Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00053

Opportunity Information: Apply for G23AS00053

This grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G23AS00053) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through its Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC). It is issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, which is designed to connect federal agencies with partner institutions to carry out applied research, technical assistance, and education that supports natural resource and ecosystem management. Only organizations that are official participating partners of the Gulf Coast CESU are eligible to apply, which is why the notice frames the applicant pool as a CESU-affiliated partner rather than the general public.

The core purpose of the award is to improve understanding of how border wall construction is affecting ecosystems and wildlife habitat in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, and to use that information to identify practical ways to reduce or offset harm. The work is centered on impacts tied to habitat fragmentation and, more specifically, changes in water movement, water availability, and access to the Rio Grande River for wildlife. The program is positioned not just as an academic exercise, but as a decision-support effort meant to inform USGS WARC and conservation partners who are trying to evaluate and mitigate ecological damage associated with the barrier.

The project is organized around two main focal areas. The first is convening a workshop and producing a synthesis of existing and ongoing research in the region related to ecological impacts of border wall construction. In practice, this implies pulling together scientists, agency staff, and other knowledgeable partners to share findings, identify what is already known, highlight gaps in data, and develop a coherent summary that can guide future monitoring and management. The emphasis on synthesis suggests the deliverables are expected to translate scattered studies into an integrated picture of impacts across the landscape, which can be especially valuable in a region where data may be fragmented among different organizations and jurisdictions.

The second focal area is a research component aimed directly at evaluating how the border wall affects hydrologic connectivity, wildlife access to water, and riparian wetland ecosystems. Hydrologic connectivity refers to how water moves through the environment, including overland flow during storms, exchange between river channels and floodplains, and the ability of wetlands to receive and retain water. A barrier can change these patterns by blocking sheet flow, altering drainage pathways, and modifying flood behavior, which can then affect wetland function, vegetation condition, and the availability of surface water or moist habitats that many species depend on. Alongside hydrology, the opportunity calls for examining wildlife impacts with an emphasis on water movement and availability, recognizing that physical barriers can prevent animals from reaching the river or moving among water sources, especially during dry periods.

A notable feature of the research focus is the explicit requirement to look for mitigation opportunities where the wall has reduced or eliminated direct wildlife access to the Rio Grande River. The notice points to two broad mitigation pathways: identifying locations where natural wetlands could be restored to improve water availability on the landscape, and identifying places where engineered water sources could be created to provide reliable water for wildlife in areas now cut off from the river. This indicates the project is expected to move beyond documenting impacts and toward generating actionable, site-based options that conservation partners could realistically consider implementing, such as wetland restoration planning, water provisioning strategies, and prioritization of areas where such interventions would do the most good.

Administratively, the award is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, with CFDA number 15.808. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that USGS expects substantial involvement during the project period (for example, collaboration on study design, data interpretation, and coordination with partners). The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $497,000, was created on October 13, 2022, and had an original closing date of November 28, 2022. Overall, the grant is aimed at producing both a synthesized regional understanding of ecological effects and targeted hydrology-and-wildlife research that can directly inform mitigation planning in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-10-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-11-28. (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 $497,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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