About this Program
The University of Alaska Fairbanks participates in a multi-state regional grant administered through USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture(NIFA). The Pacific Northwest Region Water Quality Program builds on the strengths of the Extension Water Quality Programs at the four Land Grant Universities throughout the Northwest. These states -- Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington -- correspond to EPA Region 10.
The goal of the Pacific Northwest Program is to provide leadership for water resources research, education, and outreach to help communities, industry, and governments prevent and solve current and emerging water quality and quantity problems. To achieve this goal the Partners have developed a coordinated regional water quality effort based on promoting and strengthening individual state programs.
The Pacific Northwest Program promotes regional collaboration by acknowledging existing programs and successful efforts; assessing program gaps; identifying potential issues for cross-agency and private sector collaboration; and developing a clearinghouse of expertise and programs. In addition, the program establishes or enhances partnerships with federal, state, and local environmental and water resource management agencies.
The Pacific Northwest program works to improve water quality management through educational knowledge and extension programming that emerges from a research base. The Land Grant Universities throughout the Pacific Northwest, Water Research Institutes, and EPA Region 10 have formed a partnership to provide research and education to northwest communities about protecting or restoring the quality of water resources. This partnership is being supported in part by the USDA's National Institute of Food And Agriculture(NIFA).