Since 1967, Stroud Water Research Center has focused on one thing — fresh water.
We advance knowledge and stewardship of freshwater systems through global research, education, and watershed restoration.

What We Do

Freshwater Research

Environmental Education

Watershed Restoration

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Latest News

Trees ready to ship from Octoraro Native Plant Nursery.

The Economic Case for Watershed Restoration

Restoration can fuel economic growth, cut costs, create jobs, and provide opportunities for businesses, all while supporting freshwater ecosystems.

Let Your Garden Grow Clean Water

If you’ve got the gardening bug, you can cultivate a beautiful landscape that also supports clean water and healthy streams.

Newly installed solar panels at Stroud Water Research Center

We Flipped the Switch!

A new solar array will produce enough electricity to reduce the Stroud Center’s energy costs by $5,000 to $6,000 per year.

Publication title with image of a mayfly

Seasonal and longitudinal dynamics of DOM within headwater streams of a tropical evergreen forest

Sullivan, S.N., J.C. Bowen, L.A. Kaplan, R.M. Cory, and P.G. Hatcher. 2025. Water Research, early online access.

High fecal indicator bacteria in temperate headwater streams at baseflow: implications for management and public health

D.T. Myers, L. Zgleszewski, R. Bier, J.R. Price, S. Morgan, J.K. Jackson, D. Oviedo-Vargas, M. Daniels, D.B. Arscott, J. Kan. 2025. Water Research X, early online access.

Large Atlantic sturgeon swims in deep blue salty water, close-up photo.

Reasons for Hope

Sometimes it can feel like disagreement is the only thing that is pervasive in today’s world. That’s simply not true. Not when it comes to water.

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Featured Initiatives and Partnerships

WikiWatershed® web tools offer watershed data visualization, geospatial analysis capabilities, and science-based predictions of human impacts on stormwater runoff and water quality.

The Water Quality mobile app is a water-monitoring data-collection and learning tool designed for use by educators and their students, citizen scientists, and researchers.

EnviroDIY™ is a community where members ask and answer questions and network within interest groups to develop do-it-yourself environmental science and monitoring devices.

The Society for Freshwater Science Taxonomic Certification Program ensures skilled persons are providing aquatic invertebrate identifications in North America.

The Leaf Pack Network® is an international network of teachers, students, and citizen monitors using a simple experiment to determine the health of their local streams.

The Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds provides free technical assistance to Pennsylvania-based watershed and conservation organizations.