Texas Water Resources Institute

What Texas Water Resources Institute does

Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) is a non-profit, university-affiliated research and extension unit within Texas A&M AgriLife Research (part of the Texas A&M University System) that coordinates, facilitates, and delivers science-based, community-supported solutions for Texas water quantity and quality challenges. Founded in 1952 as the Water Research and Information Center, redesignated as the state's official water resources institute in 1964, and renamed TWRI in 1971, the institute is one of 54 National Institutes for Water Resources supported by the U.S. Geological Survey. It is headquartered in College Station, with research and extension staff embedded at the Dallas AgriLife Research Center and the Lubbock Research and Extension Center, and an estimated 40–50 total personnel covering leadership, water team, communications, business administration, and student appointments.

TWRI's core deliverables are programs rather than packaged software or SaaS products. Its portfolio includes the Texas Well Owner Network (TWON) — providing $15 per-sample private well water screenings for coliforms, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen, arsenic, and salinity; the Texas Watershed Planning Program; the Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program; the Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Program; Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters; the Urban Water Program (Dallas); WatershED Workshops; the Texas Bacterial Source Tracking Program; the Ogallala Aquifer Program; and the Transboundary Water Portal (data integration for U.S.-Mexico surface and groundwater). Supporting publications include the biannual txH2O magazine, the monthly TWRI News newsletter, the peer-reviewed Texas Water Journal, and stakeholder-driven Watershed Protection Plans.

The institute operates a grant-funded, mission-driven business model rather than a commercial revenue model. Funding sources are federal grants (USGS base funding and EPA Clean Water Act §319 nonpoint source grants administered through the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board), state appropriations through Texas A&M AgriLife Research, sponsored research projects, and immaterial programmatic fees ($15 per screening). Customers and partners span private well owners, agricultural producers, watershed communities, urban residents, water professionals, students/educators, river authorities (Angelina & Neches, San Antonio, Guadalupe-Blanco, Nueces), conservation districts, and federal/state agencies (EPA, USGS, TSSWCB, TWDB, Texas Sea Grant). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, delivered through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's statewide county office network, direct stakeholder engagement, training workshops, and digital channels (newsletter, peer-reviewed journal, YouTube, social).

Name

Texas Water Resources Institute

Legal name

Texas Water Resources Institute

Website

https://twri.tamu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) is a non-profit research and extension unit within Texas A&M AgriLife Research that delivers science-based watershed protection, well-owner education, bacterial source tracking, and transboundary water data programs to Texas communities, agricultural producers, private well owners, and government water authorities, operating primarily on federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Research and Education

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Safety Plans, Training & Documentation (Logbooks, SOPs) (BPABAJAL), Real-Time Monitoring & Smart Stormwater (Sensors, SCADA/IoT, RTC) (EUANAEAK), Water Quality & Contamination Monitoring (Lead/Chlorine/pH/TDS) (HSAHAGAC), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Water resources research
• Watershed protection planning
• Water quality monitoring
• Groundwater education programs
• Agricultural water sustainability

Headquarters

HQ city

College Station

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants: TWRI receives federal funding as one of 54 institutes within the National Institutes for Water Resources, supported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Additional federal support comes through Clean Water Act nonpoint source grants from EPA.
2. State Grants: State funding through Clean Water Act grants administered by Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
3. Institutional Support: TWRI is a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and receives institutional support as part of the Texas A&M University System
4. Program Fees: Water well screening program generates $15 per sample fee for water testing services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

TWRI coordinates, facilitates, and delivers science-based, community-supported solutions for current and future water challenges through research, watershed protection planning, water quality monitoring, well water screenings, professional training, and stakeholder outreach. As a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, it produces publications (txH2O magazine, TWRI News newsletter, Texas Water Journal), operates educational programs (Texas Well Owner Network, Texas Watershed Planning Program, Riparian Education), and manages research initiatives including the Ogallala Aquifer Program, Texas Bacterial Source Tracking Program, and the Transboundary Water Portal.

