This collection documents the activities of the Water and Environmental Engineering Research Center and affiliated academic and research programs, including the Atmospheric, Environmental, and Water Resources (AEWR) Ph.D. program, collaborative research projects, and the Huron Recharge Project. The AEWR program was a joint doctoral program between South Dakota State University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, established in the early 1990s and phased out in 2004. Materials include program proposals, correspondence, assessment documents, course and promotional materials, and reports related to program development, accreditation, and inter-university collaboration.

The research project files span a variety of topics related to water resources engineering, such as groundwater recharge, wastewater management, water quality monitoring, and bridge infrastructure. The Huron Recharge Project records include agreements, water testing data, progress reports, technical memoranda, and regulatory documents reflecting groundwater recharge efforts and interagency cooperation in Huron, South Dakota.

The records reflect SDSU’s contributions to water resource engineering education and applied research in the Northern Great Plains and beyond. The collection highlights regional, national, and collaborative initiatives in water management, infrastructure design, and environmental engineering. The AEWR Ph.D. program exemplifies inter-institutional efforts to address critical water and environmental challenges through advanced education and research. The Huron Recharge Project provides valuable insight into groundwater recharge methodologies and local water quality monitoring in South Dakota.