view of The University of Alabama campus highlights the locations of the NOAA National Water Center, the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility and the Alabama Water Institute.
Aerial view of “WaterTown, USA”: the Alabama Water Institute, NOAA National Water Center and USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility

It is home to three research entities: the Global Water Security Center, the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology, or CIROH, and the Community Oriented Nature-based Science for Ecosystem Restoration and Versatile Engineering, or CONSERVE Research Group.

The campus also houses the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Water Center and the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility, contributing to a unique ecosystem that positions UA at the forefront of water science and policy.

As a testament to the work of these research entities, the University has recently been recognized as a national leader in water research, ranking No. 13 in the U.S. and No. 100 globally in water resources.

“We’ve seen significant progress and made measurable impact from the state and local level to the national level and even at the global level, in such a short time,” said GWSC Director Mike Gremillion. “I’m excited to see what the future holds for water research here in Tuscaloosa.”

Building Water Secure Futures

Before modern infrastructure, water from Marr’s Spring was collected from brick cisterns and carried in buckets to the rooms of students and throughout the campus. While this is no longer the case given the advancements in modern water technology, critical water challenges affecting communities in and outside Alabama still persist. 

“I want people to think in terms of critical water,” U.S. Geological Survey Director Dr. Ned Mamula said on a tour of the university’s water research facilities. “It’s a resource. We have to use it wisely.”

Water body of Marr’s Spring surrounded by trees and greenery, with the University of Alabama’s football-shaped water tower featuring a giant crimson “A” in the background.
Marr’s Spring with the UA water tower standing tall in the backdrop overlooking campus.

Through the work of the institute, the University responds to that need, focusing not just on how its students may access water, but also on protecting water futures for communities and ecosystems across the world.

The Alabama Water Institute is one of The University of Alabama’s research institutes. AWI acts as a forum for interdisciplinary research and education by bringing together University researchers, students and staff to foster collaboration and a broad interdisciplinary focus on water issues that face our world today. AWI-affiliated researchers specialize in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, water security and quality, remote sensing, biodiversity and watershed management and human health through synergies with AWI research programs, including the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology, the Global Water Security Center and the CONSERVE Research Group.

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