Group items tagged

The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN), P.L. 114-322, was enacted in December of 2016 to address water resources infrastructure that is critical to the Nation's economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 4009(c) of Subtitle J of WIIN includes amendments to Reclamation's Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program (Title XVI), established by P.L. 102-575 in 1992. Prior to the enactment of WIIN, funding for water recycling project construction could only be provided for congressionally authorized Title XVI projects. The WIIN amendments will allow new water recycling projects to be eligible to receive Federal funding Water recycling is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Title XVI water recycling projects develop and supplement urban and irrigation water supplies through water reuse, thereby improving efficiency, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water while promoting water and energy efficiency and environmental stewardship and increase water management flexibility, making our water supply more resilient. Title XVI water recycling projects are an important part of the WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.

The Nation faces an increasing set of water resource challenges. Aging infrastructure, rapid population growth, depletion of groundwater resources, impaired water quality associated with particular land uses and land covers, water needed for human and environmental uses, and climate variability and change all play a role in determining the amount of fresh water available at any given place and time. Water shortages and water-use conflicts have become more commonplace in many areas of the United States, even in normal water years. As competition for water resources grows-for crop irrigation, growing cities and communities, energy production, and the environment-the need for information and tools to aid water resource managers also grows. Water issues and challenges are increasing across the Nation, but particularly in the West, due to prolonged drought. These water issues are exacerbating the challenges facing traditional water management approaches which by themselves no longer meet today's needs. The U.S. Department of the Interior's (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) Program establishes a framework to provide Federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water, integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources, and coordinating the water conservation activities of various Department bureaus and offices. Through the WaterSMART Program, the Department is working to achieve a sustainable water management strategy to meet the Nation's water needs.

The Bureau of Reclamation's (Reclamation's) Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse program (Title XVI) is an important part of WaterSMART. For purposes of the Title XVI Program, a water reuse project is a project that reclaims and reuses municipal, industrial, domestic, or agricultural wastewater and naturally impaired groundwater and/or surface waters. Reclaimed water can be used for a variety of purposes such as environmental restoration, fish and wildlife, groundwater recharge, municipal, domestic, industrial, agricultural, power generation, or recreation. Water reuse is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Title XVI projects develop and supplement urban and irrigation water supplies through water reuse, thereby improving efficiency, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply.

The Hydrologic Sciences Program focuses on the fluxes of water in the environment that constitute the water cycle as well as the mass and energy transport function of the water cycle in the environment.  The Program supports studying processes from rainfall to runoff to infiltration and streamflow; evaporation and transpiration; as well as the flow of water in soils and aquifers and the transport of suspended, dissolved and colloidal components.  Water is seen as the mode of coupling among various components of the environment and emphasis is placed on how the coupling is enabled by the water cycle and how it functions as a process.  The Hydrologic Sciences Program retains a strong focus on linking the fluxes of water and the components carried by water across the boundaries between various interacting components of the terrestrial system and the mechanisms by which these fluxes co-organize over a variety of timescales and/or alter the fundamentals of the interacting components.  The Program is also interested in how water interacts with the solid phase, the landscape and the ecosystem as well as how such interactions and couplings are altered by land use and climate change.  Studies may address aqueous geochemistry and solid phase interactions as well as physical, chemical, and biological processes as coupled to water transport. These studies commonly involve expertise from basic sciences and mathematics, and proposals may require joint review with related programs.  The Hydrologic Sciences Program will also consider some synthesis activities.

The Utah Water Science Center (UWSC) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner that has the ability to conduct research on the application of environmental tracers to water resources investigations in Utah and surrounding states including the Great Basin and Upper Colorado River Basin. UWSC primarily conducts research and operates monitoring networks investigating groundwater and surface-water resources in Utah and in adjoining groundwater and surface-water basins. Current research projects and networks include (but are not limited to) Great Salt Lake geochemistry and hydrodynamics, regional groundwater assessments, groundwater and surface-water quality, salinity fate and transport in Upper Colorado River Basin, groundwater discharge to streams in the UCRB, geochemistry and groundwater flow in geothermal systems, Great Basin groundwater availability, numerical ground- and surface-water modeling, methane fate and transport in streams and groundwater-surface water interaction. For more information about UWSC, refer to http://ut.water.usgs.gov/. For a successful cooperative agreement, the CESU partner must have complementary research interests and be able to address these and other potential research topics.

