To further the knowledge of past civilizations through the study of ancient water management and practices.
Our Mission
Paleohydrology is “the study of water use and handling by ancient people.” Wright Paleohydrological Institute (WPI) was established in 1996 to apply water resources engineering principles to the study of the water management practices of ancient people. Careful planning, sustainable design concepts, strategies for longevity, and integration with the natural surroundings are ideals that shaped the ancient sites we have investigated. WPI is classified by the IRS as a public foundation and non-profit organization as described in Section 501(c) (3) of the IRS code.
What We Do
WPI’s work is two-fold―public education and cultural preservation. Towards the goal of public education, WPI engineers, scientists and other experts perform research, write papers and books, and provide public symposia and lectures on hydrology and hydraulic methods used at ancient sites. This work provides the public with targeted insight into historical and prehistoric water practices and handling.
On the cultural preservation front, WPI’s research and the technical skills of our Principal Researchers enable us to provide advice, plans, and engineering to organizations dedicated to the preservation and protection of cultural resources. WPI’s experience with preservation has ranged from drainage studies to protect a historical home in Illinois, to floodwall design to protect a Buddhist temple in Thailand, to construction dewatering consulting for preservation of the oldest royal garden in China. Much of this work has been conducted for World Monuments Fund (for more project information, see www.wmf.org).
Board of Directors
DIRECTORS
Kenneth R. Wright, President
Ruth M. Wright, Vice President
Gwen Dooley, Treasurer, Public Member
Dr. Gordon F. McEwan, Archaeologist, Public Member
Dr. Richard Miksad, Public Member
FOUNDING ARCHAEOLOGIST
Dr. Jack Smith
PRINCIPAL RESEARCHERS
Dr. Andrew Earles
Patricia K. Flood
Wayne F. Lorenz
RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
Jackson Earles
Sally Kribs
Catherine Trowbridge
Dr. Phillip Wolfram
Dr. Shaw Yu
CORRESPONDING ARCHAEOLOGIST
Arminda Margarita Gibaja Oviedo
CORRESPONDING MEMBERS
Mario Fernando Caller Salas
Fermín Gilberto Díaz Angulo
H.E. Maria Susana Landaveri Porturas
History
WPI founders Ken and Ruth Wright have long been interested in paleohydrology. Ken has been a water engineer for more than 60 years and Ruth has been very active in environmental issues, formerly as a state legislator in Colorado and more recently through her participation on various boards.
When Ruth returned from a Peruvian trip in 1974, she described Machu Picchu to Ken and asked a simple question: “How did they get water at this mountainous site?” Ken replied, “I’ll find out!” It took twenty years to get a government permit, but in 1994, the Wrights were granted permission to study the hydrology and hydraulics of Machu Picchu. In 1996, WPI was established to support the mission of studying the water use and handling of ancient people.