Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

This grant opportunity, titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number 09HQPA0063), is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement focused on building regional geologic and geomorphic spatial data sets for Eastern Sheridan County, Montana. The work is to be led through the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) and is intended to compile and interpret existing information rather than start from scratch with entirely new field mapping. The resulting products are meant to cover a broad regional footprint that includes much of the local Prairie Pothole landscape as well as wetlands and grasslands managed by the Medicine Lake Wildlife Refuge, an area with high ecological value for waterfowl and other wetland and grassland dependent bird species.

The central purpose is to assemble and create usable GIS-ready spatial layers that describe geology and landform characteristics (geomorphology) by integrating multiple existing data sources. These sources explicitly include soil surveys, geologic maps, aerial photographs, satellite imagery, well logs, and other available datasets. In practical terms, the project is about turning scattered and unevenly formatted legacy information into coherent, consistent map layers that scientists and managers can use to understand landscape processes, evaluate vulnerability, and target monitoring. The emphasis on "geologic and geomorphic" datasets suggests deliverables that could support interpreting surface and near-surface materials, drainage and depressional features, and the physical context that influences how contaminants move or accumulate across the landscape.

The motivation for the work is rooted in heightened public concern about environmental risks tied to expanding oil development in the Williston Basin across Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The announcement highlights that technology advances have accelerated development in the Bakken Formation, increasing the footprint and intensity of oil and gas activity in the region. Overlapping this energy development zone is the Prairie Pothole Region, which contains dense networks of shallow, often seasonal wetlands interspersed with grasslands. These habitats are especially important for breeding, nesting, and migratory stopover for waterfowl and other birds, so even localized impacts can have outsized ecological consequences.

A key risk called out in the announcement is brine contamination associated with oilfield operations. Specifically, the notice points to "co-produced waters" and the potential for salts and related contaminants to leach into surrounding environments from reserve pits, injection wells, and transport lines. Because prairie pothole wetlands are often small, shallow, and hydrologically sensitive, they can be particularly vulnerable to salinity changes and contamination events. By producing improved regional geologic and geomorphic layers, the project aims to help identify where contamination might migrate, where it could pool or persist, and which wetlands and surrounding soils may be most susceptible based on landscape setting.

Climate change is presented as an additional reason the datasets are urgent and necessary. The opportunity notes that Montana wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region are considered among the most likely to be affected by climate change due to their seasonal nature. The announcement also references a projected negative feedback loop involving carbon sequestration, implying that changes to wetland extent, duration, or function could reduce the landscape's ability to store carbon and potentially amplify broader climate impacts. In that context, the spatial datasets are framed as a foundational step to close knowledge gaps and support more accurate assessments of combined pressures from climate variability and energy development.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued as a cooperative agreement under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) framework, specifically the Rocky Mountain CESU. That matters because eligibility is limited: applicants must be a participating partner in the Rocky Mountain CESU Program. CESUs are partnership networks intended to streamline research and technical assistance collaborations among federal agencies, universities, and other partners. The listing indicates there will be one expected award with an estimated total funding amount of $15,000, and it states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

The timeline in the notice indicates it was posted on August 4, 2009, with an application closing date of August 13, 2009, and an archive date of September 12, 2009. The CFDA number is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). For assistance accessing the full announcement, the provided contact is Faith Graves, Contract Specialist, at 703-648-7356.

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