National Water Resources Association

National Water Resources Association
Name	National Water Resources Association
Abbreviation	NWRA
Type	Nonprofit advocacy group
Founded	1973
Headquarters	Sacramento, California
Region served	United States
Leader title	President

National Water Resources Association The National Water Resources Association is an American association representing water management districts, irrigation districts, and water users involved in surface water and groundwater projects. It engages with federal agencies such as the United States Bureau of Reclamation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the United States Department of Agriculture to influence legislation and regulatory actions. The association works with regional entities including the Central Valley Project, the Colorado River Compact, the Missouri River Basin, and state agencies in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon.

History

The organization was formed in 1973 amid debates around the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the expansion of federal water infrastructure programs championed by figures associated with the Bureau of Reclamation. Early activity intersected with controversies over the Central Arizona Project, the Hoover Dam operations, and water allocation disputes involving the Colorado River Compact and the Browning-Ferris era regulatory framework. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the association interacted with legislators from the House Committee on Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton on water policy. In the 21st century the group engaged with litigation and rulemaking involving the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Rule, and interstate compact negotiations such as those affecting the Brazos River Authority and the Snake River Basin.

Mission and Activities

The association’s stated mission centers on protecting and advancing interests of water districts in federal policy arenas, coordinating technical positions on projects like the Central Valley Project Improvement Act and the Colorado River Storage Project. It provides testimony to panels including the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and the Government Accountability Office. The group publishes policy briefs and technical analyses referencing studies by the United States Geological Survey, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation.

Organizational Structure and Membership

The association is governed by a board composed of representatives from irrigation districts, water conservancy districts, and municipal water agencies including members from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, and the Tampa Bay Water consortium. Committees mirror stakeholder interests and include liaisons to federal bodies like the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers and coordinate with state entities such as the California Department of Water Resources and the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Membership spans small local districts and large regional agencies tied to projects such as the Central Arizona Project, the Klamath Project, and the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

The association advocates for increased federal funding for infrastructure programs administered by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers, supports legislative measures affecting the Endangered Species Act implementation, and seeks regulatory relief related to the Clean Water Act and the Clean Water Rule revisions. It files amicus briefs in cases before the United States Supreme Court and participates in rulemaking processes at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior. Policy positions emphasize operational flexibility for projects like the Central Valley Project and the Colorado River Storage Project, coordination with interstate compacts such as the Colorado River Compact and the Missouri River Basin Compact, and collaboration with agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency on flood control.

Programs and Partnerships

Programs include technical workshops, annual conferences coordinating stakeholders such as the National Rural Water Association, the Association of California Water Agencies, and the Western Governors' Association, and training linked to federal grant programs administered by the Economic Development Administration and the Department of Agriculture. Partnerships extend to research institutions including the United States Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and university centers like the Water Resources Research Center network and the University of California, Davis. The association also engages in collaborative pilot projects with entities such as the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers on water storage, habitat restoration, and desalination technologies.

Funding and Financials

Funding sources historically include membership dues from districts such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, contract revenue from technical services, and grants coordinated with federal programs administered by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of Agriculture Rural Development. The association reports expenditures on lobbying registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, contracts with consultants and law firms active before the House Committee on Natural Resources, and administrative costs for conferences and member services. Financial oversight involves audit practices common among nonprofit organizations interacting with federal grant programs and state funding streams.

Impact and Criticism

Supporters credit the association with securing funding for water infrastructure projects like dam repairs at Hoover Dam-adjacent works and policy changes affecting the Central Valley Project, while critics from environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and river advocacy groups including American Rivers argue the association prioritizes water deliveries and infrastructure over ecological restoration and indigenous water rights recognized in cases like Arizona v. California. Debates involve litigation and policy disputes before the United States Supreme Court, negotiations under interstate compacts like the Colorado River Compact, and regulatory contests at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior.

Category:Water industry trade associations