Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Pacific Northwest CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity about?

This is a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding opportunity under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program (Pacific Northwest CESU context) to support a single cooperative agreement project focused on improving Alaska hydrography data. The project addresses a long-standing statewide issue: the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) for Alaska is broadly outdated and contains many errors, creating downstream impacts for any work that depends on accurate hydrography.

What problem is the project trying to solve in Alaska?

The opportunity targets the fact that Alaska's NHD is outdated and error-prone. Because Alaska has vast and complex water resources, inconsistent mapping and slow updates can affect environmental analysis, land and resource management, infrastructure planning, emergency response, and scientific research. The project is intended to stop corrections from being isolated "one-off" efforts that never make it into authoritative national datasets.

What is the primary goal of the project?

The main goal is to create a practical statewide framework that makes hydrography updates easier to submit, coordinate, validate, and incorporate over time. The focus is on building a repeatable system for ongoing stewardship rather than performing disconnected edits that do not persist in authoritative layers.

What is the Alaska Hydrography Database (AK Hydro)?

AK Hydro is the proposed statewide system intended to modernize and strengthen how Alaska updates and stewards hydrography data. It is meant to provide a coordinated model for handling edits consistently and transparently across Alaska, supporting multiple contributors and reducing duplication of effort.

Is AK Hydro being built from scratch?

No. AK Hydro is designed to build directly on an existing, proven regional approach: the Southeast Alaska Hydrography Database (SEAK Hydro). The intent is to scale what has worked in Southeast Alaska into a coordinated statewide model.

Why scale up SEAK Hydro statewide?

The opportunity describes SEAK Hydro as a proven approach and proposes expanding it so that hydrography updates become more accessible and affordable across Alaska. A statewide model also supports consistent methods, transparent handling of edits, and improved coordination among contributors.

How does this project relate to the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)?

The project is intended to improve the process by which Alaska hydrography updates are created, reviewed, and ultimately incorporated back into authoritative national layers such as the NHD, avoiding situations where corrections remain local or temporary and do not feed back into the national dataset.

What improvements to Alaska hydrography are expected?

A major expected outcome is moving Alaska hydrography closer to national mapping standards that are more typical in the Lower 48. The opportunity explicitly points toward advancing Alaska's hydrography to include both a 1:125,000-scale NHD and an NHDPlus dataset.

What does "consume and uplift" project-level hydrography data mean in this context?

It refers to the ability to take detailed hydrography datasets created for specific projects or local areas (which often remain siloed) and efficiently review and integrate them into broader statewide and national hydrography layers. This helps ensure that high-quality local mapping investments do not get lost after a project ends.

Why is a statewide framework needed instead of doing individual corrections?

The opportunity emphasizes that isolated corrections can fail to make it into authoritative national layers. A statewide framework provides an ongoing pathway to submit, coordinate, validate, and incorporate updates over time so corrections persist and can be reused broadly.

Does the funding support any staffing or coordination roles?

Yes. The funding supports a statewide hydrography mapping coordinator position. This role is intended to synchronize and guide hydrography update activities across Alaska, support consistent methods and priorities, and reduce the risk that multiple agencies and organizations work at cross purposes.

Why is the coordinator role considered important?

The opportunity describes hydrography stewardship as both a technical and organizational challenge. The coordinator helps address the organizational side by supporting ongoing communication, shared standards, statewide priorities, and workflow management.

How many awards did USGS anticipate making?

USGS anticipated making one award.

What is the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount listed was $261,212.

What type of funding instrument is being used?

The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which indicates USGS expected active involvement and collaboration with the recipient rather than a hands-off grant relationship.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed for this opportunity.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G14AS00046.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on March 20, 2014. The original and current closing date was March 28, 2014.

When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was June 20, 2014.

What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What CFDA program is this associated with?

This opportunity is associated with CFDA number 15.817, National Geospatial Program: Building The National Map.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to CESU partners. Applicants had to be participating partners of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, part of the broader CESU network.

How does the CESU network relate to this opportunity?

The CESU network is described as a partnership framework that provides research, technical assistance, and education in support of federal land and resource management needs. This opportunity is limited to eligible CESU partners within that structure.

Where were applicants directed to find additional details and the full announcement?

Additional details and the full announcement were directed to Grants.gov.

Who was the contact for access issues, and how can they be reached?

The contact listed for access issues was Faith Graves. Phone: 703-648-7356. Email: fgraves@usgs.gov.

What geographic area does the project focus on?

The project focus is statewide Alaska hydrography, with the statewide system (AK Hydro) explicitly building on the Southeast Alaska Hydrography Database (SEAK Hydro) as the proven regional approach to be scaled up.