Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR UC 18 N003
Lake Powell Evaporation Study #2 is a Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior) cooperative agreement focused on improving how evaporation is measured and estimated at Lake Powell, a key factor in water accounting and operational decision-making for Glen Canyon Dam. Because evaporation losses affect how much water is credited, delivered, and managed under the Colorado River Compact framework, the project is aimed at updating and strengthening the evaporation estimation methods used for this major reservoir. In practical terms, the work supports better reservoir operations and more defensible accounting of water losses tied to Glen Canyon Dam management.
The technical centerpiece of the project is the use of eddy-covariance equipment, a specialized micrometeorological approach that directly measures exchanges of water vapor (and energy) between the lake surface and the atmosphere. The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is responsible for providing a substantial amount of this equipment for the duration of the project and for handling the specialized work needed to deploy it over open water. DRI will manufacture and install the monitoring setup at Lake Powell, collect the initial field measurements, process and quality-check the data, evaluate how well the equipment performs under real lake conditions, and produce the final project report. A major purpose is also capacity building: as DRI completes each task, they will train Reclamation staff so that the agency can replicate the work, operate similar stations, and carry out comparable evaporation studies in the future without needing the same level of outside support.
Reclamation is expected to be heavily involved throughout, which is consistent with the cooperative agreement structure where the federal agency plays an active role rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. From the beginning, Reclamation will participate in project management and collaborate with DRI during each phase. Importantly, after Reclamation personnel have been trained, the routine and ongoing functions initially performed by DRI are planned to transition to Reclamation. Those functions include installing and maintaining the equipment, collecting data, performing post-processing and analysis, and producing the evaporation estimates. The project is therefore structured not just to deliver a one-time study, but to leave Reclamation with the practical knowledge to sustain and extend the approach.
This opportunity was not competed through full and open competition. The justification given is a single-source award based on unique qualifications, an unsolicited proposal, and continuation of existing work. DRI is described as uniquely qualified due to extensive experience with evaporation measurement systems, including eddy-covariance instrumentation, and a track record installing in-situ evaporation stations, processing the resulting datasets, and converting measurements into evaporation rate estimates. The notice also points to DRI’s prior collaboration with Reclamation’s Technical Service Center on evaporation studies at other Reclamation reservoirs and on eddy-covariance tower deployments for agricultural water-use studies. Another key factor in the selection is DRI’s willingness and ability to train Reclamation staff in installation, data processing, and analysis. The award is also framed as a continuation of labor costs associated with a related project funded under a different award, reinforcing the continuity rationale.
Legally, the agreement is supported by Reclamation’s research agreement authority (cited as Section 9509), which allows the Secretary to enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements for research for periods up to five years. The notice also connects the work to the broader statutory and operational context for Glen Canyon: construction and operation authorized under the Colorado River Storage Project Act of 1956, grounded in the Reclamation Act of 1902, and tied to delivery requirements under the Colorado River Compact of 1922. The core argument is that because evaporation estimates influence Glen Canyon operational decisions and water accounting, improving those estimates directly advances Reclamation’s mission and responsibilities.
From the administrative details provided, the opportunity is listed as discretionary and categorized under Natural Resources, with CFDA number 15.560. Eligible applicants are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the opportunity anticipates a single award. The posting shows an award ceiling of $64,450, with key dates indicating it was created on December 12, 2017 and had an original closing date of December 26, 2017. Overall, the project is a targeted research-and-implementation effort: deploy high-quality evaporation measurement technology at Lake Powell, generate improved evaporation estimates, and transfer the skills to Reclamation staff so the methodology can be sustained and applied going forward.Apply for BOR UC 18 N003
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Lake Powell Evaporation Study #2" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.560.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 12, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 26, 2017. (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 $64,450.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Lake Powell Evaporation Study #2 - FAQs
What is the Lake Powell Evaporation Study #2 grant opportunity?
Lake Powell Evaporation Study #2 is a Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Department of the Interior) cooperative agreement focused on improving how evaporation is measured and estimated at Lake Powell. The project targets better evaporation estimates because those losses affect water accounting and operational decision-making tied to Glen Canyon Dam.
Which federal agency is offering and managing this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Reclamation, within the Department of the Interior. Under the cooperative agreement structure described, Reclamation is expected to be actively involved in project management and technical collaboration throughout the work.
What problem is this project trying to solve?
The project aims to update and strengthen the evaporation estimation methods used for Lake Powell. Since evaporation losses influence how much water is credited, delivered, and managed under the Colorado River Compact framework, improving evaporation estimates supports more defensible water-loss accounting and better-informed reservoir operations for Glen Canyon Dam.
Why is evaporation measurement important for Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam operations?
Evaporation represents a water loss from the reservoir surface. The notice explains that evaporation losses affect water accounting and operational decisions, meaning improved evaporation estimates can influence how water is managed and accounted for under the broader Colorado River operational and legal framework.
What is the technical approach being used in this study?
The technical centerpiece is eddy-covariance equipment, a micrometeorological method that directly measures exchanges of water vapor (and energy) between the lake surface and the atmosphere. The project uses this approach to improve the measurement and estimation of evaporation at Lake Powell.
What is eddy-covariance in plain terms?
