Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 20 SOI 0002
The grant opportunity titled "Assessing Water Quality Trends and Suspended Sediment Surrogates Above and Below Reservoirs Using High-Frequency Sensors in New Mexico and Southern Colorado" is a discretionary, research-focused funding announcement from the Department of Defense, specifically the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was released on November 18, 2019, with an original application deadline of December 17, 2019. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, coordinating on study design, data needs, reporting formats, and how results will be applied to reservoir or watershed management decisions), rather than simply providing funds with minimal follow-up.
At a high level, the project is aimed at improving understanding of how water quality and suspended sediment conditions are changing over time in river systems located upstream and downstream of reservoirs in New Mexico and southern Colorado. Reservoirs can strongly alter river behavior by trapping sediment, changing water temperatures, influencing nutrient transport, modifying flow timing and magnitude, and affecting turbidity and other indicators of water quality. Because these impacts can differ above versus below a reservoir, the opportunity emphasizes assessing trends on both sides of reservoir infrastructure, presumably to support better operation, maintenance, and environmental management of these systems.
A central feature of the work is the use of high-frequency sensors, meaning instruments that collect measurements at short time intervals (often every few minutes to hourly) rather than relying only on occasional field sampling. This kind of monitoring is especially valuable in rivers where major water quality and sediment transport changes can occur rapidly during storms, snowmelt pulses, reservoir releases, or other short-lived events. Traditional sampling can miss these peaks and rapid shifts, while high-frequency data can capture the timing, magnitude, and duration of events that drive sediment and contaminant movement.
The title also highlights "suspended sediment surrogates," which refers to developing or applying indirect measurements that can reliably estimate suspended sediment concentration (SSC) or suspended sediment load without needing to physically collect and analyze as many water samples. Common surrogate approaches rely on sensor outputs such as turbidity, optical backscatter, acoustic signals, or related parameters that correlate with sediment concentrations when properly calibrated. In practice, this usually involves pairing continuous sensor readings with a set of discrete lab-analyzed sediment samples collected across a range of flow and turbidity conditions, then building statistical or empirical relationships that allow continuous estimation of sediment metrics. The end goal is typically a more complete and cost-effective record of sediment behavior that can support engineering, habitat, and water management decisions.
Financially, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,020,000 and anticipates making a single award (expected awards: 1). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, and the activity category is "Science and Technology and other Research and Development," signaling that the deliverables are expected to be technical and data-driven, such as calibrated surrogate models, trend analyses, sensor datasets, and reporting suitable for management use. The CFDA listing is 12.630, which is associated with Department of Defense assistance programming.
Eligibility is broadly identified as "Others," with a note to consult the full opportunity text for clarification. In many Corps of Engineers cooperative agreement contexts, this can include entities such as universities, nonprofit research organizations, and other qualified institutions capable of conducting applied monitoring and analysis. Because the eligibility field points to additional instructions in the full announcement, applicants would typically need to confirm whether there are specific restrictions (for example, requirements tied to certain partnership arrangements, geographic considerations, or technical qualifications).
In summary, this opportunity funds applied scientific work to monitor and analyze water quality and sediment dynamics around reservoir systems in New Mexico and southern Colorado using high-frequency sensing technologies. It is designed to produce a more detailed, event-sensitive understanding of trends and to develop reliable surrogate methods for suspended sediment estimation, with the broader practical aim of improving how sediment and water quality issues are assessed and managed in regulated river-reservoir settings.Apply for W81EWF 20 SOI 0002
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- Corps of Engineers in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assessing Water Quality Trends and Suspended Sediment Surrogates Above and Below Reservoirs Using High-Frequency Sensors in New Mexico and Southern Colorado" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 18, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 17, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,020,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Assessing Water Quality Trends and Suspended Sediment Surrogates Above and Below Reservoirs Using High-Frequency Sensors in New Mexico and Southern Colorado."
Which federal agency is offering this funding?
This is a Department of Defense (DoD) funding opportunity, offered specifically through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Is this a formula grant or a discretionary grant?
It is a discretionary funding announcement and is research-focused.
