Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR DO 18 F004
The WaterSMART: Reservoir Operations Alternatives - Calculating Economic Effects opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BOR DO 18 F004) is a Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Department of the Interior) discretionary funding program aimed at improving how reservoir operators and water managers evaluate the economic consequences of different ways of running a reservoir. The main purpose is not to fund construction or on-the-ground operational changes directly, but to support applied research and development that produces a practical, defensible approach for estimating the economic impacts and benefits tied to alternative reservoir operations and potential operational improvements.
At its core, the FOA is asking applicants to partner with Reclamation through a cooperative agreement and to share costs, meaning recipients are expected to bring their own funding and resources to the table alongside federal support. The program is designed to leverage local and regional expertise, data, and operational knowledge so that the resulting methodology is grounded in real reservoir management constraints and can be used by actual decision-makers. The work is meant to help translate operational choices (for example, changes in release timing, storage targets, rule curves, or coordinated operations) into economic outcomes that can be compared across alternatives.
Projects funded under this opportunity are expected to include two linked deliverables. First is a technical study that develops a methodology for analyzing the economic effects of reservoir operating alternatives and potential improvements. This implies building or adapting an analytical framework that can connect reservoir operations to economic metrics, such as changes in water supply reliability, hydropower generation value, flood risk reduction, environmental and recreational benefits, agricultural production impacts, municipal and industrial supply impacts, or avoided costs associated with shortages and emergencies. Second is a transferable tool that reservoir operators can actually use to estimate benefits for specific operating alternatives. The emphasis on a transferable tool suggests the output should not be a one-off analysis for a single location only, but something that can be applied, adapted, or scaled to other reservoirs or operating contexts with reasonable effort.
The eligible applicant pool is broad and geared toward entities that either operate water systems directly or have the technical capacity to support reservoir operations analysis. It invites participation from states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, universities, nonprofit research institutions, and organizations that have water or power delivery authority. The eligibility language indicates that additional clarifications exist in the FOA, but the overall intent is clear: the program wants applicants with real operational stakes, strong analytical capabilities, or both, and it wants the results to be relevant for public-benefit water management.
Administratively, the award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means Reclamation expects to be substantially involved during the project, such as coordinating on technical direction, data access, or review of interim products. The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the CFDA number listed is 15.560, aligning it with Reclamation water resources and research-related assistance. The FOA anticipated a single award, with a maximum federal award (ceiling) of $150,000. The opportunity was posted on November 28, 2017, with an original application deadline of February 27, 2018, indicating it was a targeted, competitive solicitation with limited funding available and a focused scope.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a focused R&D grant for developing a standardized, decision-support-ready way to quantify the economic tradeoffs of reservoir operating choices, and to package that approach into a tool that can be used by reservoir operators when comparing alternatives and communicating the benefits of operational improvements to stakeholders and policymakers.Apply for BOR DO 18 F004
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WaterSMART: Reservoir Operations Alternatives— Calculating Economic Effects" 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 Nov 28, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 27, 2018. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the WaterSMART: Reservoir Operations Alternatives - Calculating Economic Effects opportunity?
It is a Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Department of the Interior) discretionary funding opportunity focused on improving how reservoir operators and water managers evaluate the economic consequences of different reservoir operating approaches. The specific opportunity is titled "WaterSMART: Reservoir Operations Alternatives - Calculating Economic Effects."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is BOR DO 18 F004.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The primary purpose is to support applied research and development that results in a practical, defensible approach for estimating the economic impacts and benefits associated with alternative reservoir operations and potential operational improvements.
Is this opportunity intended to fund construction or on-the-ground operational changes?
No. The emphasis is not on funding construction or directly paying for on-the-ground operational changes. The focus is on developing methods and tools to estimate economic effects tied to different operational alternatives.
What types of decisions is the work meant to support?
The work is intended to help decision-makers compare economic outcomes across different reservoir operating choices, such as changes in release timing, storage targets, rule curves, or coordinated operations.
What kind of award instrument is used for this opportunity?
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the Bureau of Reclamation during the project. This can include coordination on technical direction, assistance with data access, and review of interim products.
Does this opportunity require cost sharing?
Yes. The opportunity is structured around partnering with Reclamation and includes cost sharing, meaning recipients are expected to contribute their own funding and resources alongside the federal support.
Why is cost sharing emphasized in this program?
Cost sharing is used to leverage local and regional expertise, data, and operational knowledge, with the goal of producing a methodology that reflects real-world reservoir management constraints and is usable by practitioners.
What are the expected deliverables for funded projects?
Projects are expected to produce two linked deliverables: (1) a technical study that develops a methodology for analyzing the economic effects of reservoir operating alternatives and potential improvements, and (2) a transferable tool that reservoir operators can use to estimate benefits for specific operating alternatives.
What should the technical study accomplish?
The technical study is expected to develop (or adapt) an analytical methodology that connects reservoir operations to economic outcomes and benefits, allowing comparisons across operational alternatives.
What does the opportunity mean by a "transferable tool"?
A transferable tool implies an output that is not limited to a one-time analysis for a single location. Instead, it should be usable by reservoir operators to estimate benefits for specific alternatives and be capable of being applied, adapted, or scaled to other reservoirs or operating contexts with reasonable effort.
What kinds of economic metrics or impacts might the methodology address?
The opportunity describes economic metrics that could include changes in water supply reliability, hydropower generation value, flood risk reduction, environmental and recreational benefits, agricultural production impacts, municipal and industrial supply impacts, and avoided costs linked to shortages and emergencies.
Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible pool is broad and includes states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, universities, nonprofit research institutions, and organizations that have water or power delivery authority.
What kind of applicants does the program appear to be seeking?
The program appears to be seeking applicants that have real operational stakes in reservoir management, strong analytical and technical capability to conduct reservoir operations and economic analysis, or a combination of both, with results aimed at public-benefit water management.
What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.560.
How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated a single award.
What is the maximum federal award amount (ceiling)?
The maximum federal award amount is $150,000.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on November 28, 2017.
What was the application deadline?
The original application deadline was February 27, 2018.
Is this a broad, ongoing program or a targeted solicitation?
Based on the posted date, the single anticipated award, and the limited maximum funding amount, it is best characterized as a targeted, competitive solicitation with a focused scope.
What is the overall intent of the program in plain language?
The overall intent is to develop a standardized, decision-support-ready way to quantify the economic tradeoffs of reservoir operating choices and to package that approach into a tool that helps operators compare alternatives and communicate the benefits of operational improvements to stakeholders and policymakers.
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