Complete information on this RFI can be found on the EERE Exchange website - https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is seeking feedback on its proposed "Waves to Water" prize via this Request for Information (RFI). The Waves to Water prize seeks to address water security and energy needs in remote and coastal communities through small, modular, cost-competitive desalination systems that use the power of the ocean to provide potable drinking water. The objective of this effort is to develop technology solutions that harness ocean energy to desalinate water. Through an anticipated multi-phased contest, the prize seeks to accelerate an innovation cycle timeline that can typically take years and support new innovators and organizations seeking to pair desalination systems with marine energy. Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to WPTOPrizes@ee.doe.gov no later than 5:00pm (ET) on March 15, 2019. Complete information on this RFI can be found on the EERE Exchange website - https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

This Cooperative Agreement is a 5-year project for development and implementation of a Native Water Leasing Pilot Program for the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) to be developed and implemented jointly by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) in coordination with the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD). Water acquired under the Program will be used to support implementation of the December 2016 Final Biological Opinion for Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Non-Federal Water Management and Maintenance Activities on the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico (2016 BiOp). The primary focus of the Cooperative Agreement is to develop and implement the cooperative pilot Program with MRGCD and willing sellers over a 5-year implementation period to acquire water for environmental use in the MRG. Through pilot implementation, the Program will set the stage for expanded native water leasing and other voluntary measures at scale as win-win solutions for the river, local communities, agricultural producers, and MRGCD over the long term. Further, it provides a key component of a large-scale long-term opportunity to combine instream water leasing with the restoration of riparian and upper watershed habitats along with other initiatives to advance landscape-scale restoration in the MRG. Areas where collaboration with other agencies and partner organizations will broaden the scope of the effort, leverage additional funding, and increase the prospects for long-term success will be identified throughout the effort.

WIIN addresses, supports and improves America's drinking water infrastructure.  Included in the WIIN Act are three new drinking water grants that promote public health and the protection of the environment.  As part of the grant, the EPA will award approximately $1.2 million for fiscal year 2018 to support lead testing in drinking water at tribal schools and child care facilities. 

OVERVIEW When approved, this Award of $235,250 will fund the second phase of investigation for the Hemlock Forest Restoration Project Study (aka Hemlock Project). This Project is the first of-its-kind comprehensive, quantitative assessment of the water-cycle consequences (both positive and negative) of forest restoration in a Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest. The 12,000-acre landscape-restoration project site known as the Hemlock Project is located in the Stanislaus National Forest and Mokelumne River basin, which is an area that Congress has authorized the Bureau of Reclamation to investigate for water storage and improved water-management reliability in the Mokelumne River basin. The Hemlock Project is being managed with the involvement and cooperation of the Stanislaus National Forest who expects that the Hemlock Project's forest modifications will restore watershed functions by creating different forest-stand structures and densities. These modifications have multiple benefits including reducing the forest's susceptibility to insect, disease, and drought-related mortality; reducing surface fuels, increasing the height to canopy, and decreasing crown density; retaining large, fire-resistant trees; maintaining and enhancing wildlife habitat; enhancing the extent and connectivity of aspen stands; and improving resource and watershed conditions. These actions will also enhance water-supply reliability by restoring the fraction of precipitation that leaves the basin as runoff versus evapotranspiration; guard against erosion, water-quality problems and snowpack losses associated with wildfire; and maintain water and forest health as the climate warms and evaporative demand increases. This application is for the second phase of funding, generally representing years 3 through 4 of the proposed 10 year period of investigation for the Hemlock Project Study

Section 104g 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 A. 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 encouraged and will receive extra weight in the evaluation and selection process. Collaborative proposals should describe in detail the respective roles of the USGS and the applicant in the proposed work. Potential applicants seeking collaborative opportunities are encouraged to contact USGS Water Science Center Directors.

