Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program | G23AS00140

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the funding opportunity number for this award?

The funding opportunity number is G23AS00140.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

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

What type of funding instrument is being used?

The award is a cooperative agreement, which means USGS expects substantial involvement and ongoing collaboration with the selected partner during the project.

Is this considered discretionary funding?

Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.

What program is this opportunity offered through?

It is offered through the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to participating partners of the Great Basin CESU Program. While the eligible applicants field lists “Others,” the opportunity is constrained by the requirement to be a CESU-affiliated partner within the Great Basin CESU network.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 15.808.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The posted award ceiling is $14,000.

What are the key scientific and technical focus areas?

The project supports applied research and technical assistance focused on two main needs: (1) improving how discharge (flow rate) and water velocity are monitored in stratified flows moving through an engineered channel in the railroad causeway at Great Salt Lake (GSL), and (2) strengthening understanding of water column mixing in areas influenced by the causeway, particularly south of the structure where stratification and limited mixing can strongly affect lake conditions.

Where is the work focused geographically?

The work is focused at Great Salt Lake (GSL), specifically the engineered channel in the railroad causeway and the area south of the causeway where mixing and stratification are a concern.

What is meant by “stratified flows” in the context of this opportunity?

Based on the opportunity description, “stratified flows” refers to a water column that is layered (stratified) and does not mix uniformly. This stratification can make flow measurement and interpretation more challenging, especially in engineered channels influenced by the causeway.

What are the main project objectives?

The stated objectives are to pair field measurements with modeling to improve interpretation of discharge and velocity measurements in a challenging stratified, engineered-flow setting, reduce uncertainty in field discharge measurements, support development of a potential index-velocity rating for near-continuous discharge reporting, and model mixing south of the causeway to guide instrument deployment and validate mixing behavior.

What kinds of field measurements are involved?

USGS is conducting field discharge measurements at the causeway channel using a mechanical current meter and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP).

What is the role of modeling in this project?

Modeling is a central component. The partner is expected to run computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations that match the exact day-and-time conditions when USGS conducts field discharge measurements. The intent is for the model runs to reflect the same hydrodynamic conditions present during instrument deployments, enabling direct comparison between modeled and measured velocities/discharge.

What is CFD, and why is it needed here?

CFD refers to computational fluid dynamics simulations. In this opportunity, CFD is used to simulate the stratified, engineered flow conditions at the causeway channel and to help interpret what different instruments are measuring under those conditions. CFD is also used to simulate mixing processes south of the causeway.

What is meant by aligning CFD simulations with “exact day-and-time conditions”?

The opportunity specifies that CFD simulations should be run to match the same measurement windows when USGS deploys instruments for discharge measurements. This alignment is intended to allow direct, apples-to-apples comparison between CFD output and field observations collected during those same time periods.

What expertise or capabilities is USGS looking for in a partner?

USGS is looking for a CESU-affiliated partner that can provide student involvement, faculty guidance, and computational resources to run CFD simulations aligned with USGS field measurement windows, and to provide analytical support to compare and integrate results across instruments and models.

Is student involvement expected?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly states that the partner is expected to provide student involvement, along with faculty guidance.

What instruments are mentioned, and how do they relate to the modeling?

The field measurements use a mechanical current meter and an ADCP. The CFD simulations are intended to reflect the hydrodynamic conditions present during these instrument deployments so that USGS and the partner can better interpret what each instrument is observing in stratified, engineered flow.

What is a core deliverable for the selected partner?

A core deliverable is analytical support to help USGS compare and integrate velocity and discharge estimates produced by multiple instruments alongside results from the CFD simulations.

What is the intended outcome of comparing instruments with CFD results?

The intended outcome is to reduce uncertainty in field discharge measurements and strengthen confidence in discharge estimates at the site by improving interpretation and integration of results across instruments and modeling.

What is an index-velocity rating, and why is it mentioned?

An index-velocity approach can enable near-continuous discharge reporting by relating continuously observed velocities at an index location to total channel discharge. The opportunity notes that this requires careful calibration and uncertainty evaluation, and the project’s collaborative analysis is meant to support development of a potential index-velocity rating at this site.

Does this opportunity include work on water column mixing?

Yes. A major purpose is to strengthen understanding of how the water column mixes in areas influenced by the causeway, especially south of the structure where stratification and limited mixing can strongly affect lake conditions.

How will mixing south of the causeway be studied?

The partner would use CFD modeling to simulate mixing processes south of the causeway, then work with USGS to identify best deployment locations for one or more upward-looking ADCPs. Those instruments would be used to validate modeled mixing behavior.

What is an upward-looking ADCP used for in this project?

Based on the description, upward-looking ADCPs would be deployed to collect observations that can validate the modeled mixing behavior from CFD simulations, helping refine both the understanding of mixing and the monitoring strategy.

Will the partner work directly with USGS on field strategy?

Yes. The opportunity describes direct collaboration with USGS, including jointly identifying the best deployment locations for upward-looking ADCPs and collaborating on analysis that integrates instrument results with CFD outputs.

What is the primary application area or activity category for this award?

The activity falls under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What is the posted closing date for the opportunity?

The original closing date is 2023-02-06.

What is the creation date listed for the opportunity?

The creation date is 2023-01-05.

Does the opportunity indicate that USGS will be hands-on during the project?

Yes. Because it is a cooperative agreement, USGS expects substantial involvement and collaboration rather than a hands-off relationship.

Is the goal to improve continuous discharge reporting at the causeway channel?

The opportunity emphasizes reducing uncertainty in discharge estimates and supporting development of a potential index-velocity rating, which is described as a method that can enable near-continuous discharge reporting when properly calibrated and evaluated for uncertainty.

What makes discharge and velocity monitoring challenging at this site?

The site involves stratified flows and an engineered channel within the railroad causeway. The opportunity notes that this is a challenging setting for interpreting instrument measurements, particularly when stratification and limited mixing influence hydrodynamics.