Product overview

The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) is a research and outreach institute within Texas A&M AgriLife Research that provides science-based, community-supported solutions for Texas water challenges. TWRI does not offer a unified software product but rather a portfolio of educational programs, research initiatives, and publications including the txH2O Magazine, TWRI News newsletter, and Texas Water Journal. Its core education programs include the Texas Well Owner Network (TWON), Texas Watershed Planning Program, Texas Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Education Program, Urban Riparian & Stream Restoration Program, Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program, Urban Water Program, and WatershED Workshops. TWRI also manages research programs such as the Texas Bacterial Source Tracking Program, Ogallala Aquifer Program, and Transboundary Water Portal data platform. The institute produces technical publications including Watershed Protection Plans, Technical Reports, and Educational Materials through its publications division.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• txH2O: A magazine published by TWRI featuring stories on current water resources research and outreach programs in Texas.
• Texas Well Owner Network (TWON)
• Texas Watershed Planning Program
• Texas Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Education Program

Products and services

• txH2O Magazine A biannual magazine featuring stories on current water resources research and outreach programs in Texas and priority water issues, available by subscription.
• TWRI News Newsletter A monthly electronic newsletter that publishes timely information about science-based research and community-supported solutions in Texas water resources.
• Texas Water Journal An online peer-reviewed journal devoted to the timely consideration of Texas water resources management and policy issues integrating science, engineering, law, and planning.
• Texas Well Owner Network (TWON) A program that educates private well owners about potential pollutant sources and steps to lessen potential impacts, including water well screenings at $15 per sample for contaminants such as total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen, arsenic, and salinity.
• Texas Watershed Planning Program A program that provides training and promotes sustainable proactive approaches to managing water quality throughout the state, including workshops and short courses for water professionals.
• Texas Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Education Program Trainings that facilitate the promotion of healthy watersheds and improve water quality through delivery of riparian and stream ecosystem education with a focus on priority watersheds, delivered in collaboration with the Texas Riparian Association.
• Urban Riparian & Stream Restoration Program Training for professionals interested in urban restoration activities covering urban stream functions, impacts of development on urban streams, and recognizing healthy versus degraded stream systems.
• Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program A program that improves and protects surface water quality by enhancing awareness and knowledge of best management practices for residential landscapes in urban Texas watersheds.
• Urban Water Program A Dallas-based project focused on blue-green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, citizen science, environmental education, water conservation, and long-term urban hydrology.
• WatershED Workshops A workshop series that helps K-12 educators address water quality challenges in Texas by providing classroom activities, field experiences, and local resources focused on watersheds, water quality, and community science.
• Texas Bacterial Source Tracking Program A program working with Texas A&M University and the UT Health Science Center to expand the Texas E. coli BST library, enabling identification of E. coli sources statewide for agencies and researchers.
• Ogallala Aquifer Program A research consortium providing permanent federal funding for numerous research projects on water conservation in the Ogallala Aquifer region.
• Transboundary Water Portal A data center created by TWRI to integrate and share data related to transboundary surface water and groundwater resources between Mexico and the United States.
• Watershed Protection Plans Stakeholder-driven watershed protection plans developed using sound science and public participation to help restore impaired water bodies while protecting human health, delivered to river authorities and watershed stakeholders.
• Texas Watershed Education Volunteer Comprehensive Training A free training course developed for Texas Master Gardeners (16 hours) and Texas Master Naturalists (8 hours) covering watershed science, stream restoration, best practices, and volunteer outreach, available through the AgriLife Learn platform.
• Private Well Water Screenings In-person water well screening service at $15 per sample screening for total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen, arsenic, and salinity, delivered through county events across Texas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70 years of service addressing Texas water challenges since 1952
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Texas A&M AgriLife ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1964TWRI is a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, which brings together expertise from across the Texas A&M University System. This institutional relationship provides access to multidisciplinary expertise and national network connections.
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1964TWRI collaborates closely with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, maintaining strong collaborations for extension education and outreach delivery through county offices.
