The Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a cooperative agreement funding opportunity to state or local water-resources agencies that collect groundwater data to participate in the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network.
Donor Name: Geological Survey
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/18/2024
Size of the Grant: $300,000
Grant Duration: 2 year
Details:
The funding available for this Program is expected to be up to $1,700,000 for Federal FY2024. This estimate does not bind the USGS to a specific number of awards or to the amount of any individual award. Congress has not yet authorized 2024 funds for the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network, so awards cannot be made until this funding is appropriated. Work performance under these awards must be completed within the two-year cycle from the start date. The timing of funds availability and the signing of the award will determine the start date. Individual applications are restricted to a funding level of $150,000 for a one-year project or $300,000 for a two-year project. Funding for routine work under Objective 2A to maintain persistent data services is limited to $20,000 per year. However, agencies serving more than 500 sites can apply for up to $40,000 per year for Objective 2A work.
Objectives
- Objective 1: Support to become a new data provider
- This objective provides funding to perform work necessary to become a data provider to the NGWMN. The agency will select and classify sites from their existing networks for inclusion in the NGWMN. They will provide data from agency databases to the NGWMN Portal by creating new web services or repurposing existing web services. They will document field and data management practices specific to their agency so that users of the NGWMN data have information on the quality of data from the varied sources. A brief report summarizing the work to become a new data provider is required.
- Objective 2: Support persistent data service from existing data providers
- This objective provides funding to perform activities necessary to maintain persistent data services from agency databases to the NGWMN Portal and to support work to add new sites to the network and upgrade or improve web services. Work under this objective can consist of two parts that will require separate budgets and workplans and will be evaluated separately.
- Objective 3: Filling gaps in information at NGWMN sites
- This objective provides funding to perform work necessary to fill metadata gaps in the required data elements listed in the NGWMN Minimum Data Requirements tip sheet. The work may include data entry from available sources or field data collection efforts that fill metadata gaps.
- Objective 4: Site maintenance
- This objective provides funding to perform maintenance work on wells or springs in the NGWMN to ensure that data are of high quality. The work may include well redevelopment, well rehabilitation or repair, periodic pumping to ensure connection to the aquifer, or aquifer or slug testing of the well to quantify aquifer connection. Other maintenance activities can include replacing shelters, installing protective casing, or installing fencing to protect the site. Work to maintain access at spring sites is also supported. Work that helps ensure the integrity of quality of the data or helps protect the site so that data can be collected may be considered under this objective.
- Objective 5: Well drilling
- This objective provides funding to install wells to enhance or maintain the NGWMN. Well installation may include replacement wells for existing NGWMN sites and installation of wells at new locations that fill spatial gaps in the NGWMN Network.
- Objective 6: Purchase equipment to support continuous water-level data collection
- This objective supports the purchase of water-level monitoring equipment for NGWMN continuous water-level sites. Once every five years, replacement equipment may be purchased at current NGWMN sites with continuous data collection. Equipment may also be purchased under Objective 6 to upgrade the water-level monitoring frequency at existing NGWMN sites from discrete to continuous data collection. This could be for NGWMN Trend sites with only quarterly or monthly discrete data collected or to equip an existing NGWMN Surveillance site to be a Trend monitoring site.
Eligibility Criteria
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
