Water Management Organizations (WMOs) have evolved from their inception in the early 1900s and continue to evolve today. Recently, WMOs have increased their awareness of water-quality and environmental issues. WMOs evolve at different rates due to local social, economic, and political norms. The Red River creates the border for Minnesota and North Dakota. This makes the Red River Basin ideal for WMO and institutional research. The objective of this research is to identify the characteristics of WMOs that are more successful at adopting activities considered positive to local water management as well as basin management. These activities include collaboration and water-quality improvement efforts. Results demonstrate that board member experience positively impacts several traditional WMO activities, including water movement projects, stream flow clearing efforts, wetland restoration, and tree sales. Board member experience negatively impacts collaboration, conservation contracts, water retention projects, and education and outreach. Board member attendance at annual water conferences has a positive correlation with total grant funding and conservation contracts. Cooperative extension training for board members positively correlates with conservation contracts and joint-powers agreements.