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…
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. — 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,’…
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…
CIROH showcased national leadership at the 2025 AGU Meeting, contributing to more than 30 sessions on flood prediction, AI-enabled modeling, community water science and workforce development. CIROH researchers highlighted advances in next-generation water prediction systems while engaging global audiences on research to operations, collaboration and societal impact.
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.…
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.
A new three-year initiative will track PFAS contamination in coastal waters across Alabama and Mississippi, producing the first published data on these persistent chemicals in Gulf Coast waters for the region.
CIROH is building on the momentum of AGU24 as it prepares for AGU25 in New Orleans, where leaders in Earth and space science will gather under the theme “Where Science Connects Us.”
The Alabama Water Institute continues to support its affiliated faculty members and their research across The University of Alabama with new tools that expand capabilities in labs and in the field.
