A center of expertise dedicated to addressing critical and emerging water resource challenges by fostering collaborative, user-driven research that informs policy and management decisions affecting our waters.

We are driven by the desire to ensure management of our water is informed by the best possible science. We collaborate with members of the water community that are in a position to use or benefit from projects, engaging faculty and students from U-M and other universities to extend the impact of their work.

In addition to partnering directly with intended users to conduct and coordinate collaborative research projects, we also design and implement innovative grantmaking processes that support this vital need. The Water Center’s collaborative approach ensures the development of high-quality, usable, science-based products benefitting the Great Lakes region, coastal estuaries, and beyond.

Established in 2012 and housed within the Graham Sustainability Institute, the Water Center receives major support from the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.