Water research institute announces project slate
Published 8:09 am Monday, February 9, 2026
The Idaho Water Resources Research Institute just lately funded initiatives that tackle themes together with water shortage, high quality, expertise and information, and hazards equivalent to flooding.
IWRRI, one of many nation’s 54 water research and expertise facilities, final fall allotted greater than $580,000 for eight initiatives proposed by scientists with the University of Idaho, Boise State University and Idaho State University. State funds additionally will assist 9 initiatives led by institute employees scientists.
The legislature final 12 months allotted $1 million to the institute. The IWRRI Research Advisory Committee recognized and ranked water research wants throughout the state. The institute’s govt board gave remaining approval.
“Idaho’s water future will be shaped by strong, collaborative science, and this year’s funded projects showcase what our universities and partners can achieve together,” institute director Kendra Kaiser mentioned in a launch. “Researchers across the state are tackling challenges that affect every corner of Idaho, from aquifer recharge and snowpack monitoring to water quality and improved access to water data. By investing in this work, we’re equipping Idaho with the knowledge, tools and partnerships needed to make informed decisions and safeguard our water resources for generations to come.”
The Oct. 1 water 12 months, characterised by unusually low snowpack in comparison with complete precipitation in lots of river basins as of the top of January, “is exposing the limits of our current monitoring and forecasting capabilities,” she instructed Capital Press.
Unusual water years will proceed to happen, and the research “is only going to increase in importance,” the Boise-based Kaiser mentioned. “Water managers are hungry for this information.”
Many of the initiatives fall outdoors the scope of different companies, and “we are wanting to facilitate cooperation and coordination among and across entities,” she mentioned.
Faculty research
H.P. Marshall, BSU: Evaluating L-band InSar for Idaho Water Monitoring Applications.
Alejandro Flores, BSU: Enhancing the Visualization of Snow Water Storage Conditions.
Meetpal Kukal, UI: Understanding Consumptive Use on the East Snake Plain Aquifer: Data Gaps, Uncertainty and Impacts.
Kukal, UI; Flores, BSU; Sara Godsey, ISU; and Russell Qualls and Lana Cohen, UI: Assessing Sufficiency, Optimal Deployment and Application-Readiness of Idaho’s Hydrometeoroligical Observation Network.
Jeffrey Langman, Eric Asten and Tim Link, UI: Differentiating Recharge Zones and Primary Flowpaths within the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer by way of Traditional and Nontraditional Groundwater Tracers.
Angel Monsalve, Emily Bedwell, Gregory Moller, Clifford Swanson and Casey Bartrem, UI: Comprehensive Integration and Evaluation of Idaho Water Quality Monitoring.
Tao Huang and Bruce Savage, ISU: Developing Probabilistic Flood Maps for Idaho Under Precipitation Uncertainty Using a Computationally Efficient 2D Hydrodynamic Model.
Andy Tranmer and Daniele Tonina, UI: Monitoring Water Seepage Gains and Losses Along Irrigation Canal Systems.
IWRRI-led initiatives
ESPA water funds hole evaluation;
Analysis of Snake River attain positive aspects between Blackfoot and Minidoka;
Groundwater-surface water funds for Upper Snake;
Water provide evaluation in Snake under Swan Falls Dam and main tributaries;
Pend Oreille case examine on adaptive lake administration;
Data assortment and validation of Sentinel-2 satellite tv for pc floor water high quality metrics;
Sensitive aquifer recharge space toolbox (north Idaho pilot);
Managed aquifer recharge and injection wells – water high quality evaluation; and
Assessing use of recycled water for aquifer recharge.