Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00417

Opportunity Information: Apply for G23AS00417

This opportunity is a USGS-funded cooperative agreement aimed specifically at organizations that are already partners in the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). The work is being offered through the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) and focuses on riparian areas on the Navajo Nation along the Little Colorado River. These riparian corridors are described as culturally Important Riparian Areas (CIRA), meaning the project is not only about ecology and hydrology, but also about supporting places that have cultural significance and are likely a priority for careful stewardship and restoration planning.

The core research need is to develop methods that can predict two closely related outcomes in these riparian settings: (1) green foliage cover (a practical indicator of vegetation condition and "greenness") and (2) actual evapotranspiration, which is the real water use by vegetation and soils rather than a theoretical potential rate. USGS is looking for predictions across three distinct categories of vegetation or sites: first, existing land cover that already fits the CIRA definition; second, future restoration locations within the CIRA that are planned to be planted and maintained with native species; and third, groundwater dependent ecosystems or species (GDEs) that occur away from the main river channel but still rely on groundwater inputs. In other words, the project is meant to support both current-condition assessment and forward-looking restoration monitoring, while also capturing off-channel habitats that may be easy to miss if monitoring is limited to the main river corridor.

From a technical standpoint, USGS expects applicants to rely heavily on multi-source remote sensing, combining both aerial and satellite imagery. The notice points to the use of high- and medium-resolution imagery, and it explicitly encourages approaches that blend or "fuse" data from different sensors and platforms to improve accuracy and frequency of monitoring. The agency also signals strong interest in modern analytical methods such as machine learning to translate imagery into usable estimates of foliage cover and evapotranspiration. At the same time, it leaves room for, and encourages, any feasible ground-based validation methods, which typically means field observations or instrumentation that can be used to check that remote-sensing-driven predictions are correct in real riparian settings.

A major practical deliverable implied by the description is the establishment of monitoring protocols that can be used into the future for riparian and GDE ecosystem tracking. The goal is not a one-time map, but a repeatable monitoring approach that can support near real-time evaluation of change. That change could result from natural drivers (seasonality, drought, floods, vegetation succession) as well as human-driven pressures (land use change, water management impacts, disturbance, invasive species, or restoration activities). The monitoring framework is also intended to support oversight and assessment of restoration work along tributaries and streams connected to the Little Colorado River, including tracking the outcomes of planting and maintenance actions in areas targeted for native vegetation restoration.

Administratively, the award is being issued as a discretionary cooperative agreement under the CESU program, which generally implies active involvement and collaboration between USGS and the recipient during the project rather than a hands-off grant structure. Eligibility is limited to "other" applicants that are participating partners of the Desert Southwest CESU (identified as CESU #160). The opportunity number is G23AS00417, it falls under the science and technology/research and development category, and it is associated with CFDA (now commonly referenced as Assistance Listing) 15.808. The posted award ceiling is $23,144, with the original closing date listed as July 21, 2023, and the opportunity record created on June 13, 2023.

• 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 Desert Southwest 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 2023-06-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-07-21. (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 $23,144.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G23AS00417

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