Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00366

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the funding opportunity number for this grant?

The funding opportunity number is G23AS00366.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Which USGS center is administering the project?

The opportunity is offered through the Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC).

What type of award is being used?

The award instrument is a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

Based on the description, a cooperative agreement indicates USGS typically expects substantial involvement during the project, such as collaborating on methods, integrating data, helping interpret results, or contributing to reporting.

Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?

Yes. The description states it is a discretionary funding opportunity.

What is the CFDA number associated with this funding?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.808.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $45,000.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on May 8, 2023.

What was the original closing date for applications?

The original closing date listed is June 23, 2023.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are participating partners in the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

Is eligibility open to any organization working in the Southwest?

No. The description limits eligibility to partner organizations affiliated with the Desert Southwest CESU.

What is the overall project focus?

The project focuses on riparian ecosystems in the western United States, particularly narrow vegetated river corridors along roughly 15 rivers in the Lower Colorado River Basin.

What is the main scientific goal of the project?

The central goal is to investigate how riparian vegetation greenness and water use have changed over time, emphasizing long-term patterns and potential drivers of change across river corridors.

Which geographic area does the work emphasize?

The work emphasizes the Lower Colorado River Basin and riparian corridors along roughly 15 rivers within that basin, situated in the western United States.

How many rivers are included in the study scope?

The description indicates the work spans roughly 15 rivers in the Lower Colorado River Basin.

What types of methods are expected for this project?

The work is heavily based on remote sensing and time series analysis, including compiling consistent satellite-derived indicators of vegetation condition and water use through time.

What time period should the analysis cover?

The opportunity describes an extended time series spanning from 2000 through 2025, with continued monitoring intended to track ongoing change.

Is the project intended to be a one-time snapshot or a long-term trend assessment?

The description emphasizes a spatiotemporal assessment that shows trends and turning points over time, not just snapshots.

What does the opportunity mean by riparian vegetation "greenness"?

Within the context provided, "greenness" refers to satellite-derived indicators of vegetation condition that can be tracked through time to detect where vegetation is becoming greener or less green.

What changes in riparian vegetation are expected to be measured?

The description calls for detecting where and when vegetation becomes greener or less green, expands or contracts in area, and shifts in density, using consistent time series datasets.

Is plant community composition part of the project?

Yes. A major emphasis is distinguishing and tracking changes in plant community composition, especially the mix of native and non-native riparian vegetation.

Why is the native versus non-native mix emphasized?

The description notes that invasive or non-native species in the Lower Colorado River Basin can respond differently to water availability, temperature stress, and management actions, so tracking shifts in the balance of native versus non-native plants is prioritized.

What vegetation attributes are tied to ecosystem condition and habitat quality in this opportunity?

The opportunity highlights changes in greenness, density, and overall acreage of riparian vegetation as indicators that can be used to infer ecosystem condition and habitat quality.

Does the project consider both natural and human-driven causes of change?

Yes. The description frames the work around understanding change from both natural forces (such as drought and climate stressors) and human-driven forces (described as anthropogenic management choices).

What natural stressors are specifically mentioned?

Drought and related climate stressors are explicitly highlighted as likely contributors to changes in riparian greenness and water use.

What human activities are suggested as potential drivers?

The description references anthropogenic management choices, including river operations, restoration projects, vegetation management, water diversions, and other interventions that may influence patterns visible in the satellite record.

How is the project expected to help separate drought effects from management effects?

Based on the description, the monitoring is intended to reveal patterns that align with drought periods, management timelines, or restoration activities, and to compare changes among tributaries or reaches with different management histories.

Is restoration monitoring included in the scope?

Yes. Restoration monitoring is explicitly called out as a priority for USGS in this opportunity.

What restoration responses does USGS want to measure?

The description specifies detecting responses to restoration actions along tributary streams using satellite imagery, including changes in greenup timing and magnitude and changes in actual evapotranspiration (ETa).

What is ETa in the context of this project?

ETa refers to actual evapotranspiration, described as a remote-sensing-based estimate of how much water is transferred from the land surface to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration.

Why is ETa important for this opportunity?

ETa is important because it provides a way to evaluate riparian water use and to consider potential tradeoffs among vegetation types, habitat goals, and water availability.

Is the project expected to compare results across rivers or river reaches?

Yes. The opportunity emphasizes a spatiotemporal assessment that can be compared across different rivers or reaches, including comparisons among tributaries or reaches with different management histories.

What category of activity does this opportunity fall under?

The funding activity is described as science and technology and other research and development.

Does the description indicate ongoing monitoring beyond 2025?

It states the analysis spans 2000 through 2025, with continued monitoring intended to track ongoing change, indicating the effort is meant to support ongoing tracking rather than end with a single historical analysis.