Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G24AS00297

Opportunity Information: Apply for G24AS00297

This grant opportunity is a US Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement aimed at improving how riverbed substrate (the material on the river bottom, such as sand, gravel, cobble, or bedrock) is classified in the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. The work is tied to the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, specifically the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC), which produces scientific information used to support US Department of the Interior decision-making for management of the Colorado River and operations of Glen Canyon Dam. A central need behind the project is that many management-relevant studies depend on understanding where sediment is eroding, moving, and depositing, and those sediment dynamics are closely linked to the physical makeup of the riverbed.

A key technical focus of the opportunity is the use of high-resolution multibeam sonar data that GCMRC collects to map bathymetry, meaning detailed measurements of riverbed elevation and shape. Along with depth and elevation, multibeam systems also collect acoustic backscatter, which is essentially the strength and character of the sonar return signal from the riverbed. Backscatter contains information that can be used to infer substrate composition, but translating raw backscatter into reliable substrate maps is complicated and typically requires advanced data processing and machine learning methods. USGS scientists and collaborators have already developed methods and an end-to-end workflow over many years, and the purpose of this funding is to bring in a CESU-affiliated partner to help adapt, update, and apply newer machine learning tools to existing GCMRC datasets to improve substrate classification products.

Beyond producing classifications, the project also emphasizes interpretation and scientific analysis. The resulting substrate maps are expected to be examined in relation to geomorphic characteristics of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, linking the distribution of substrate types to river form and process. In practical terms, that means looking at how substrate patterns relate to channel morphology, depositional and erosional zones, and other physical features that shape habitat and sediment transport. The end products are intended to strengthen ongoing monitoring and research and to better inform river and dam management decisions by improving the understanding of the riverbed and how it changes over time.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by the USGS under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, which is designed to support partnerships that deliver research, technical assistance, and education. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during the project rather than a hands-off grant. Eligibility is limited to organizations that are participating partners in the North Atlantic Coast CESU. The opportunity number is G24AS00297, the CFDA number listed is 15.808, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The posting indicates an award ceiling of $400,000, with the original closing date of April 8, 2024, and a creation date of March 6, 2024.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-03-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-08. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G24AS00297

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