Author: Kaye L. Brubaker

Request for Proposals FY 2019 104(B) (State Program)

by Kaye L. Brubaker

The MWRRC invites proposals for Fiscal Year 2019 funding under Section 104(b) of the Water Resources Research Act.

Investigators from any Maryland institution of higher education are eligible to apply.

The Maryland version of the RFP is linked below. For investigators’ use in proposal preparation, the RFP attachments are also provided in MS Word format.

Applications must be received by January 7, 2019, 11:59 p.m.

The Center will consider proposals in three categories.

Traditional Research Projects

Any topic related to water resources in Maryland will be considered. Cooperative programs involving U.S. Geological Survey personnel are encouraged (Click here for list of personnel in the USGS Water Center for MD/DE/DC). All proposals submitted to the MWRRC will receive external peer review.

It is expected that the total MWRRC contribution will be $16,000 to $35,000. Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. Prospective PIs are encouraged to contact the Center director if they have questions about matching funds.

Proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed by January 7, 2019, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.

Research proposals are to be submitted by email to the Center Director, Dr. Kaye Brubaker, kbru<at>umd.edu. Include “2019 104(b)” in the subject line. Instructions for proposal preparation are available in PDF form (Maryland 2019 104(b) RFP). Worksheet templates are available in MS Word format

Seed Grants

Seed grants range from $3,000 to $6,000. This program solicits proposals aimed at developing exploratory projects, with the deliverable being a major proposal for submission to another agency. Funds are to be used for preliminary experiments or for faculty release time.

Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. Proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed by January 7, 2019, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.

Seed grant proposals are to be submitted by email to the Center Director, Dr. Kaye Brubaker, kbru<at>umd.edu. Include “2019 104(b)” in the subject line. Instructions for proposal preparation, tailored to the MWRRC, are available in PDF form (Maryland 2019 104(b) RFP). The budget and budget explanation appendices are available as worksheets/templates in MS Word format

Summer Graduate Fellowships

A major mission of the Water Resources Research Institutes and Centers is to help develop the new generation of water experts and leaders. The MWRRC is interested in interacting with a broad spectrum of students conducting research relevant to the State’s water resources. As a step toward accomplishing this goal, the Center accepts proposals for Graduate Research Fellowships of $6,000 each for Summer 2018.  All areas related to water resources research will be considered. The student’s advisor is expected to arrange matching funds (2:1 matching:MWRRC) for the fellowship awards.  Normally, the fellowship is paid directly to the student, and fringe benefits are not included; if the PI wishes to pay fringe benefits, they may be included as match. Awards are made competitively.

Follow this link for Details on Summer Graduate Fellowships. Applications must be received at MWRRC by January 7, 2019, 11:59 p.m.

 For further information, contact Dr. Kaye Brubaker kbru<at>umd.edu

The number of projects supported in each category will depend on the quality of the proposed work, response to specific research areas of interest, and availability of funds.

Request for FY2019 104(g) PreProposals (National Competitive Program)

by Kaye L. Brubaker

RFP Background

The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources will be releasing a request for proposals for matching grants to support research on the topics of:

  • Improving and enhancing the nation’s water supply, including evaluation of innovative approaches to water treatment, infrastructure design, retrofitting, maintenance, management, and replacement; exploration and advancement of our understanding of changes in the quantity.
  • Quality of water resources in response to a changing climate, population shifts, and land use changes; development of methods for better estimation of water supply, both surface and groundwater, including estimation of the physical supply and of the economic supply of water; and development and evaluation of processes and governance mechanisms for integrated surface/groundwater management.
  • The evaluation and assessment of conservation practices.

Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States is eligible to apply for a grant through a Water Research Institute or Center established under the provisions of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as amended (http://water.usgs.gov/wrri/institutes.html). Proposals involving substantial collaboration between the USGS and university scientists are encouraged. Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration and may request up to $250,000 in federal funds. Successful applicants must match each dollar of the federal grant with one dollar from non-federal sources.

Pre-proposals must be submitted to your State Institute or Center by 5:00 pm, Eastern Time, February 15, 2019. Invited full proposals to the National Competitive Grants Program must be submitted to the grants.gov internet site at http://www.grants.gov not later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time, May 31, 2019, by the university at which the Institute or Center is located. Funds have not yet been appropriated for this program for FY2019. The Government’s obligation under this program is contingent upon the availability of funds.

Due Dates and Important Information

  • Notice will be sent out when USGS releases the FY2019 RFP.
  • The RFP will be placed on this website/blog.
  • Pre-proposals will be due February 15, 2019.
  • Full proposals will be due May 31, 2019.

