Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00467
The Grand Ditch Restoration Adaptive Management Monitoring grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00467) was a National Park Service (Department of the Interior) discretionary funding notice focused on supporting monitoring before, during, and after a major river and wetland restoration project in the Lulu City area. The need for this work traces back to a 2003 breach of the Grand Ditch that released tens of thousands of cubic yards of sediment into Lulu Creek and the Colorado River system, with a portion of that material ultimately settling into the Lulu City wetland. The impacts of the breach, and the rationale for undertaking restoration, were formally documented in the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement, which serves as the underlying compliance and planning basis for the restoration effort described in the opportunity.
The restoration itself was planned to begin in summer 2017 and was expected to involve heavy machinery operations over roughly two years, reflecting the scale of earthmoving and channel work required. The final restoration design referenced in the notice (Sueltenfuss and Cooper, 2017) aimed to reestablish the Colorado River’s historic meander path through the Lulu City wetland and to bring back the tall willow riparian community historically supported by that landscape. In practical terms, the project sought to reverse channel displacement caused by sediment deposition from the 2003 breach and earlier debris flows that created a large alluvial fan at the wetland’s head. That fan pushed the river away from its historic route through the center of the valley and into a newer alignment along the western edge of the valley.
A key ecological problem described in the opportunity is that the deposited debris has been steering water toward the west side of the valley and onto relatively high ground, producing broad sheet flow that spreads southeast across the meadow toward the historic channel. Instead of a more dynamic pattern of flooding and drainage typical of a meandering river-floodplain system, this has led to persistent, season-long saturation across much of the meadow. The notice explains that this long-term saturated condition has changed the plant community from a diverse tall willow floodplain system, which is also described as favorable for beaver, into a more simplified herbaceous wet meadow dominated by a small set of species, specifically Carex utriculata, Calamagrostis canadensis, and Carex aquatilis. The monitoring described in the grant opportunity is positioned as essential for adaptive management, meaning it would provide the information needed to evaluate whether the restoration actions are producing the intended hydrologic and ecological responses and to guide adjustments if they are not.
From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument was a cooperative agreement, indicating the National Park Service expected to have substantial involvement in the funded work (for example, coordination on study design, field access, data standards, and integration with restoration decisions). The opportunity fell under the Natural Resources activity category (CFDA 15.945) and was limited to eligible applicants that were public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, emphasizing that the award was designed for universities or similar public academic entities capable of conducting rigorous field monitoring and analysis. The anticipated award structure was small and targeted: one expected award with a ceiling of $42,466, suggesting a focused monitoring scope or a discrete component of a broader monitoring program.
The timeline for the solicitation was short. The opportunity was created on June 30, 2017, with an original closing date of July 9, 2017, implying that the agency intended to move quickly to put monitoring in place alongside the start of restoration activities in summer 2017. Overall, the grant opportunity was centered on building a monitoring framework to track sediment and channel-related restoration outcomes in the Lulu City wetland, measure changes in hydrology and vegetation tied to reestablishing the river’s historic meander, and support adaptive decisions during and after the two-year period of intensive restoration construction.Apply for P17AS00467
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Grand Ditch Restoration Adaptive Management Monitoring" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 30, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 09, 2017. (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 $42,466.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Grand Ditch Restoration Adaptive Management Monitoring (P17AS00467) FAQs
What is the Grand Ditch Restoration Adaptive Management Monitoring grant opportunity?
It was a National Park Service (Department of the Interior) discretionary funding notice to support monitoring before, during, and after a major river and wetland restoration project in the Lulu City area. The monitoring was intended to support adaptive management, meaning monitoring results would be used to evaluate restoration performance and guide adjustments as needed.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is P17AS00467.
Which federal agency issued the opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by the National Park Service (NPS), within the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What problem or event led to the need for this monitoring work?
The need traces back to a 2003 breach of the Grand Ditch that released tens of thousands of cubic yards of sediment into Lulu Creek and the Colorado River system, with some of that material settling into the Lulu City wetland. The resulting sediment deposition and channel displacement created conditions that drove the restoration effort and the associated monitoring needs.
