How does IWRRI identify state research priorities? 

• Research idea submissions are collected yearly October through early February from state and federal agencies, Tribal governments, local governments, irrigation / water districts, NGOs / watershed groups, industries, and the public.
• IWRRI staff organize submissions into a report for the Research Advisory Committee to review.
• IWRRI’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC) identifies and ranks water research needs from across the state in early spring based on the collected submissions.
• Faculty from Boise State University, Idaho State University, and University of Idaho, submit proposals aligning with the identified priorities through a request for proposals process.
• The Executive Board selects projects based on faculty submissions with the strongest alignment using a standardized evaluation matrix and priorities from the RAC.

Past Research Priorities

2025 (FY 2026) Idaho Water Research Priorities