Notice of Intent to Award to University of Colorado Boulder | BOR LC 18 NOI11

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR LC 18 NOI11

This grant opportunity is a Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior) notice of intent to make a single cooperative agreement award to the University of Colorado Boulder to support Colorado River Basin planning and reservoir operations through a comprehensive science synthesis. Reclamation relies on a wide range of hydrology and climate studies to guide day-to-day operations of the Colorado River System reservoirs and to inform mid- and long-term planning that affects water reliability, energy production, and regional economic security for the many communities that depend on the river. Because these decisions are only as strong as the underlying science, the project is framed around bringing together the best available methods and data across multiple hydrology-related disciplines, in coordination with the seven Basin States and other Basin stakeholders such as major water providers.

The core deliverable is a basin-wide report that summarizes the current state of climate and hydrologic science for the Colorado River Basin and translates that information into a shared technical foundation that Reclamation and stakeholders can use consistently. The opportunity emphasizes that the Basin has already seen successful collaboration of this kind, pointing to the 2012 Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study as a key example of coordinated technical work intended to evaluate future conditions across both human-managed infrastructure and natural systems. In that same spirit, this new report is meant to function as a reference point for ongoing and future Basin activities where scientific assumptions, datasets, and modeling choices can materially influence conclusions.

The motivation is closely tied to the Basin’s prolonged and serious drought conditions, which have increased the urgency of understanding water supply variability and uncertainty. The report is expected to address several priority scientific themes: improving understanding of historical streamflow variability (including how unusual recent conditions may be in a longer-term context), advancing streamflow forecasting approaches, and characterizing uncertainty in future climate and hydrologic conditions. A related focus is a formal review of the practical tools used to do this work, including whether key datasets are suitable for decision-making purposes and what modeling capabilities are available or still limited. In other words, the project is not only about summarizing research findings, but also about clarifying how reliable the existing data and models are for the management questions Reclamation and stakeholders need to answer.

A major near-term planning driver highlighted in the notice is the upcoming renegotiation of the Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated Operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, a process scheduled to begin no later than 2020. By consolidating and evaluating the state of the science ahead of that renegotiation, Reclamation aims to ensure that the technical basis for future operating and shortage coordination decisions is transparent, up to date, and applied responsibly. The intended outcome is improved consistency and credibility in how climate and hydrologic science is used during a critical period of Basin planning and management.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement instrument, indicating substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency rather than a hands-off grant. It is categorized under the environment funding activity area and carries CFDA number 15.560. The eligible applicant type listed is public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the opportunity anticipates one award with a funding ceiling of $100,000. The notice was created on August 6, 2018, with an original closing date of August 20, 2018, and it is labeled as a “Notice of Intent to Award,” signaling that Reclamation is announcing its intention to fund the University of Colorado Boulder for this specific effort rather than running a broad open competition.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent to Award to University of Colorado Boulder" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 06, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 20, 2018. (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 $100,000.00 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.

Apply for BOR LC 18 NOI11

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