Water is our focus.
Water is the central focus of our research and the support we offer to faculty members at The University of Alabama. It plays a vital role in sustaining our lives and ecosystems. It is a finite and essential resource, and its availability and quality are increasingly threatened by climate change, population growth, pollution and overuse. AWI’s transdisciplinary research into water resources, management and conservation is necessary to understand complex hydrological systems and to develop sustainable solutions to manage and protect water resources for present and future generations.
Research Entities
Global Water Security Center
The Global Water Security Center leverages cutting-edge science to deliver critical water and environmental security insights to key decision-makers and provides reliable tools and analysis to support national water security interests.
CIROH
CIROH is a one-of-a-kind partnership between The University of Alabama, NOAA and the National Weather Service, aimed at revolutionizing U.S. water forecasting through collaboration among 28 institutions.
CONSERVE
CONSERVE draws on The University of Alabama’s wide-ranging interdisciplinary expertise to address biodiversity and watershed management challenges through community-centered research.
Research News
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Rivercane Restoration Revives Coastal Alabama Watershed
A major restoration project led by the CONSERVE Research Group is bringing giant rivercane back to Alabama’s D’Olive Creek watershed, where 1,500 plants and rhizomes will help improve water quality, reduce erosion and restore native habitat.
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CONSERVE and USDA Partner to Advance Water Quality and Soil Science
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.
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USGS Director Tours UA Water Research Hub, Praises Partnerships and Programs
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.
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U.S. News Highlights UA’s Growing Water Research Impact
The University of Alabama earned top recognition in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities rankings, placing No. 13 nationally and No. 100 globally in Water Resources as UA continues expanding its impact in water research, forecasting and workforce development.
Publications & Media
WaterWorks Seminar
AWI holds a monthly seminar series called WaterWorks: Conversations at the Intersection of Water, Science and Society.
Annual Report
AWI’s Annual Report highlights a year of progress in advancing water science, technology and policy.
Our Impact
$34M Total FY24 Extramural Funds
$520K Research Support Provided
46 Employees
34 New Research Projects
159 Affiliated Papers Published
696 Research Presentations
23 Students Attending Summer Institute
11 Students Joining NRT
9 Students in First REU
224K Social Media Impressions
26K Social Media Engagements