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The development of new technologies to monitor quality and quantity supports forecasting and community resilience to changing water conditions and weather events. Access to these data in real-time supports forecasters in predicting when certain events occur, improving community response to extreme events.

There is a great need to integrate observations and field work to create more accurate models that predict floods, drought, and changes in water quality. Research around Critical Zone processes (i.e. the zone where rock meets life from bedrock to treetop) enhances our understanding of floodplain dynamics, nutrient loading, and ways to improve stormwater management.

Social sciences are key to understanding human relationships with water and perception of water threats. Researchers involved with the Water Resources Institute use techniques such as interviews, surveys, design charettes, and experimental gaming to understand how people value water and respond to messaging around water-related emergencies.

Water quality is a key concern for the health of individuals, the health of communities, and the health of aquatic ecosystems. The Water Resources Institute supports human health research as it relates to topic areas such water-borne pathogens and contaminants. It also supports research on ecosystem health and function, as it relates to changes in nutrient availability, habitat quality, and species composition of aquatic systems.