U.S.-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership (USASCP) Water-Smart Exchanges (WiSE) program will pair cities in the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN), water districts, and utilities with counterparts in the United States to expand the adoption of new technologies and innovative approaches to modernize and improve the management of water resources in order to improve water quality and to strengthen water security, sustainability and resiliency.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants as described in Section III.A to provide training and technical assistance for small public water systems to help such systems achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and to provide training and technical assistance for small publicly owned wastewater systems, communities served by onsite/decentralized wastewater systems, and private well owners to improve water quality under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Training and technical assistance activities provided to these systems, communities and private well owners should be made available nationally in rural and urban communities and to personnel of tribally- owned and operated systems.

CUAHSI's Let's Talk About Water (LTAW) Program uses a simple film screening and panel discussion format to catalyze conversation between water science experts and the public. LTAW events have been a well-received and effective educational forum in which complex water issues are addressed through the use of film, followed by a moderated panel discussion related to the content of the film. By keeping the language simple and straightforward, the audience leaves with a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the complex water issues facing society.

Through Grand Challenges for Development (GCD), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners are sourcing, selecting, and accelerating science, technology, and business model innovations that have the potential to achieve large-scale development impact. Securing Water for Food: A Grand Challenge for Development (SWFF) is part of a portfolio of 7 GCDs, each tackling a critical and complex development challenge. SWFF's objective is to enable the production of more food with less water and/or make more water available for food production, processing, and distribution in developing and emerging countries. It is jointly funded by USAID, the South African Department of Science and Technology, Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (collectively, the "Founding Partners"). This is the fourth Call for Proposals (RFA) under Securing Water for Food.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications to conduct research on and demonstration of human and ecological impacts of treated wastewater applications (reclaimed water and wastewater reuse), and water conservation practices including the use of non-traditional water sources as well as more comprehensive long-term management and availability of water resources.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications to conduct research on and demonstration of human and ecological impacts of treated wastewater applications (reclaimed water and wastewater reuse), and water conservation practices including the use of non-traditional water sources as well as more comprehensive long-term management and availability of water resources.

USAID/Middle East is making a special call for the submission of Concept Papers focused on the Middle East Water Security Initiative (MWSI). The goal of the MWSI is to improve sustainable, long-term access to water for up to 20 million people living in the Middle East. The MWSI will target Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen and promote sharing of best practices and lessons learned among the five participating countries. To achieve its bold but doable goal, MWSI will engage both international and local actors from the private sector, civil society, public sector, and other organizations to (a) support dynamic young entrepreneurs, researchers, and consumers with opportunities to develop, test, scale-up and market "water-smart" technologies; and (b) increase awareness of and local ability to address water security challenges in the Middle East through behavior change and advocacy campaigns.

The goal of the National Integrated Water Quality Program (NIWQP) is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of surface water and groundwater resources through research, education, and extension activities. Projects funded through this program will work to solve water resource problems by advancing and disseminating the knowledge base available to agricultural, rural, and urbanizing communities. Funded projects should lead to science-based decision making and management practices that improve the quality of the Nations surface water and groundwater resources in agricultural, rural, and urbanizing watersheds.

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships focused on improving water quality, watersheds and the species and habitats they support.  Projects include a variety of ecological improvements along with targeted community outreach, education and stewardship. Ecological improvements may include one or more of the following: wetland, riparian, forest and coastal habitat restoration; wildlife conservation, community tree canopy enhancement, water quality monitoring and green infrastructure best management practices for managing run-off.  Projects should increase access to the benefits of nature, reduce the impact of environmental hazards and engage local communities, particularly underserved communities, in project planning, outreach and implementation.

The goal of the National Integrated Water Quality Program (NIWQP) is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of surface water and groundwater resources through research, education, and extension activities. Projects funded through this program will work to solve water resource problems by advancing and disseminating the knowledge base available to agricultural, rural, and urbanizing communities. Funded projects should lead to science-based decision making and management practices that improve the quality of the Nations surface water and groundwater resources in agricultural, rural, and urbanizing watersheds.