What documents provide the formal basis for the restoration and its rationale?
The impacts of the breach and the rationale for restoration were documented in the project Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS). The Final EIS served as the underlying compliance and planning basis for the restoration effort described in the opportunity.
Where was the restoration and monitoring focused?
The work was focused on the Lulu City area, specifically the Lulu City wetland and the Colorado River reach associated with the historic meander path through that wetland.
When was the restoration expected to begin, and how long would heavy construction last?
The restoration was planned to begin in summer 2017 and was expected to involve heavy machinery operations over roughly two years.
What was the restoration trying to accomplish in the river and wetland system?
The restoration design aimed to reestablish the Colorado River's historic meander path through the Lulu City wetland and to bring back the tall willow riparian community historically supported by that landscape.
What caused the river to move away from its historic route through the wetland?
Sediment deposition from the 2003 breach, along with earlier debris flows, created a large alluvial fan at the wetland's head. That fan pushed the river away from its historic route through the center of the valley and into a newer alignment along the western edge of the valley.
What hydrologic issue was the opportunity trying to address?
The deposited debris has been steering water toward the west side of the valley and onto relatively high ground, producing broad sheet flow that spreads southeast across the meadow toward the historic channel. This has led to persistent, season-long saturation across much of the meadow rather than a more dynamic meandering river-floodplain flooding and drainage pattern.
How did persistent saturation affect the plant community in the Lulu City wetland?
The long-term saturated condition changed the plant community from a diverse tall willow floodplain system (described as favorable for beaver) into a more simplified herbaceous wet meadow dominated by a small set of species.
Which plant species were identified as dominating the simplified wet meadow condition?
The notice specifically identified Carex utriculata, Calamagrostis canadensis, and Carex aquatilis as dominant species in the simplified herbaceous wet meadow.
Why was monitoring considered essential in this opportunity?
Monitoring was positioned as essential for adaptive management: it would provide information needed to evaluate whether restoration actions were producing intended hydrologic and ecological responses and to guide adjustments if they were not.
What phases of the restoration was the monitoring expected to cover?
The opportunity emphasized monitoring before, during, and after the major restoration project, aligning monitoring with both the active construction period and the post-construction response period.
What kinds of outcomes was the monitoring intended to track?
Based on the notice description, the monitoring was centered on tracking sediment and channel-related restoration outcomes in the Lulu City wetland and measuring changes in hydrology and vegetation tied to reestablishing the river's historic meander.
What does "adaptive management monitoring" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this context, it refers to collecting and analyzing monitoring data specifically to inform decision-making during and after restoration. If results show the restoration is not producing the intended hydrologic or ecological changes, monitoring information would help guide modifications or adjustments.
What type of funding instrument was used for this award?
The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?
It indicates the National Park Service expected to have substantial involvement in the funded work, such as coordinating on study design, field access, data standards, and integrating monitoring results with restoration decisions.
What activity category and CFDA number applied to this opportunity?
The opportunity fell under the Natural Resources activity category and referenced CFDA 15.945.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, meaning the opportunity was designed for universities or similar public academic entities.
How many awards were expected, and what was the maximum award amount?
The notice anticipated one award, with a funding ceiling of $42,466.
What does the award ceiling suggest about the scope of the funded work?
The ceiling of $42,466 and expectation of one award suggest the funded work was intended to be small and targeted, such as a focused monitoring scope or a discrete component of a broader monitoring program.
When was the opportunity posted, and what was the closing date?
The opportunity was created on June 30, 2017, and had an original closing date of July 9, 2017.
What does the short solicitation window indicate?
The short timeline suggests the agency intended to move quickly to put monitoring in place alongside the planned start of restoration activities in summer 2017.
What restoration design was referenced in the notice?
The final restoration design referenced in the notice was Sueltenfuss and Cooper (2017).
What is the general relationship between the monitoring grant and the construction work?
The monitoring grant opportunity was designed to support monitoring that runs in parallel with restoration construction and continues afterward, providing data to evaluate whether the construction and channel work are achieving intended improvements in hydrology and vegetation.
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