Institute for Watershed Resiliency

Impact the present. Change the future.

Welcome to the California State University San Bernardino Institute for Watershed Resiliency (IWR). The IWR’s mission is to lead & advocate for community-university partnerships that seek to mitigate & resolve complex water resources issues across diverse social, economic & environmental landscapes through environmental education, workforce readiness & stewardship.

As a campus-based organization that operates as a non-profit, we welcome partnerships and financial support to ensure that our students and communities are prepared to meet dynamic water resources, public and ecological health challenges through interdisciplinary collaborative approaches. Please check the Programs page where you can learn more about our Watershed Resiliency Career Pathways, and Professional Development Incentive Program student learning opportunities. Please visit our Partnership and Sponsorship page to learn how you can learn how to financially support IWR and CSUSB students.

2026-2027 Watershed Fellowship Application Now Open

Application deadline June 19th

https://csusb.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6tA3aCyKmgQca0e

Apply for the 2026-2027 Watershed Fellowship program. Now in its 4th year, this program supports students in a yearlong paid fellowship designed to ensure they are ready for the dynamic, rewarding and high paying environmental workforce. All majors and degree levels are encouraged to apply. Selected students are compensated for $20/hr up to 15 hours per week during the academic year, with support for travel to professional development activities and field equipment provided. Activities primarily take place at the CSUSB main campus and the San Bernardino Mountains Lab in Crestline, CA with professional development and field work taking place across various locations around the Inland Empire.

Experiences include but are not limited to:

*Applied field, lab and geospatial technology research and environmental monitoring in the mountain, desert. and valley regions of the Inland Empire.

*Completion of professional training certificates including but not limited to the Introduction to California Environmental Quality Act provided by UC San Diego, and the Project WET national environmental water education program.

*Professional networking through events, workshops and conferences, including attending the State Water Project tour with water industry leaders.

*Regulatory and policy assessment and implementation.

*Community Engagement.

Partner support is wide ranging and includes but is not limited to the following:

San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District

Mojave Water Agency

Cucamonga Valley Water District

Sierra Club of the San Bernardino Mountains

San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)

CSUSB Tribal Relations

CSU Northridge Center for Geospatial Science and Technology

San Bernardino Mountain Land trust

CSU WATER

CA Institute for Water Fresno State

Rivers and Lands Conservancy

Inland Empire Resources Conservation District

US Forest Service

Southern CA Mountains Foundation

IWR Watershed Fellow Alumni

and many more.....

Community Based Research Highlights

The Ventura River Watershed Resilience Project is one of five regional, community-driven efforts to strengthen watershed landscapes and networks to address water resource conservation and management in the face of a changing climate. These efforts are supported by the California Department of Water Resources’ Watershed Resilience Pilot Program .  In partnership with the Ventura County Resources Conservation District, the Ventura Watershed Council, CSU Northridge Center for Geospatial Science and Technology, and the Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Resiliency we are pleased to share the watershed network assessment storymap highlight research and engagement efforts to build a more resiliency watershed community.