Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU | G18AS00069

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00069

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00069) is a discretionary U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) award administered under the Department of the Interior. It is offered through the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) and is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the work is expected to involve substantial involvement and collaboration with USGS rather than operating as a hands-off grant. The program sits within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and is associated with CFDA 15.808.

The purpose of the opportunity is to support research on how riparian vegetation in the western United States is changing in terms of both greenness (a common remote-sensing indicator tied to vegetation condition and growth) and water use, with an explicit emphasis on monitoring both native and non-native riparian plant species. The work is framed in the context of restoration actions connected to Minute 323 in the Colorado River Delta in Mexico, a binational framework associated with efforts to restore and manage ecological conditions in the delta region. In practical terms, the project is intended to generate measurements that can help track vegetation response and water consumption in riparian zones that are influenced by restoration flows and related management actions.

Methodologically, USGS is seeking a remote sensing-based approach that combines satellite imagery with aerial imagery collected from drones or other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The satellite component would be used to evaluate landscape-scale patterns and trends in greenup and evapotranspiration, while UAV imagery can provide finer-resolution observations that help interpret satellite signals, validate results, and distinguish responses among vegetation types, including native versus invasive or non-native plants. The core deliverables implied by the description are datasets and analyses that quantify changes in vegetation greenness over time and estimate evapotranspiration (ET), which is a key metric for understanding riparian water use and ecosystem functioning in arid and semi-arid river corridors.

Eligibility is limited to partners within the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically those associated with the Desert Southwest CESU, with the listing indicating “Others” and directing applicants to additional eligibility details (not included in the provided text). In effect, this is not an open competition for the general public; it is targeted to qualifying CESU partner institutions, which commonly include universities, tribes, and other research or conservation organizations that are formally part of the CESU cooperative network.

The anticipated funding level is relatively modest and focused: one expected award with an award ceiling of $70,000. The opportunity was created on June 6, 2018, and originally closed on June 20, 2018, indicating a short application window consistent with a targeted, partner-based solicitation. Overall, the grant is aimed at producing applied, management-relevant science that improves the ability of USGS and restoration partners to monitor riparian ecosystem response and water use using an integrated satellite-and-drone remote sensing workflow, with direct relevance to Colorado River Delta restoration efforts under Minute 323.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU" 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 Jun 06, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 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 $70,000.00 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).

Apply for G18AS00069

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