The International Center for Integrated Water Resources Management (ICIWaRM) was established and funded by the U.S. Army Engineer Institute for Water Resources (IWR) in 2007 in collaboration with U.S. institutions and organizations sharing an interest in the advancement of the science and practice of integrated water resources management (IWRM) around the globe.

ICIWaRM's water science node is led by an academic consortium headed by the University of Arizona, and includes partnerships with the Universities of New Hampshire, Oregon State, Florida International, and Colorado State.

Its professional practice sector is led by the American Society of Civil Engineers Environmental and Water Resources Institute (ASCE-EWRI) with the American Water Resources Association (AWRA).

ICIWaRM's structure capitalizes on the diverse capabilities and broad technical resources of many U.S. institutions currently engaged in the development and application of IWRM methods and their transfer to developing nations and nations in transition around the globe. The Center's initial emphasis is in Central and Latin America and Africa.

ICIWarm has been proposed as a UNESCO Category II Water Centre. It was nominated by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), the U.S. Government and the U.S. Mission to UNESCO as a global water center within the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP) water network. The nomination of the USACE IWR center was endorsed by the UNESCO IHP Bureau in March 2008. It was endorsed by the IHP 36-member nation Intergovernmental Council in June 2008 at its bi-annual meeting at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.

The proposed UNESCO Centre will address key action items of the IHP - U.S. National Committee strategy, serving as a focal/coordination point for the contributions of numerous U.S. institutions towards implementing key scientific aspects of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) VII program and World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). The center focuses on innovative but practical and conventionally accepted water management practices and related technology transfer and training.

ICIWaRM will actively seek opportunities to collaborate with existing Category I and II Water Centres within the UNESCO water family, as well as other international institutions in an economically efficient, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable manner. ICIWaRM will serve as a USACE and USG knowledge center for transferring new ideas, science and technology, integrating them with current "best management practices" for integrated water resources management (IWRM).

The overall mission of ICIWaRM is the "advancement of the science and practice of integrated water resources management (IWRM) to address water security and other water-related challenges by regional and global action, through new knowledge, innovative technologies, collaborative interdisciplinary scientific research, networking, training and capacity development."