The Idaho Legislature has allocated $1 million in funding to the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWRRI) to prioritize water research among all of Idaho’s public institutions of higher education. The newly formed IWRRI Executive Board will direct the use of these funds, consistent with the institute’s research priorities to encourage rigorous, actionable water research.
This funding will launch IWRRI into a new phase of fostering connections across the water community to facilitate research on Idaho’s most pressing water topics. It will support IWRRI in accomplishing its mission of addressing state, regional and national water issues by conducting and coordinating research across institutions, sharing current information, and supporting the development of a multi-disciplinary water workforce.
A letter of support to the Idaho Legislature from the Idaho Water Users Association, co-signed by 23 individual Water Districts, stated: “Idaho faces water challenges throughout the State – no area is immune. As we look to the future, we must do all that we can to ensure that our water supplies will meet the needs of the State. Research at IWRRI is key to this effort.”
The IWRRI Executive Board, including leadership from the Idaho Water Users Association, the Department of Environmental Quality and non-profit and industry representatives, will provide strategic guidance for how funds will be distributed. This marks a significant shift in how the institute engages with stakeholders, identifies research priorities and fosters collaboration across the state. Members of the Executive Board bring a wealth of expertise and will help position IWRRI as the central hub for water research in Idaho — connecting people, ideas and solutions.
IWRRI is also in the process of establishing a Research Advisory Committee (RAC) which will identify Idaho water research priorities and projects and provide recommendations to the IWRRI Executive Board. The RAC will include representation across sectors and all three Idaho higher education research institutions.
IWRRI was established by the U of I Board of Regents in 1964 and has recently been revitalized through various University of Idaho efforts. Since the hire of Kendra Kaiser as IWRRI executive director in July 2024, the IWRRI team has significantly increased its outreach and engagement in service to the state. A Water Research Workshop held in February 2025 brought together over 40 water researchers, managers and practitioners from multiple universities, state agencies and the private sector to discuss water supply implications and data needs regarding irrigation modernization in Idaho.
“Thank you to all of the individuals that supported funding IWRRI and Idaho Legislators for recognizing the importance of water research to the state,” Kaiser said. “We appreciate the support from all the water users, water masters and stakeholders in supporting IWRRI, and are looking forward to working on actionable water research with you all. This is an exciting time to be working on water resources in Idaho, we have water users, managers, state agencies and the legislature all agreeing on the value of independent water research and looking to our universities to generate innovative ideas and tools to solve complex water challenges across the state.”
An interim report to the Idaho Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is due December 2025, and an end-of-fiscal year report is due June 2026 on allocation expenditures.
Established in 1964 by the U of I Board of Regents, IWRRI conducts and directs research to support the water resource needs of the state of Idaho, the Northwest region and the nation. IWRRI’s mission is to serve all of Idaho, with staff and affiliated faculty at various locations statewide. IWRRI is one of 54 water research and technology centers across the nation, and the IWRRI team is a statewide team, including members at U of I Boise and U of I Coeur d’Alene. IWRRI also plays an important role in facilitating, participating in and developing innovative education and outreach programs that provide research-generated information to water managers, agency research scientists and the public at large.