• Texas A&M College of EngineeringmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTWRI collaborates with Texas A&M College of Engineering on water resources research and education initiatives.
• Water Management and Hydrological Science ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Water Management and Hydrological Science Program in the College of Geosciences for graduate education and research.
• Institute for Science, Technology and Public PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTWRI collaborates with the ISTPP in the Bush School of Government and Public Service on policy-related water resources research.
• Texas A&M Law SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Texas A&M Law School in Fort Worth for water law and policy expertise.
• Angelina & Neches River AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTWRI works with ANRA and stakeholders in the Neches River Basin to address bacteria loading issues and develop watershed protection plans.
• San Antonio River AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SARA to develop watershed protection plans for Medina River and Mid & Lower Cibolo Creek watersheds.
• Guadalupe-Blanco River AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBRA partners with TWRI for well water screenings in the Plum Creek watershed area.
• Texas Sea GrantmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Baffin Bay: Petronila and San Fernando Creeks Watershed protection planning.
• Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Baffin Bay watershed protection involving local stakeholders and state agencies.
• Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M Corpus ChristimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Baffin Bay: Petronila and San Fernando Creeks Watershed.
• Nueces River AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Baffin Bay watershed protection with local stakeholders and state agencies.
• Texas Partnership for Forests and WatermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerModel conservation partnership featured at Watershed Coordinator Roundtable for coordinated water quality and quantity improvements.
• Texan by Nature's Texas Water Action CollaborativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuccessful conservation partnership model featured at Watershed Coordinator Roundtable for water quality improvements.
• Texas Water Development BoardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTWRI collaborates with TWDB on state water planning, flood planning, and references TWDB resources extensively.
• Texas Riparian AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTWRI delivers Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program in collaboration with TRA.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Iowa Water Center: University of Iowa-based NIWR institute addressing Iowa water resources challenges through research, education, and outreach. Direct structural peer to TWRI as another NIWR member institute with federal USGS funding and extension focus.
• Kansas Water Institute: Kansas State University-based NIWR institute addressing Kansas water resources including Ogallala Aquifer depletion. Direct peer to TWRI given overlapping Ogallala Aquifer research focus and identical land-grant extension model.
• Colorado Water Institute: Colorado State University-based NIWR institute conducting water resources research, education, and outreach for Colorado. Direct peer to TWRI in structure, federal designation, and land-grant extension delivery model.
• Stroud Water Research Center: Independent nonprofit freshwater research center focused on watershed science, environmental education, and water quality. Peer to TWRI in operating applied watershed research programs and stakeholder education at scale.
• Prairie Research Institute: University of Illinois institute delivering scientific research and service in water, geology, ecology, and archaeology. Peer to TWRI in operating a multi-disciplinary state-affiliated water and environmental research portfolio with public service mandate.
• California Institute for Water Resources: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources institute that is one of the 54 National Institutes for Water Resources, conducting water resources research and extension for California. Direct structural and mission peer to TWRI at the state-designated institute level.

Broad incumbents

• Tetra Tech: Large global consulting and engineering firm with deep water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure practices. Comparable to TWRI in water resources consulting capabilities but at much larger scale and with commercial rather than grant-funded model.
• LimnoTech: Environmental engineering and science consulting firm specializing in water resources, aquatic ecology, and watershed analysis. Comparable to TWRI's applied water quality and watershed work but as a private consulting firm competing for similar contracts.
• The Water Research Foundation: Large nonprofit research foundation funding water sector research globally for utilities and municipalities. Comparable to TWRI as a nonprofit water-research funding body but broader in scope and industry-funded rather than government-grant funded.

Emerging players

• Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi institute focused on Gulf of Mexico coastal and watershed research. Active collaborator with TWRI on Baffin Bay watershed protection and overlapping coastal water quality research agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/txwri
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvZon9vpcIqclRMKky1nijg
• Facebookfacebook.com/txwri
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/txwri
• Instagraminstagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Ftxwri%2F&is_from_rle
• Pinterestpinterest.com/txwri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Texas Water Resources Institute