# Water Use and Data Research (15.981)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/15-981-water-use-and-data-research/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated November 7, 2026.

Water Use and Data Research is run by Department of the Interior. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $1.5 million in 13 grants, about $116,361 per award.

## Objectives

External Funding from this program is no longer available.
In pervious years, when external funding from this program was active, the goal as to support State water resource agencies in developing water use and availability datasets that are integrated with each appropriate dataset developed or maintained by the USGS or that integrate any water use or water availability dataset of the State water resource agency into each appropriate dataset developed or maintained by the USGS. The Water Use Data and Research program will allow State Water Resource agencies to improve the collection and reporting frequency of water use categories, including the inclusion of categories that have been discontinued in the past due to limited resources. Data collection, and improvement efforts, as well as research conducted will complement priorities and investigations carried by Federal, State, and Local Governments, and by private industry in water availability assessments for human and ecological uses.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $581,361 | 7 |
| 2022 | $103,777 | 2 |
| 2023 | $300,560 | 4 |
| 2024 | $423,235 | 3 |
| 2025 | $103,753 | 1 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University | Colorado | $524,796 |
| Department of Natural Resources | Georgia | $250,000 |
| Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | Wisconsin | $125,000 |
| Department of Planning & Natural Resources | U.S. Virgin Islands | $120,788 |
| West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection | West Virginia | $119,687 |
| Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs | Alabama | $114,398 |
| State of Delaware, Dnrec | Delaware | $111,742 |
| Department of Water Resources Oregon | Oregon | $94,944 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation, Montana Dept of | Montana | $78,299 |
| North Dakota Department of Water Resources | North Dakota | $67,232 |
| University of Illinois | Illinois | $24,000 |
| Kansas Department of Agriculture | Kansas | $8,961 |