Request for FY 2018 Pre-Proposals 104(G) (National Program)

by Kaye L. Brubaker

The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources requests pre-proposals for matching grants under section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-242), as amended by Public Laws 101-397, 104-147, 106-374, and 109-471. The USGS Request For Proposals (RFP) is linked below.

FY2018 104(g) RFP

The goal of this grant program is to support research on the topic of improving and enhancing the nation’s water supply, including:

  • evaluation of innovative approaches to water treatment, infrastructure design, retrofitting, maintenance, management, and replacement; exploration and advancement of our understanding of changes in the quantity and quality of water resources in response to a changing climate, population shifts, and land use changes;
  • development of methods for better estimation of water supply, both surface and groundwater, including estimation of the physical supply and of the economic supply of water;
  • development and evaluation of processes and governance mechanisms for integrated surface/ground water management; and
  • the evaluation and assessment of conservation practices.

Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States is eligible to apply for a grant through a Water Research Institute or Center established under the provisions of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as amended (http://water.usgs.gov/wrri/institutes.html). Proposals involving substantial collaboration between the USGS and university scientists are encouraged. Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration and may request up to $250,000 in federal funds. Successful applicants must match each dollar of the federal grant with one dollar from non-federal sources.

Collaboration with USGS and other federal researchers is encouraged; however, federal employees may not receive any compensation under this program. (Click here for list of personnel in the USGS Water Center for MD/DE/DC).

Preproposals from Maryland investigators must be submitted to the Maryland Water Resources Research Center by 5:00 PM, Eastern Time, February 15, 2018.

Preproposals will be reviewed competitively. If Maryland PIs are invited to submit full proposals, they will work with the MWRRC to make the submittal.

Funds have not yet been appropriated for this program for FY 2018. The U.S. Government’s obligation under this program is contingent upon the availability of funds.

Request for Proposals FY 2018 104(B) (State Program)

by Kaye L. Brubaker

The USGS has published the RFP for Fiscal Year 2018 funding under Section 104(b) of the Water Resources Research Act.

Investigators from any Maryland institution of higher education are eligible to apply.

The Maryland version of the RFP is linked below. For investigators’ use in proposal preparation, the RFP attachments are also provided in MS Word format (the information included in these pages must be entered directly into the web site before the proposal is submitted).

Applications must be received by Dec. 22, 2017, 11:59 p.m.

The Center will consider proposals in three categories.

Traditional Research Projects

Any topic related to water resources in Maryland will be considered. Cooperative programs involving U.S. Geological Survey personnel are encouraged (Click here for list of personnel in the USGS Water Center for MD/DE/DC). All proposals submitted to the MWRRC will receive external peer review.

It is expected that the total MWRRC contribution will be $16,000 to $35,000. Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 Matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. Prospective PIs are encouraged to contact the Center director if they have questions about matching funds.

These proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed on the NIWR web site (www.niwr.net) by December 22, 2017, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.

Research proposals are submitted electronically on the NIWR website. Instructions for proposal preparation, tailored to the MWRRC, are available in PDF form (Maryland RFP FY2018). Worksheet templates are available in MS Word format.

Seed Grants

Seed grants range from $3,000 to $6,000. This program solicits proposals aimed at developing exploratory projects, with the deliverable being a major proposal for submission to another agency. Funds are to be used for preliminary experiments or for faculty release time.

Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 Matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. These proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed on the NIWR web site (www.niwr.net) by December 22, 2017, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.

Research proposals are submitted electronically on the NIWR website. Instructions for proposal preparation, tailored to the MWRRC, are available in PDF form (Maryland RFP FY2018). Worksheet templates are available in MS Word format.

Summer Graduate Fellowships

The MWRRC is interested in interacting with a broad spectrum of students conducting research relevant to the State’s water resources. As a step toward accomplishing this goal, the Center accepts proposals for Graduate Research Fellowships of $6,000 each for Summer 2018.  All areas related to water resources research will be considered. Student Advisors are expected to arrange matching funds (2:1 Matching:MWRRC) for the fellowship awards.  Normally, the fellowship is paid directly to the student, and fringe benefits are not included. Awards are made competitively.

Follow this link for Details on Summer Graduate Fellowships. Applications must be received at MWRRC by December 22, 2017, 11:59 p.m.

 For further information, contact Dr. Kaye Brubaker kbru<at>umd.edu

The number of projects supported in each category will depend on the quality of the proposed work, response to specific research areas of interest, and availability of funds.