As described in the notice, eddy-covariance is a specialized micrometeorological approach that directly measures how water vapor (and energy) move between the lake surface and the atmosphere. In this project, it is the main method used to generate improved evaporation information for Lake Powell.
Who is the primary non-federal partner named for this project?
The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is identified as the key partner responsible for providing substantial eddy-covariance equipment and performing specialized work to deploy and operate the system over open water at Lake Powell.
What will the Desert Research Institute (DRI) do under this cooperative agreement?
Based on the description provided, DRI will manufacture and install the monitoring setup at Lake Powell, collect initial field measurements, process and quality-check the data, evaluate equipment performance under real lake conditions, and produce the final project report. DRI will also train Reclamation staff as tasks are completed so Reclamation can replicate the work and carry out similar studies in the future.
What will the Bureau of Reclamation do during the project?
Reclamation is expected to participate in project management and collaborate with DRI during each phase of the study. As part of the cooperative agreement structure, Reclamation is not simply providing funding; it is actively involved and is planned to take on routine ongoing functions after staff are trained.
What tasks are expected to transition from DRI to Reclamation over time?
The notice states that once Reclamation personnel have been trained, routine and ongoing functions initially performed by DRI are planned to transition to Reclamation. Those functions include installing and maintaining the equipment, collecting data, performing post-processing and analysis, and producing the evaporation estimates.
Is this project intended to be a one-time study or something longer-term?
While it produces a final report and improved evaporation estimates, the project is structured for capacity building. The described goal is to leave Reclamation with practical knowledge to sustain and extend the approach, operate similar stations, and carry out comparable evaporation studies in the future.
What kind of award is this (grant, contract, cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is described as a cooperative agreement. The notice emphasizes active federal involvement, which aligns with the cooperative agreement model where the agency collaborates throughout the project rather than issuing funds and stepping back.
Is this opportunity discretionary?
Yes. The administrative details provided state that the opportunity is listed as discretionary.
How is this opportunity categorized?
The opportunity is categorized under Natural Resources.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 15.560.
Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligible applicants are listed as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
How many awards are anticipated?
The posting anticipates a single award.
What is the funding amount or award ceiling?
The award ceiling shown is $64,450.
When was the opportunity created and what was the closing date?
The posting indicates it was created on December 12, 2017, with an original closing date of December 26, 2017.
Was this opportunity competed through full and open competition?
No. The notice states it was not competed through full and open competition. It is described as a single-source award justified by unique qualifications, an unsolicited proposal, and continuation of existing work.
Why was a single-source approach used?
The justification provided includes DRI's unique qualifications and experience with evaporation measurement systems (including eddy-covariance), its track record installing in-situ evaporation stations and converting measurements into evaporation rate estimates, and its prior collaboration with Reclamation's Technical Service Center on related studies. The notice also cites DRI's willingness and ability to train Reclamation staff and frames the award as a continuation of related work and labor costs under a different award.
What makes DRI uniquely qualified according to the notice?
The notice describes DRI as uniquely qualified due to extensive experience with evaporation measurement systems and eddy-covariance instrumentation, experience installing in-situ evaporation stations, expertise in processing and quality-checking datasets, and experience converting measurements into evaporation rate estimates. It also highlights prior work with Reclamation's Technical Service Center and DRI's ability to train Reclamation staff.
Does this project involve training and knowledge transfer?
Yes. A major stated purpose is capacity building. DRI is expected to train Reclamation staff as DRI completes each task so Reclamation can replicate the work, operate similar stations, and conduct comparable evaporation studies in the future.
What deliverables are mentioned in the project description?
The description references manufacturing and installing a monitoring setup, collecting initial field measurements, processing and quality-checking data, evaluating equipment performance under lake conditions, producing evaporation estimates, and delivering a final project report. It also includes training Reclamation personnel to support long-term capability.
What legal authority supports this cooperative agreement?
The notice cites Reclamation's research agreement authority (Section 9509), which allows the Secretary to enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements for research for periods up to five years.
How does this work connect to broader Colorado River legal and operational requirements?
The notice ties the work to Glen Canyon's construction and operation authorized under the Colorado River Storage Project Act of 1956, grounded in the Reclamation Act of 1902, and linked to delivery requirements under the Colorado River Compact of 1922. The project rationale is that evaporation estimates influence operational decisions and water accounting, so improving those estimates supports Reclamation's responsibilities.
What reservoir is being studied and why that location?
The reservoir is Lake Powell. The notice describes it as a major reservoir where evaporation is a key factor in water accounting and operational decision-making for Glen Canyon Dam.
What kind of equipment is being deployed and where will it operate?
The project uses eddy-covariance equipment and related monitoring setup designed for open-water deployment at Lake Powell. The description emphasizes specialized work required to deploy and operate the system over open water.
What happens after initial measurements are collected?
After initial field measurements, the work described includes data processing and quality checks, evaluating equipment performance under real lake conditions, and using the measurements to produce improved evaporation estimates, culminating in a final report.
How does the cooperative agreement structure affect roles and responsibilities?
The notice explains that Reclamation is expected to be heavily involved and collaborate with DRI during each phase. It also states that routine and ongoing functions will transition to Reclamation after staff training, reflecting the active federal role typical of a cooperative agreement.
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