Institute of Inland Whale Studies
Inland Whales
The Institute of Inland Whale Studies (IIWS) is dedicated to the scientific study and public understanding of whales in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.
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Institute of Inland Whale Studies
The Institute of Inland Whale Studies (IIWS) is dedicated to the scientific study and public understanding of whales in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.
Learn MoreIIWS is a scientific research organization focused on documenting and understanding whale activity in inland environments.
Continuous hydrophone arrays deployed in Tempe Town Lake and Lake Pleasant tracking cetacean vocalizations.
Documenting seasonal movement corridors through Arizona's Salt River watershed and connected reservoirs.
Photo-ID catalogs and genetic sampling to estimate inland whale population sizes and family structures.
Citizen science reporting program enabling verified sighting submissions from members of the public.
Dr. Heather Steinbeck, Ph.D.
Dr. Steinbeck has dedicated over a decade to establishing inland cetacean research as a credible scientific discipline. Her landmark 2018 paper, "Freshwater Megafauna of the American Southwest," redefined how biologists understand whale migration in non-oceanic systems.
She leads IIWS field operations from the Tempe Town Lake Research Station and testifies regularly before the Maricopa Coastal Authority.
Full BiographyA breeding population of orca has been confirmed in high-altitude Colorado reservoir systems. IIWS researchers captured first-ever photographic evidence in collaboration with the USGS Mountain West Division.
View Locations Database
As documented inland whale populations grow, so does the importance of public education and safety. IIWS works with local municipalities to install warning signage at high-activity sites and provide real-time hazard alerts.
The Maricopa Coastal Authority, in partnership with IIWS, now enforces Local Ordinance 14.3 — governing recreational water use in designated cetacean corridors.
Safety Guidelines