The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is a Division of the Prairie Research Institute of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U of I). The Water Survey has flourished for more than a century by anticipating and responding to new challenges and opportunities to serve the citizens of Illinois. Today, the ISWS continues to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability by developing new programs, while continuing to provide long-standing services upon which Illinoisans have come to rely.

The long and distinguished history of the Water Survey took a new turn in July 2008 when the ISWS and the other Scientific Surveys were transferred to the U of I as the Institute. This, along with staff changes and facilities additions, have brought a new sense of dynamism. Overall, we are positioning ourselves to more effectively achieve our mission through a broader collaboration with U of I faculty and organizations.