Category News


Engineering Day Brings Water Science into Focus for Middle School Students

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— 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 in Birmingham, Alabama, on Feb. 25. This annual event held during National Engineering…


Gullatte Joins CONSERVE as Assistant Director of Watershed Conservation, Preservation and Restoration

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— 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. Gullatte will lead efforts to develop new projects and sustain existing restoration initiatives across the Southeast, with work spanning…


New ‘CIROH Hub’ to Streamline Access to Water Research, Tools and Data

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology, or CIROH, today announced the launch of the CIROH Hub, a new centralized platform designed to provide seamless access to the consortium’s research, data, tools and community resources. The platform is now live at hub.ciroh.org. As CIROH’s digital footprint expanded, its resources became distributed across multiple…


Delta Kids: Bringing Water Science to Alabama Classrooms

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— 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. “Delta Kids,” a new illustrated children’s book from Clean Water Alabama, is working to change that. The book…


Advancing Watershed Conservation: CONSERVE Supports ARSN’s Mission

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,…


From Anthropology Student to CONSERVE Storyteller

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Ekaterina Menkina, a University of Alabama anthropology student, had never touched professional filming equipment before. However, the Alabama Water Institute’s CONSERVE Research Group took a chance on her in 2024, handing over professional-grade camera equipment and trusting her to document ancient pictographs 800 miles from Tuscaloosa. “I saw the words ‘creative’ and ‘art,’…


CONSERVE Future Ecologies Lab Brings Advanced DNA Analysis to UA

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…


New CIROH Research Awards Advance NextGen Water Prediction

CIROH announces $25.5 million in funding for 47 new research projects that will help communities better prepare for floods, droughts and changing water conditions. Supported by NOAA and USGS, this work will improve water forecasting tools, expand the use of AI, strengthen coastal and flood prediction and advance new observing technologies to turn cutting-edge science…


NextGen In A Box Expands Real-World Impact Through Cutting-Edge Hydrology Modeling

The Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH) is helping revolutionize water modeling with NextGen In A Box (NGIAB), a containerized, open-source tool that is making powerful hydrological simulation more accessible than ever. Until recently, configuring localized water models using the Next Generation Water Resource Modeling framework required specialized knowledge and time-intensive setup.…


CONSERVE Rivercane Project Draws Student Interest at SFC Annual Meeting

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.