Opportunity Information: Apply for R15SS00006
Apply for R15SS00006
- The Bureau of Reclamation in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Hydrological and Biological Monitoring of Bendway Weirs in the Middle Rio Grande" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.517 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 2, 2015 and posted on Mar 2, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 16, 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 $332,663.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $332,663.00 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).
- State and local governments, nonprofit organizations and institutions, public and private institutions and organizations, Federally recognized Indian Tribal Governments, individuals, small businesses, for profit organizations, and Native American Organizations.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Hydrological and Biological Monitoring of Bendway Weirs in the Middle Rio Grande grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number R15SS00006) was a discretionary funding program offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. The project focus was environmental, and it was designed to produce practical, field-based evidence about whether bendway weirs (in-river structures intended to influence flow patterns and channel form) actually deliver measurable ecological and hydrologic benefits in the Middle Rio Grande (MRG). A central motivation behind the opportunity was the broader problem that many river restoration actions, including dam operational changes or installation of physical structures, are implemented without collecting enough robust monitoring data to judge outcomes. In other words, projects often move forward without clear metrics for success or failure, making it difficult to learn what works, what does not, and why.
The purpose of the project was to evaluate how bendway weir installations affect both hydrology (how water moves and shapes the channel) and biology (how aquatic habitat and organisms respond). The announcement emphasizes that there has been limited evidence to date that these kinds of restoration projects consistently improve aquatic habitat, especially when monitoring is not designed to capture conditions before and after construction. For that reason, the grant specifically highlighted the value of extensive monitoring tied to a real field installation, ideally including pre-construction data collection. Establishing pre-installation baseline conditions and then tracking post-installation changes would allow investigators to attribute observed differences more confidently to the weirs themselves rather than to natural variability, seasonal shifts, or unrelated river management actions.
A key ecological driver in the opportunity is the federally endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus amarus, RGSM). While the project is framed broadly around aquatic habitat and organisms, it specifically calls out the importance of monitoring organisms that serve as food resources for the silvery minnow. That means the work was not limited to the target fish species alone, but also to the broader aquatic community and habitat conditions that support food-web productivity, such as invertebrate populations, habitat complexity, and the physical conditions (depth, velocity, substrate, and connected habitat features) that influence where and when prey organisms are available. The underlying idea is that even if bendway weirs do not directly increase silvery minnow numbers in the short term, they could still be beneficial if they improve habitat quality and the availability of food resources that support survival and recruitment.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, the opportunity anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1) with an estimated total funding amount of $332,663, which also served as the award ceiling. The award floor was listed as $1, indicating that smaller budgets were technically allowable, though the intent clearly aligned with a substantial monitoring effort. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, reducing barriers for applicants that might otherwise struggle to provide non-federal match. The associated CFDA number was 15.517 under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, signaling a programmatic alignment with coordinating water-related actions and fish and wildlife considerations.
Eligibility was broad and inclusive. The announcement permitted applications from state and local governments, nonprofit organizations and institutions, public and private institutions and organizations, federally recognized Tribal governments, individuals, small businesses, for-profit organizations, and Native American organizations. This wide eligibility range suggests the Bureau of Reclamation was open to a variety of technical leads, including universities, consulting firms, conservation groups, or partnerships among agencies and research entities, as long as the applicant could deliver rigorous hydrologic and biological monitoring and work collaboratively under the cooperative agreement structure.
Timing-wise, the announcement was posted and created on March 2, 2015, with an original and current closing date of March 16, 2015, and it was archived on March 17, 2015. The short application window implies the Bureau likely had a specific monitoring need tied to an upcoming construction or implementation schedule for bendway weirs in the MRG, where pre-construction data collection would need to start quickly to be scientifically meaningful.
For applicants or interested parties who could not access the full announcement electronically, the listed point of contact was Timothy Wagoner, Grants Officer, at 801-524-3704 (BOR). Overall, this opportunity was essentially about turning a restoration installation into a learning opportunity: collecting credible, before-and-after hydrologic and biological data so future decisions about bendway weirs in the Middle Rio Grande can be based on measured outcomes rather than assumptions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Hydrological and Biological Monitoring of Bendway Weirs in the Middle Rio Grande.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is R15SS00006.
