The South Dakota Water Resources Institute was conceptualized in 1964 through the Water Resources Act and began services on October 8, 1954, as an administrative unit of South Dakota State University. In September, 1990, the Institute was placed under the administrative authority of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. The mission of the Institute is to provide the leadership in coordinating the research and training at the University and other affiliated educational institutions and agencies across the state in the broad area of water resources. It administers funds received from the U.S. Department of Interior, as made available through the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 and from the state of South Dakota. Funds received through these sources targeted for research are directed toward solving state, regional, and national water problems. Graduate research training, technology transfer, and information transfer are services, which are provided through the Institute.

The Water Resources Institute also houses the Water Quality Laboratory. This laboratory serves the needs of the people of the state by providing analytical services for determination of inorganic constituents (and some pesticides) in water.