Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Rocky Mountain CESU Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00390

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary financial assistance opportunity offered through a Cooperative Agreement. It is administered by the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) and supports research on threatened bull trout in transboundary river systems shared by the United States and Canada.

What is the main purpose of the award?

The central purpose is to strengthen scientific understanding of how environmental conditions and other drivers influence bull trout populations, and then translate that understanding into practical tools that can guide conservation, recovery, and water management decisions across jurisdictions.

Which species is the focus of the project?

The project is focused on threatened bull trout.

Which river systems does the opportunity focus on?

The work is focused on two transboundary river systems shared by the United States and Canada: the St. Mary River and the Kootenai River.

Why does the opportunity emphasize transboundary and multi-jurisdiction coordination?

Because the St. Mary and Kootenai river systems span the United States and Canada, conservation and water management decisions involve multiple jurisdictions. The project is designed to produce science and tools that can be applied consistently and collaboratively across those boundaries.

What kind of research approach is being supported?

The opportunity supports research that advances knowledge of bull trout population dynamics by combining and making better use of existing population and environmental datasets. A major emphasis is on developing and applying integrated population models that link biological monitoring data with environmental variables.

What are integrated population models in the context of this project?

In this opportunity, integrated population models are described as models that connect biological monitoring information (for example, abundance, survival, recruitment, and movement) with environmental variables (for example, flow, temperature, habitat conditions, and other stressors). The intent is to integrate these data streams to better identify key drivers and forecast population responses under changing conditions.

What kinds of biological monitoring information are expected to be used?

The notice specifically mentions biological monitoring information such as abundance, survival, recruitment, and movement.

What kinds of environmental variables are expected to be considered?

The notice specifically mentions environmental variables such as flow, temperature, habitat conditions, and other stressors.

What is the expected outcome or end use of the work?

The end goal is decision support. The project is expected to produce analyses and modeling outputs that resource managers can use to proactively prioritize and implement actions that improve bull trout status and resilience, including informing conservation planning and water management decisions.

Is collaboration required as part of this award?

Yes. Collaboration is described as a core expectation. The work is intended to be conducted jointly by quantitative ecologists at a university partner and research ecologists at USGS NOROCK, with coordination and input from a range of management and governance partners.

Who are the intended collaborators and partners?

The opportunity explicitly includes coordination and input from state, federal, provincial, and tribal entities, reflecting the cross-border and multi-jurisdictional nature of the St. Mary and Kootenai systems.

What is the role of USGS NOROCK in the project?

USGS NOROCK is the USGS center offering this opportunity and is expected to participate through its research ecologists in a cooperative, jointly conducted effort alongside a university partner, with broader partner coordination and input.

What funding mechanism is being used?

The opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Agreement as a discretionary financial assistance award.

What program is this award issued through?

This award is being issued through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, described as a network of partnerships created to provide research, technical assistance, and education support for public trust resource issues.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to applicants that are active participants in the Rocky Mountain CESU.

What is the opportunity number?

The funding opportunity is identified as G23AS00390.

What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?

The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number provided is 15.808.

Which federal agency administers the opportunity?

The opportunity is administered by the Geological Survey (USGS).

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on 2023-06-05.

What was the original closing date?

The original closing date was 2023-07-05.

What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The award ceiling is $70,500.

What management questions is the research intended to support?

The project is intended to stay aligned with real management questions by coordinating with management and governance partners. It is aimed at supporting conservation planning, recovery actions, and water resource decision-making for bull trout across jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada.

Does the opportunity require using existing datasets?

Yes. A major theme is combining and making better use of existing population and environmental datasets to advance understanding of bull trout population dynamics.

What types of decisions could the resulting tools help inform?

Based on the description, the outputs are intended to inform conservation and recovery prioritization as well as water management decisions, including forecasting how bull trout populations may respond under changing environmental and water management scenarios.