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Water Resources Institute

USGS 104g Competitive Research Grants

The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the South ֱ Water Resources Institute (SD WRI) requests proposals under Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984.

More information is available on the .

Please Note:  Each applicant must match each Federal dollar provided to support each proposed project with not less than one dollar from non-federal sources. (1:1 MATCH)

Program Objectives

Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 requires that this competitive grant program focus on: “water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single State and which relate to specific program priorities identified jointly by the Secretary (of the Interior) and the (water resources research) institutes.” Objectives of this program also include the following:

  1. Promote collaboration between the USGS and university scientists in research on significant national and regional water-resources issues. Proposals exhibiting substantial collaboration between the USGS and the applicant are strongly encouraged. Collaborative proposals should describe in detail the respective roles of the USGS and the applicant in the proposed work. It is anticipated that in FY2024 the USGS will have internal funds available for modest support of USGS scientists on selected proposals.
  2. Promote the dissemination and application of the results of the research funded under this program, both to the scientific community and to the general public.
  3. Assist in the training of scientists in relevant water resource fields. Proposals that include a strong educational component (student support) are encouraged, as are those from early-career faculty.

Research Priorities:

Please be aware that the USGS is not asking for pre-proposals this year and are requesting full proposals on the topic of improving and enhancing the nation’s water supply and availability, and promoting the exploration of new ideas that address or expand our understanding of water problems, including the following specific areas of inquiry. Levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority:

  • Abundance, location and persistence of legacy nutrients: What are the mechanisms that facilitate accumulation and persistence? Where in landscape are they stored and what does that mean for the potential to enter or move through the hydrologic system? What are the methods, time periods and utility to characterizing “new” versus “old” sources? Do related nutrients persist and move in the same way, and what does this mean for short- and long-term water quality?
  • Trends of integrated processes: How do changes in one aspect of water quantity and availability affect other long-term aspects? For example, how are changes in groundwater identifiable as changes in streamflow patterns? How do changes in streamflow result in changes in water quality?
  • Water Conflict: What are the risks of water conflict as a result of inter-basin transfers driven by water-use behavior, socioeconomic conditions, changing land-use patterns and climate variability. Aspects for consideration include identification of thresholds, tradeoffs between sectors and(or) communities, conservation opportunities and stakeholder actions, agent-based modeling, relevant laws and regulations and adaptive management.

Maximum Size and Duration of Project:

  • Applicants shall not request total federal funds exceeding $250,000 per project. Each applicant must match each Federal dollar provided to support each proposed project with not less than one dollar from non-federal sources.
  • Proposed projects may be of one to three years in duration, with discrete 12-month budget periods.
  • ֱs will be made directly to the Water Resources Research Institute through which the proposal was submitted. The project start date is expected to be within 30 days of receiving the award.
  • Anticipated ֱ Date: Dec. 1, 2024

Proposal contents:

  • SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, and SF-424B Assurances
  • Signed matching funds commitment letter
  • Suggested reviewers
  • Research Proposal, including a Budget Breakdown, Budget Justification and Budget Summary
  • .
  • A must be included in the full proposal.

Application submission procedure:

Proposals must be submitted to the South ֱ Water Resources Institute by 5 p.m. May 13, 2024.

Please contact John Maursetter at 605-688-5668 for additional questions.