A new research program is bringing three distinct projects to working landscapes across the Southeast, from aquifer modeling to on-farm rivercane restoration to mapping underground root systems to advance the science of natural erosion control and watershed protection.
U.S. Geological Survey Director Dr. Ned Mamula visited The University of Alabama's campus in late April, touring the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility, NOAA's National Water Center and all three Alabama Water Institute research entities. The visit deepened a growing partnership and sparked new conversations about the future of the nation's critical water resources.
The earlier a student encounters water science, the more likely it is to take root. That idea drives the Alabama Water Institute’s commitment to reaching younger audiences, and it brought AWI to the McWane Science Center for Engineering Day 2026.
The Alabama Water Institute recently welcomed Josiah Gullatte as assistant director of watershed conservation, preservation and restoration, or CPR, at CONSERVE, the Community Oriented Nature-based Science for Ecosystem Restoration and Versatile Engineering Research Program.
Alabama holds approximately 15% of all potable water in the United States, and it has a river delta so ecologically rich it is called “America's Amazon.” However, most Alabama schoolchildren are not aware of it.
MILLBROOK, Ala. — Protecting our vital waterways requires dedicated scientific research and strong regional collaboration. Watersheds are not confined to state and county lines. The health of our rivers depends on the collective effort of researchers, policymakers and local communities. A Gathering of Experts Alabama Water Institute’s CONSERVE Research Group, focused on nature-based watershed conservation,…
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A process that once required two full days of hands-on work by a researcher and graduate student now takes about an hour. The Alabama Water Institute’s Equipment Support Program recently helped fund a Thermo Scientific KingFisher Apex for its CONSERVE Future Ecologies lab. The state-of-the-art genomics platform automates the extraction of DNA, RNA and proteins…
The CONSERVE Research Group highlighted how their nature-based watershed restoration work supports southeastern fish populations during the Southeastern Fishes Council’s annual meeting in Tuscaloosa. Students from across the region showed strong interest in CONSERVE’s rivercane projects and field survey opportunities, underscoring growing momentum for collaborative habitat and conservation research.
AWI’s CONSERVE team is working with tribal partners across 12 states to map rivercane and build a traits database that supports both ecosystem restoration and cultural traditions. Their recent presentation in Florida highlighted how the project strengthens conservation and tribal heritage.
The Alabama Water Institute recently welcomed Dr. Erin White as associate director of science and research operations at CIROH, the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology.
