Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU | G18AS00011

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00011

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00011) is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding program offered under the Department of the Interior. It is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the project is expected to involve substantive involvement and collaboration with USGS rather than being a simple pass-through grant. The activity falls under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and it is associated with CFDA number 15.808. The opportunity was created on November 21, 2017, with an original closing date of December 5, 2017, and it anticipated making a single award with a maximum funding level (award ceiling) of $15,000.

The core purpose of the award is to support a CESU partner in conducting applied research and building a predictive model focused on what happens in a river after an oil spill, specifically the fate and transport of oil-particle aggregates (OPAs). OPAs form when oil interacts with suspended sediment and particulate material in the water, producing aggregates that can behave differently than surface oil slicks. Because OPAs can travel with river currents, mix through the water column, and settle into sediments, they create distinct risks to aquatic habitat, fisheries, and downstream communities. This funding opportunity targets the need to better understand and forecast those behaviors so that responders and resource managers can anticipate where OPAs are likely to move, where they may deposit, and what areas could face the greatest exposure.

A central deliverable described in the solicitation is the development of a model called FluOil. The model is intended to simulate OPA movement through natural river systems following a spill incident and to estimate the potential impact range of OPA plumes downstream. In practical terms, FluOil is meant to be a decision support tool: something that can help planners and emergency responders evaluate consequences under realistic conditions, compare scenarios, and prioritize monitoring, containment, or protection actions based on predicted transport pathways and depositional “hot spots.” The opportunity emphasizes demonstrating that the model is suitable for this decision-support role, not only as a theoretical or laboratory concept.

To prove the model can perform under real-world conditions, the opportunity calls for a case study application using the Illinois River. The Illinois River scenario is meant to show how OPAs would propagate after a hypothetical upstream spill, using realistic flow patterns rather than oversimplified assumptions. By simulating OPA plume movement and areas of likely deposition along the river corridor, the project would provide insight into which downstream locations might be most vulnerable. This includes assessing potential exposure to communities and to fish and wildlife resources managed at national, state, and county levels. The emphasis on downstream vulnerability suggests the model outputs should be interpretable in a management context, such as identifying stretches of river where OPAs may accumulate in sediments, where sensitive habitats could be impacted, and where response actions might be most effective.

Eligibility is limited to CESU partners, with the listing indicating “Others” and directing applicants to additional eligibility language (not included in the excerpt). In general, CESU opportunities are typically targeted to participating institutions within the relevant CESU network, often including universities, nonprofits, and other partner organizations that are formally part of the CESU program. With one expected award and a relatively modest ceiling of $15,000, the scope is likely focused on a targeted modeling effort, refinement or adaptation of existing methods, and a demonstration using available hydrologic data for the Illinois River, rather than a large field campaign. Overall, the opportunity is a small, specialized research award designed to produce a practical modeling capability that improves preparedness and environmental decision-making for riverine oil spill incidents involving oil-particle aggregates.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 21, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 05, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $15,000.00 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).

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