What type of award instrument will be used?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically means the agency expects substantial involvement during the project period. Based on the information provided, this can include coordination on study design, data needs, reporting formats, and how results will be applied to reservoir or watershed management decisions, rather than a hands-off grant with minimal agency participation.
When was the opportunity released?
The opportunity was released on November 18, 2019.
What was the original application deadline?
The original application deadline was December 17, 2019.
How much funding is available?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,020,000.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates making a single award (expected awards: 1).
What is the main purpose of the project?
The project aims to improve understanding of how water quality and suspended sediment conditions are changing over time in river systems located upstream and downstream of reservoirs in New Mexico and southern Colorado.
What geographic area does the project focus on?
The focus is on New Mexico and southern Colorado, specifically river systems above and below reservoirs.
Why does the opportunity emphasize monitoring both above and below reservoirs?
Reservoirs can strongly alter river behavior by trapping sediment, changing water temperatures, influencing nutrient transport, modifying flow timing and magnitude, and affecting turbidity and other indicators of water quality. Because these impacts can differ upstream versus downstream, the opportunity emphasizes assessing trends on both sides of reservoir infrastructure.
What kinds of changes can reservoirs cause in rivers, according to the opportunity description?
The description notes several potential changes, including sediment trapping, shifts in water temperature, changes in nutrient transport, altered flow timing and magnitude, and changes in turbidity and related water quality indicators.
What is meant by "high-frequency sensors" in this project?
Why are high-frequency measurements useful for water quality and sediment monitoring?
High-frequency monitoring can capture rapid changes that occur during storms, snowmelt pulses, reservoir releases, or other short-lived events. Traditional sampling can miss peaks and fast shifts, while high-frequency data can better capture the timing, magnitude, and duration of events that drive sediment and contaminant movement.
What are "suspended sediment surrogates"?
Suspended sediment surrogates are indirect measurements used to estimate suspended sediment concentration (SSC) or suspended sediment load without needing to physically collect and analyze as many water samples.
What measurements can be used as suspended sediment surrogates?
The description lists common surrogate approaches that rely on sensor outputs such as turbidity, optical backscatter, acoustic signals, or related parameters that correlate with sediment concentrations when properly calibrated.
How are surrogate relationships typically developed or calibrated?
Based on the description, calibration commonly involves pairing continuous sensor readings with a set of discrete, lab-analyzed sediment samples collected across a range of flow and turbidity conditions. Statistical or empirical relationships are then developed to enable continuous estimation of sediment metrics.
What kinds of deliverables are implied by this opportunity?
The activity category and project description suggest technical and data-driven outputs such as calibrated surrogate models, trend analyses, high-frequency sensor datasets, and reporting suitable for management use.
What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?
The activity category is "Science and Technology and other Research and Development."
How might the results be used in practice?
The description indicates the work is intended to support better operation, maintenance, and environmental management of river-reservoir systems. It also notes that reporting and results may be applied to reservoir or watershed management decisions.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 12.630, associated with Department of Defense assistance programming.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broadly identified as "Others," with a note to consult the full opportunity text for clarification.
What kinds of organizations might "Others" include in this context?
The description notes that in many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cooperative agreement contexts, "Others" can include entities such as universities, nonprofit research organizations, and other qualified institutions capable of conducting applied monitoring and analysis.
Do applicants need to confirm any eligibility restrictions elsewhere?
Yes. Because the eligibility field points to additional instructions in the full announcement, applicants would typically need to confirm whether there are specific restrictions, such as partnership requirements, geographic considerations, or technical qualifications.
What makes this project "applied" rather than purely academic?
The project description emphasizes practical monitoring and analysis around managed reservoir systems, development of usable surrogate methods, and products intended to inform reservoir or watershed management decisions.
What is the overall takeaway from the opportunity summary?
This opportunity funds applied scientific work to monitor and analyze water quality and sediment dynamics around reservoir systems in New Mexico and southern Colorado using high-frequency sensing technologies, with an emphasis on trend assessment above and below reservoirs and on developing reliable surrogate methods for suspended sediment estimation.
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