New director of Idaho Water Resources Research Institute outlines statewide agenda; data integration and stakeholder priorities emphasized

Kendra Keiser (transcript also uses the spelling Kiser), the newly appointed director of the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWIRI), told the House Agriculture Affairs Committee the institute will prioritize stakeholder engagement, water‑data integration and a research advisory structure to set statewide water research priorities.

Keiser outlined IWIRI’s statutory origin (the Water Resources Research Institutes established by Congress in 1964), its presence at land‑grant universities across the country and the institute’s three statutory charges: plan and coordinate water research for the state, support workforce development, and disseminate results to communities. She said IWIRI maintains staff in Boise and Coeur d’Alene and has been re‑energized with new leadership and outreach staff.

Why it matters: Keiser said water issues vary by region—north Idaho questions frequently involve lake levels and water quality while south Idaho issues center on water quantity and groundwater management. She described work already underway to support watershed collaboratives with forecasting tools and said IWIRI will assemble an executive board (state and federal agencies, industry and nonprofits) plus a research advisory committee representing surface and ground water users, irrigation district managers and other stakeholders.

Keiser emphasized data integration as a priority, citing past work (example: the Big Wood forecasting tools) that combined SNOTEL, USGS and IDWR datasets. She said funding to support data integration is difficult to secure but that integrated datasets would dramatically reduce the time researchers spend preparing studies and make information more accessible for local decisions.

Committee members from northern Idaho (Representative Sautner) and members with groundwater and county planning experience (Representative Nelson) welcomed the focus on lake‑level issues and data integration. Representative Miller asked how IWIRI identifies research opportunities; Keiser cited stakeholder engagement, existing collaborative watershed projects and agency conversations as primary mechanisms.

Ending: Keiser said IWIRI will publish tools and data visualizations on its website and continue outreach to county and watershed groups; she asked legislators to consider the institute a state resource for water research and data work.