Which federal agency offered this funding?
This was a discretionary funding program offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument for this opportunity was a cooperative agreement.
What was the main purpose of the project?
The purpose was to evaluate how bendway weir installations affect both hydrology (how water moves and shapes the channel) and biology (how aquatic habitat and organisms respond) in the Middle Rio Grande (MRG).
What are bendway weirs in the context of this opportunity?
Bendway weirs are described as in-river structures intended to influence flow patterns and channel form. The project aimed to produce practical, field-based evidence about whether these structures deliver measurable hydrologic and ecological benefits.
Why did this opportunity emphasize monitoring?
The announcement highlights a broader problem in river restoration: many actions (including physical structures or dam operational changes) are implemented without enough robust monitoring to judge outcomes. This opportunity focused on collecting credible data so decisions about bendway weirs can be based on measured results rather than assumptions.
What kinds of outcomes was the project meant to measure?
The project was designed to measure changes related to:
- Hydrology: how water moves and shapes the channel
- Aquatic habitat conditions: physical conditions such as depth, velocity, substrate, and connected habitat features
- Biological response: how aquatic organisms and habitat quality respond to the installation
Was the project expected to collect data before construction?
Yes. The opportunity specifically emphasized the value of extensive monitoring tied to a real field installation and highlighted the importance of pre-construction (baseline) monitoring followed by post-installation monitoring.
Why is pre-installation baseline data important?
Baseline data helps investigators attribute observed post-installation changes more confidently to the bendway weirs, rather than to natural variability, seasonal changes, or unrelated river management actions.
What environmental or ecological issue was central to the opportunity?
A key ecological driver was the federally endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus amarus, RGSM).
Was the monitoring limited to the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow itself?
No. The announcement specifically called out the importance of monitoring organisms that serve as food resources for the silvery minnow, meaning the work also included broader aquatic community and habitat conditions that support food-web productivity.
What kinds of biological and habitat factors were highlighted as relevant?
The opportunity references monitoring elements such as invertebrate populations, habitat complexity, and physical habitat conditions (including depth, velocity, substrate, and connected habitat features) that influence prey availability.
Did the opportunity assume bendway weirs would always improve aquatic habitat?
No. The announcement notes there has been limited evidence that these types of restoration projects consistently improve aquatic habitat, especially when monitoring does not capture conditions before and after construction.
How many awards were expected under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipated one award (Expected Awards: 1).
What was the total estimated funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $332,663.
What was the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling was $332,663.
What was the minimum (floor) award amount?
The award floor was listed as $1, meaning smaller budgets were technically allowable, although the intent aligned with a substantial monitoring effort.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA number was 15.517 under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. The announcement permitted applications from:
- State and local governments
- Nonprofit organizations and institutions
- Public and private institutions and organizations
- Federally recognized Tribal governments
- Individuals
- Small businesses
- For-profit organizations
- Native American organizations
What types of organizations did the announcement seem to encourage?
Based on the stated scope and the cooperative agreement structure, the Bureau of Reclamation appeared open to a range of technical leads (such as universities, consulting firms, conservation groups, or partnerships among agencies and research entities) as long as they could deliver rigorous hydrologic and biological monitoring and work collaboratively.
When was the opportunity posted?
The announcement was posted and created on March 2, 2015.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date was March 16, 2015.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on March 17, 2015.
What does the short application window suggest about the project timeline?
The short window suggests the Bureau likely had a specific monitoring need tied to an upcoming bendway weir construction or implementation schedule in the Middle Rio Grande, where pre-construction data collection would need to begin quickly to be scientifically meaningful.
Who was the listed point of contact for the opportunity?
The listed point of contact was Timothy Wagoner, Grants Officer.
What was the contact phone number?
The contact phone number provided was 801-524-3704 (BOR).
What was the overarching goal of funding this work?
The opportunity aimed to turn a restoration installation into a learning opportunity by collecting credible before-and-after hydrologic and biological data, so future decisions about bendway weirs in the Middle Rio Grande can be guided by measured outcomes.
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