Water Resources Division

Mission Statement

The mission of the Water Resources Division is to provide technical, scientific and resource management expertise in support of NPS responsibilities to preserve, restore, and protect water resources and water dependent environments for the use and enjoyment of future generations. 

WRD, which is located in Fort Collins and Denver, Colorado, and Washington, D.C., is part of the National Park Service Natural Resources Program Center and is responsible for providing water resource management policy, planning, and operational support to NPS managers Servicewide. The Division’s services and assistance are provided directly to parks, networks, regions, and the Washington Office or in cooperation with other NPS organizational units, agencies, or entities.

The activities of WRD include: formulating water resources policy recommendations; planning assistance and regulatory reviews; water resources inventories and monitoring; identification, evaluation, and mitigation of existing and potential threats to park water quality and quantity; floodplain and flood hazard analyses and delineation; watershed condition assessment and management; erosion and sediment control; protection of wetland and riparian habitats; fisheries management planning and the assessment and management of fish and aquatic resources; ocean and coastal resource management program coordination and technical support, locating and testing surface and ground water sources for potable water needs; securing and protecting NPS water rights and water resources; modifying and developing methods and procedures for applied water resources management; and conducting projects and studies in support of water resource needs.