National Information Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE): A Framework for Narrowing Data Gaps at the Intersection of Ecohydraulics and Fish Attributes | W81EWF 24 SOI 0009

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0009

The National Information Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE) grant opportunity focuses on a practical problem facing major river systems across the United States, especially within the Mississippi River watershed: navigation infrastructure like locks, dams, and maintained channels strongly shapes river hydraulics, sediment movement, and habitat conditions, yet fisheries impacts are often not directly built into how these structures are operated or evaluated. Many existing dams were never designed to support native fish passage, and as a result they can restrict movement, fragment populations, and alter access to spawning or feeding areas. At the same time, these same structures are increasingly being considered as tools for managing aquatic nuisance species, which creates a complicated management balancing act. Interest is also elevated because some native fish are protected under the Endangered Species Act, making it more important to understand how lock and dam operations affect fish movement and survival. A central challenge highlighted in the opportunity is designing or identifying strategies that allow fish to move past locks and dams without disrupting navigation operations, which are often the primary operational mission of these facilities.

The opportunity is tied to the mission of NICE, which is to apply ecohydraulic principles to navigation infrastructure at multiple scales and to improve the ability to forecast fisheries outcomes using engineering and scientific research. Ecohydraulics, in this context, is essentially about connecting physical river processes such as flow velocity, turbulence, water levels, and operational discharge patterns to ecological responses such as fish behavior, movement, habitat use, and population outcomes. The grant aims to strengthen the link between what engineers can measure or model (hydraulics and infrastructure operations) and what fisheries managers need to know (how fish are affected and what management actions could improve outcomes).

The main deliverable described is a framework for an operational ecosystem viewer that can be deployed online and used for daily reporting of ecosystem status at multiple locations. The viewer is envisioned as a scientifically grounded system that integrates ecosystem attributes (explicitly including fish-related information) with environmental and physical attributes (explicitly including hydraulics). In practice, this implies a structured approach to compiling, organizing, and presenting data streams in a way that supports routine situational awareness and decision support. The emphasis on "operational" and "daily reporting" signals that the goal is not just a one-time analysis or a static dashboard, but a repeatable framework that could eventually be extended across sites and updated continuously as new data arrive.

A second major deliverable is a research and development (R and D) plan for the next five years under the NICE umbrella. This plan is meant to take stock of what data already exist, identify key data gaps at the intersection of ecohydraulics and fish attributes, and lay out a roadmap for narrowing those gaps through targeted research and development efforts. In other words, the project is not expected to solve every scientific and monitoring need immediately. Instead, it is meant to create a structured, prioritized plan that guides future NICE work, clarifies what information is missing, and helps direct resources toward the highest value improvements.

The funding level and scope are intentionally limited relative to the nationwide vision described. The opportunity notes that the initial funding will not cover all possible locations envisioned in the broader plan, and it explicitly encourages partnering and consideration of alternatives to expand reach. That framing suggests the agency expects applicants to think in terms of scalable design, leveraging existing monitoring programs, collaborating with other organizations, and building a framework that can grow as additional funding or partners become available.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) under a cooperative agreement, with one expected award and an award ceiling of $63,000. The opportunity number is W81EWF 24 SOI 0009, and it is associated with CFDA 12.630. Eligibility is restricted to non-federal partners of the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU), meaning applicants must be part of that specific CESU network and meet its partnership requirements. The original closing date listed for applications was January 26, 2024, and the opportunity was created on November 27, 2023.

• The Engineer Research and Development Center in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Information Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE): A Framework for Narrowing Data Gaps at the Intersection of Ecohydraulics and Fish Attributes" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-01-26. (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 $63,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0009

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