Opportunity Information: Apply for R15AS00040
Apply for R15AS00040
- The Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Modeling of Lake Roosevelt" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.560 SECURE Water Act Research Agreements.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 13, 2015 and posted on Mar 13, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $49,590.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $49,590.00 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Modeling of Lake Roosevelt grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number R15AS00040) was a Bureau of Reclamation cooperative agreement focused on improving how water quality conditions are modeled and forecasted in Lake Roosevelt and the broader Columbia River system. Lake Roosevelt, formed by Grand Coulee Dam, plays a major role in shaping downstream river conditions because the way water is stored and released affects both water temperature and total dissolved gas (TDG). TDG is especially important in large regulated rivers because elevated gas levels, often associated with spill and certain operational conditions, can create harmful biological effects for fish, including juvenile salmonids.
The core purpose of the award was to update an existing CE-QUAL-W2 model of Lake Roosevelt. Prior work had already developed a CE-QUAL-W2 temperature model designed to support in-season management, meaning it could be used during active operations to help decision-makers adjust releases and strategies in real time. This earlier model also supported evaluation of operational and structural alternatives, such as changes in flow regulation or infrastructure-related choices that can influence thermal regimes. The new work proposed under this opportunity aimed to expand that same modeling framework so it could simulate TDG in addition to temperature, effectively turning a temperature-focused tool into a more complete water quality decision-support model.
A key value of adding TDG simulation is that the resulting modeled outputs could feed into downstream Columbia River System water quality models. In other words, the updated Lake Roosevelt model would not only improve understanding of conditions within the reservoir, but also provide boundary conditions or input data needed to model water quality impacts further downstream. This linkage matters because TDG concerns do not stop at the dam or reservoir; cumulative and downstream effects are central to system-wide management, especially in a river network with multiple large dams and coordinated operations.
The management objective described in the announcement was explicitly tied to improving real-time decision making and exploring alternatives that reduce the total mass loading of TDG at Bonneville Dam, while still maintaining juvenile fish survival performance. That framing reflects a balancing act common in Columbia River operations: meeting hydropower, flood control, and flow objectives while minimizing water quality harms and supporting fish passage and survival. By enabling more accurate simulation of TDG dynamics in Lake Roosevelt, operators and managers would be better equipped to test scenarios and identify operational strategies that lower system-wide TDG burdens without undermining biological performance goals.
Administratively, the opportunity was listed as a discretionary funding program in the natural resources category, issued as a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during project performance. The program did not require cost sharing or matching. The Bureau of Reclamation expected to make a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $49,590, which also served as the award ceiling, while the award floor was listed as $1. Eligible applicants were limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, signaling that the work was intended to be carried out by universities or similar public academic entities with technical modeling capacity.
The opportunity was posted and created on March 13, 2015, with an original and current closing date of March 27, 2015, and an archive date of March 13, 2016. The CFDA listing included 15.560 under the SECURE Water Act Research Agreements. For further details, the announcement referenced Grants.gov and provided a point of contact at the Bureau of Reclamation: Melinda Ritacco, Grants Officer (208-378-5103, mritacco@usbr.gov), for applicants who had trouble accessing the full electronic announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Modeling of Lake Roosevelt.
2. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is R15AS00040.
3. Which federal agency offered this opportunity?
This opportunity was offered by the Bureau of Reclamation.
4. What type of award was it?
It was issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning the Bureau of Reclamation anticipated substantial involvement or collaboration with the recipient during project performance.
5. What was the main purpose of the project?
The core purpose was to update an existing CE-QUAL-W2 model of Lake Roosevelt to improve how water quality conditions are modeled and forecasted for Lake Roosevelt and the broader Columbia River system.
6. Why is Lake Roosevelt important for water quality and downstream river conditions?
Lake Roosevelt (formed by Grand Coulee Dam) strongly influences downstream conditions because how water is stored and released affects key water quality parameters, especially water temperature and total dissolved gas (TDG).
7. What is TDG and why does it matter in this context?
Total dissolved gas (TDG) is important in large regulated rivers because elevated gas levels, often associated with spill and certain operational conditions, can cause harmful biological effects for fish, including juvenile salmonids.
8. What model platform was being updated?
The project focused on CE-QUAL-W2, a modeling framework previously used for temperature simulation in Lake Roosevelt.
9. What did the existing model already do before this new work?
Prior work had developed a CE-QUAL-W2 temperature model designed to support in-season management, meaning it could be used during active operations to help decision-makers adjust releases and strategies in real time.
10. How would the new work expand the existing model?
The new work aimed to extend the same modeling framework so it could simulate TDG in addition to temperature, converting a temperature-focused tool into a more complete water quality decision-support model.
11. How could the updated Lake Roosevelt model be used beyond the reservoir itself?
A major value of adding TDG simulation is that outputs from the updated Lake Roosevelt model could be used as boundary conditions or input data for downstream Columbia River System water quality models.
12. What management objective was tied to this award?
The stated management objective was to improve real-time decision making and explore alternatives that reduce the total mass loading of TDG at Bonneville Dam, while still maintaining juvenile fish survival performance.
13. What kinds of operational decisions or alternatives could the model help evaluate?
The announcement described the earlier model as supporting evaluation of operational and structural alternatives, including changes in flow regulation or infrastructure-related choices that can influence thermal regimes. The updated model would apply that framework to TDG as well.
14. Was this a mandatory or discretionary funding program?
It was listed as a discretionary funding program in the natural resources category.
15. Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated that cost sharing or matching was not required.
16. How many awards did the Bureau of Reclamation expect to make?
The Bureau of Reclamation expected to make a single award.
17. What was the total estimated funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $49,590.
18. What were the award ceiling and floor?
The award ceiling was $49,590, and the award floor was listed as $1.
19. Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants were limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
20. What does the eligibility limitation suggest about the intended performers?
Based on the stated eligibility, the work was intended to be carried out by universities or similar public academic entities with technical modeling capacity.
21. When was the opportunity posted and created?
The opportunity was posted and created on March 13, 2015.
22. What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date was March 27, 2015.
23. When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was March 13, 2016.
24. What CFDA listing was associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing included 15.560 under the SECURE Water Act Research Agreements.
25. Where were applicants directed to find more details?
For additional details, the announcement referenced Grants.gov for the full electronic announcement.
26. Who was the point of contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The point of contact listed was Melinda Ritacco, Grants Officer, Bureau of Reclamation.
27. What contact information was provided for the point of contact?
Phone: 208-378-5103
Email: mritacco@usbr.gov
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