UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR WATER RESEARCH

Water resources and water-related issues are currently frequent media topics. Citizens, policy makers, the press, and researchers debate, discuss, and search for answers to water resources questions. In local communities, regional and state jurisdictions, and national and international arenas, considerable attention is focused on quality water in sufficient quantities to meet the demands of affected populations. And, as with any natural resource, decisions are inextricably linked to public opinion, environmental impact, economic development, and population growth.

At Oklahoma State University, the University Center for Water Research (UCWR) has been studying water issues and providing solutions to water problems for many years. The recent intensified interest in water resources only reiterates that the UCWR's investment in water research, education, and information transfer were targeted toward issues of great importance to the citizens of Oklahoma's communities and beyond.

With this philosophy that clean water of adequate quantity and quality is essential to the physical and economic health of individuals, communities, and nations, the UCWR strives to provide funding and information for researchers and information and management protocols for decision makers. The UCWR is responsible for the administration of the Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute (OWRRI), the Environmental Protection Agency's National Center for Ground Water Research (NCGWR), and the Water Research Center (WRC), developed as a "center of excellence" by the State of Oklahoma (see Figure 1). This combination of responsibilities provides the Center with this opportunity to coordinate the University's research programs with outside agencies such as the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory, the other 53 water resources research institutes throughout the country, and other state and federal agencies involved in water resources research and management programs. This interaction provides a broad base of knowledge and experience from which new research projects evolve, and it allows the UCWR to maximize its available resources.

OKLAHOMA WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The U.S. Congress established the OWRRI in 1965 along with an institute in each of the other 53 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. This network of institutes insures a water resources research program of national interest and effectiveness that also allows for concentration on issues of importance to the states. Collectively, the institutes cooperate through two professional organizations, the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) and the Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR). This cooperation insures that research efforts are coordinated and a strong information network is maintained.

In fiscal year 1993, the OWRRI funded eight research projects:

Biological Treatment of Contaminated Air Streams Created During the Cleanup of Contaminated Soils and Aquifers *
Field Application of the Determination of Bacterial Number *
Carcinogenic Potential of Oklahoma Waters *
Hydrologic/Water Quality Modeling with Geographic Information Systems *
Borehole Geophysical Methods for Evaluating Ground Water Monitoring Well Integrity and Effectiveness *
Characterization of Macropore Flow Using Gamma Ray Tomography *
Development of High Performance Capillary Electrophoresis Methods for the Separation and Detection of Some Pollutants in Water Samples *
Biodiversity in Oklahoma in Relation to Precipitation Based on this seed funding, researchers generated 23 publications and nearly $.5 million in additional research funding.

WATER RESEARCH CENTER

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education established the WRC in 1979. The WRC receives state appropriations to fund projects through a state "center of excellence" in water research. In fiscal year 1993, the WRC funded 15 research projects conducted by researchers from all seven colleges on the Stillwater campus of Oklahoma State University:

Impact of Land Application of Sewage Sludge on Soil and Water Quality in Oklahoma *
Development of CHAWQÑCell Health Assay of Water Quality *
Ecological Risk Assessment of Contaminants in Lake Ecosystems *
Contact Photosensitization by Contaminants of Aquatic Environments *
A User-Friendly Database for Water Pollution Control Research *
Feasibility Study of the Continuous-Flow Implementation of a Rotating Enzyme Reactor and a Stationary Ring Electrode for Analytical Assessment of Pollution *
The Retinoblastoma Gene: A Novel Biomarker for Evaluating the Carcinogenic Potential of Aquatic Pollutants *
Light Scattering Studies of the Colloidal Transport of Sorbed Contaminants in Porous Media *
Preliminary Activities Necessary to Pursue ÒDevelopment of Optimum Control Approaches for Multibase Pollutants in Groundwater under UncertaintyÓ *
Forecasting Water Demands Using Neural Nets *
Families and Environmental Events in Oklahoma and Alaska *
An Analysis of the Cognitive Structure of Water Resource Concepts Held by High School Students *
Toxicity-Based Approach to Evaluating Groundwater Contamination Using Microtox *
Bioremediation of Pesticide-Contaminated Soils under Anaerobic Conditions *
Evaluation of Cytochrome P-450 Induction in the Wild Cotton Rat as a Monitor of Environmental Contamination

The WRC also funds the Water Resources Presidential Fellowship Program. This program encourages nationally competitive graduate students to pursue advanced degrees in water resources disciplines at Oklahoma State University. In 1993, the Fellowship program supported 12 students in eight different disciplines. Fellowship recipients have made, and continue to make, important contributions to the literature and knowledge base of water resources research.

NATIONAL CENTER FOR GROUND WATER RESEARCH

The NCGWR is an Environmental Protection Agency consortium composed of Oklahoma State University, University of Oklahoma, Rice University, and University of Texas. Established in 1979, the purpose of the NCGWR is to focus attention on the importance of ground water, to train future scientists, and to establish methods and a data base for the protection and management of the nationÕs ground water. The NCGWR works closely with the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory in Ada, Oklahoma.

UCWR INFORMATION TRANSFER

The UCWR is involved in information transfer activities that promote and enhance water research efforts. The UCWR newsletter, Waterfax, provides a mechanism for communicating the activities of water researchers at OSU, current events in water research, and items of interest to those involved with water resources. The UCWR publishes two bi-monthly flyers, Upcoming Events and Library Acquisitions. In 1993 the UCWR published the fourth edition of the Directory of Water Resources Professionals in Oklahoma, a comprehensive directory of individuals and organizations involved in water resources in the state.

The UCWR uses conferences and meetings as another means of coordinating water research efforts and transferring information. In 1993, the UCWR co-sponsored a technical conference, Oklahoma's Water and Sustainable Development, hosted the annual meeting of the Governor's Coordinating Committee on Water Resources Research, and co-sponsored the annual Governor's Water Conference. The UCWR is also active in a number of state and national organizations, including the Interamerican Dialogue on Water Management, the Interstate Council on Water Policy, the Oklahoma Interagency Water Quality Committee, and the GovernorÕs Council on Environmental Quality.

The UCWR also functions as a contact in Oklahoma for current research and information. Through continued communication with state and federal agency administrators, legislators, and scientists in academia and the private sector, the UCWR disseminates information essential to sound water management.