Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy

What Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy does

The Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy is an academic research institute operating within Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. It conducts legal and policy analysis on water resources, producing white papers, peer-reviewed articles, legislative fact sheets, blog posts, and the weekly TUWaterWays newsletter. Its portfolio includes the "Law of the Mississippi River" interactive educational resource, "Louisiana's Interstate Water Compacts" reference, "The Deep End" expert perspective series, and public engagement materials including agency testimony and policy comments.

The institute serves three primary constituencies: government policymakers (Louisiana State Legislature, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Mississippi River Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), legal professionals and academics seeking water law scholarship, and the general public and media seeking expert commentary on water issues. Director Christopher Dalbom leads a current initiative to draft a comprehensive water code for Louisiana and has deep expertise in interstate water compacts, RESTORE Act revenue streams, Mississippi River management, and coastal adaptation. Affiliated Faculty Mark S. Davis provides additional senior expertise, having testified before White House and Congressional panels and previously served 14 years as Executive Director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Assistant Director Haley Gentry supports the institute's work along with student researchers and the William B. Wiener Jr. Family Foundation Research Fellow.

The institute operates a non-commercial model funded through Tulane University Law School institutional support, grants, and donations, with all publications and resources provided free of charge. It maintains no commercial go-to-market motion; distribution occurs through content marketing, a weekly email newsletter, the tulanewater.org website, and earned media coverage. Strategic partnerships include The Water Institute of the Gulf, National Wildlife Federation, Brookings Institution, Environmental Law Institute, Louisiana Sea Grant, and U.N. ECLAC, supporting collaborative research on coastal restoration, blue carbon markets, offshore wind legal frameworks, and post-Katrina flood protection policy.

Name

Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy

Legal name

Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy

Website

https://tulanewater.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy is a non-profit academic research unit within Tulane University Law School that produces legal and policy analysis, white papers, and the weekly TUWaterWays newsletter for policymakers, legal professionals, media, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Law and Policy Research

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAG

Environmental Policy, Advocacy & Litigation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAGAK

Water Resources & Watershed Protection

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPAHAAAO

Environmental & Energy Law

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

Keywords

• Water law research
• Environmental policy analysis
• Coastal restoration policy
• Interstate water compacts
• Legislative policy resources

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans, Louisiana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. University Funding: Operates as part of Tulane University Law School, funded through institutional support, grants, and donations. Accepts donations through Tulane's giving platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy is an academic research institute that produces legal and policy analysis on water resources. Its core offerings include white papers, peer-reviewed articles, the weekly TUWaterWays newsletter, legislative fact sheets, the Water Law Blog, the "The Deep End" expert perspective series, and educational resources on the Law of the Mississippi River and Louisiana's Interstate Water Compacts. All content is provided free of charge to policymakers, legal professionals, academics, media, and the public.

Product overview

The Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy is an academic research institute that does not operate as a unified software product or platform. Its offering consists of multiple publication and educational resource products, including: The Deep End (expert perspective series), White Papers (research publications), Articles (academic journal contributions), TUWaterWays (weekly newsletter), Legislative Fact Sheets (lawmaker resources), Water Law Blog (blog content), Law of the Mississippi River (interactive educational resource), Louisiana's Interstate Water Compacts (compact documentation), and Public Engagement Materials (policy testimonies and comments). These products collectively serve policymakers, legal professionals, researchers, and the public interested in water law and policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TUWaterWays: Weekly water newsletter that keeps readers updated on all the latest happenings in the water world, published by the institute.
• The Deep End

Products and services

• TUWaterWays Newsletter

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Water Institute of the GulfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partner on coastal and water policy issues. Co-authored white papers including 'Finding the Means: Investment and Adaptation in Vulnerable Communities' (2019). Joint work on Blue Carbon market mechanisms and coastal restoration research.
• National Wildlife FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-published report 'Offshore Wind in Louisiana Waters: Legal Framework for Environmental Review' (May 2024). Collaboration on wildlife and environmental protection policy research.
• Environmental Law InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on publication 'Funding Deepwater Horizon Restoration & Recovery: How Much, Going Where, For What?' (2014). Joint research on environmental law and policy matters.
• Brookings InstitutionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-published research including 'Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina and the failures of the federal levees: Are we there yet?' (2025) as part of The New Orleans Index at Twenty series.
• U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Regional Water Week for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 in Santiago, Chile. Director Chris Dalbom spoke on panel about water resource valuation.
• Louisiana Sea GrantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship through the National Sea Grant Program for coastal science and restoration research. Referenced in blue carbon policy work.
• Louisiana State LegislaturecoreOthersProvides legislative fact sheets and policy analysis during Louisiana legislative sessions. Tracks bills related to water and coastal resource management. Annual engagement during regular legislative sessions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Water Institute of the Gulf: The Water Institute of the Gulf is a nonprofit applied-research organization focused on coastal resilience, the Mississippi River and Gulf water issues. Its applied research and public-policy engagement closely overlap the Institute's coastal, water-management and blue-carbon work, and the organizations have collaborated on white papers.
• Pacific Institute: Pacific Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization focused on water, climate and environmental sustainability, with policy analysis and public engagement. Its water-policy research and nonprofit dissemination model are highly comparable to Tulane's Institute.
• Environmental Law Institute: Environmental Law Institute is a nonprofit that produces environmental law and policy research, educational programs and practitioner resources. It is a close functional peer in legal scholarship, policy analysis and convening, although its remit extends beyond water.
• Water Research Foundation: The Water Research Foundation is a water-sector research organization that commissions and disseminates applied research for utilities and water professionals. It is comparable through its water research and stakeholder distribution, though its work is more technical and utility-oriented than legal-policy analysis.
• Sabin Center for Climate Change Law: The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law is an academic center that produces legal research, policy analysis and educational resources on climate and environmental law. It is a close functional peer in legal scholarship and stakeholder engagement, although its core subject is climate rather than water.

Others

• American Rivers: American Rivers is a nonprofit river-conservation organization that combines science, advocacy and policy to protect and restore rivers. It shares water-policy influence and public engagement with the Institute, but is more advocacy- and field-oriented than legal scholarship.
• National Wildlife Federation: National Wildlife Federation is a national environmental conservation and advocacy organization with habitat, wildlife, climate and water-policy programs. It is comparable as a nonprofit environmental-policy and public-engagement organization, though it is not a water-law research center.

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute: World Resources Institute is a global research and policy organization working across water, climate, forests, cities and sustainable development. Its water and climate programs overlap the Institute's applied policy work, but it operates at much greater scale and breadth.
• Resources for the Future: Resources for the Future is an established nonprofit research institution studying natural resources, energy and environmental policy. It overlaps in policy research and public convening but is broader and less specialized in water law.

Emerging players

• Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions: The Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions is a Duke University center conducting environmental and climate policy research, education and convening. It is comparable in academic policy research and public engagement, but not as focused on water law.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tulane-water-law

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy