Notice of Intent | USGS 17 FA 0267

Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS 17 FA 0267

This Notice of Intent (Funding Opportunity Number USGS 17 FA 0267) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under the Department of the Interior. The focus is on natural resources and is aimed at research and management approaches for "managing urban tree canopy to mitigate ecological drought and urban thermal pollution above salmonid streams" in the context of overlapping pressures from climate change and urbanization. In practical terms, the opportunity is centered on how urban forests and tree canopy cover can be planned, maintained, or expanded to reduce heat and water-stress impacts in stream-adjacent environments where salmonid species (such as salmon and trout) depend on cool, well-oxygenated water and stable flow conditions.

The scientific and management problem behind the opportunity is that urban development tends to increase impervious surfaces (roads, rooftops, parking lots) and reduce vegetation, which can increase stormwater runoff, reduce infiltration and groundwater recharge, and elevate stream temperatures. At the same time, climate change can intensify warm-season drought, raise air temperatures, and alter the timing and magnitude of precipitation and snowmelt. Together, these drivers can produce ecological drought conditions, meaning water availability and thermal conditions become unfavorable for aquatic ecosystems even when the drought is not solely defined by low rainfall. Urban thermal pollution refers to elevated water temperatures caused by heated runoff and reduced shading, which can be especially harmful to salmonids because they are temperature-sensitive and rely on cold-water habitats for migration, spawning, and rearing.

The award is expected to be made as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency in the project compared with a standard grant. The maximum funding amount listed (award ceiling) is $97,822. The posting is labeled as a Notice of Intent, which usually signals that a full funding announcement or solicitation may follow, or that USGS is indicating an intention to fund or collaborate in a particular area and is seeking alignment with potential applicants. The opportunity was created on July 14, 2017, with an original closing date of July 28, 2017, implying a short response window typical of intent notices or time-sensitive announcements.

Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, meaning public universities and similar state-run academic entities are the intended applicants. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 15.820, which corresponds to USGS research and related assistance programs. The opportunity category is listed as discretionary, indicating awards are made through a competitive or agency-selected process rather than by formula.

Overall, the opportunity supports applied research or demonstration work at the intersection of urban forestry, hydrology, stream temperature dynamics, and fisheries habitat conservation. Likely project themes consistent with the title could include evaluating how tree canopy affects shading and microclimate over streams, quantifying relationships between canopy cover and stream temperature reductions, assessing how urban trees influence evapotranspiration and soil moisture (and thus local water balance), and developing management guidance for municipalities to prioritize canopy interventions in areas that most protect salmonid-bearing streams. The underlying goal is to produce actionable strategies for mitigating heat and drought stress in urban watersheds so that salmonid habitats are more resilient as climate change and urban growth continue.

• The Geological Survey in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.820.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-07-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-07-28. (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 $97,822.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for USGS 17 FA 0267

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