Abstract
The Water Resources Research Act of 1964 (WRRA) established the network of Water Resource Research Institutes (WRRIs). 60 years on, 54 Institutes carry out water research, education, and science communication for the benefit of the state or territory in which each resides. This article summarizes organizational and fiscal characteristics of the WRRIs and their activities based on Institute reports submitted to the U.S. Geological Survey for the period 2016-2020. The data show that these Institutes are highly diverse fiscally, organizationally, and in the focus of their activities, suggesting that the WRRA provides critical support to sustain the network of Institutes and allows the flexibility to address local challenges in locally relevant and effective ways.