Maryland RFP FY2018

RFP Attachments in MS Word

 

2017 Maryland Water Monitoring Council Conference

by Kaye L. Brubaker

The Maryland Water Monitoring Council will hold its 23rd Annual Conference at the Maritime Institute, North Linthicum, Maryland, on Friday, December 8, 2017. Registration will begin at 7:30 AM and the conference will adjourn at 4:30 PM. The conference will include a plenary session, six concurrent breakout sessions, posters and exhibitor tables, and the famous Maritime Institute all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. You’ll also have plenty of time to network and catch up with old friends and colleagues during the long breaks and the post-meeting social (location TBA).

Follow this link for more information.

The challenges of restoring and protecting our aquatic resources are daunting. Stressors related to climate change and population growth will require us to adapt as we move further into the 21st Century. But there are reasons to be optimistic.  Enhanced implementation of sound science, supported by robust water monitoring will undoubtedly be essential to ensure healthy aquatic ecosystems in the future. With such challenges in mind, he theme of the 2017 MWMC conference is Managing Water Quality in a Changing World. Concurrent sessions will focus on these challenges and our need to adapt to them. These sessions include Climate Change and Adaptation, Stream Restoration Biomonitoring, Leveraging Data Sources, New Monitoring Technologies, Agriculture and Water Quality, Citizen Science, and Communicating Progress and Successes. The morning plenary session will feature two presentations:

“The 2016 Ellicott City Flood: A 225-Year-Old Mill Town’s Survival Story” by Jim Caldwell – Director, Howard County Office of Community Sustainability

“A 10,000 Year Record of Climate, Forests, Land Use, and Chesapeake Water Quality” by Grace Brush – Professor, Johns Hopkins University

Talks and posters are invited. ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE – October 20, 2017.

The 6th MWMC Student Poster Award will be offered.

Follow this link for more information.

 

RFP for a Review of the Potomac River Low Flow Allocation Agreement (proposals due Aug. 4, 2017)

by Kaye L. Brubaker

The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) is looking for a contractor with experience in water resources policy and law to conduct a review of the Potomac River Low Flow Allocation Agreement.  This agreement, signed in 1978, provides for an allocation of Potomac River water among three water utilities in different jurisdictions when extreme low flows occur and includes an environmental flowby allocation.  After 39 years and some changes in regulations and understanding of water resources, the governing parties of the agreement (Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, and the United States) determined that a review is desirable to identify potential changes to the agreement.

Please see the PDF document: LFAA Review RFP

MWRRC Funding Year 2017 Announcement (104B – State program)

by Kaye L. Brubaker

Proposals for FY 2017 Maryland Water Resources Research Center funds are now being solicited. Note: As of Nov. 17, 2016, our Federal funding — through the the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior — has not yet been committed, but we expect support at or near that of past years.

The Center will consider proposals in three categories.

Traditional Research Projects

Any topic related to water resources in Maryland will be considered. Cooperative programs involving U.S. Geological Survey personnel are encouraged (Click here for list of personnel in the USGS Water Center for MD/DE/DC). All proposals submitted to the MWRRC will receive external peer review.

It is expected that the total MWRRC contribution will be $16,000 to $35,000. Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 Matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. Prospective PIs are encouraged to contact the Center director if they have questions about matching funds.

These proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed on the NIWR web site (www.niwr.net) by January 4, 2017, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.

Research proposals are submitted electronically on the NIWR website. Instructions for proposal preparation, tailored to the MWRRC, are available in PDF form (provisional 2017 Request For Proposals). Worksheet templates are available in MS Word form.

Seed Grants

Seed grants range from $3,000 to $6,000. This program solicits proposals aimed at developing exploratory projects, with the deliverable being a major proposal for submission to another agency. Funds are to be used for preliminary experiments or for faculty release time.

Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 Matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. These proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed on the NIWR web site (www.niwr.net) by January 4, 2017, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.

Research proposals are submitted electronically on the NIWR website. Instructions for proposal preparation, tailored to the MWRRC, are available in PDF form (provisional 2017 Request For Proposals). Worksheet templates are available in MS Word form.

Summer Graduate Fellowships

The MWRRC is interested in interacting with a broad spectrum of students conducting research relevant to the State’s water resources. As a step toward accomplishing this goal, the Center accepts proposals for Graduate Research Fellowships of $6,000 each for Summer 2017.  All areas related to water resources research will be considered. Student Advisors are expected to arrange matching funds (2:1 Matching:MWRRC) for the fellowship awards.  Normally, the fellowship is paid directly to the student, and fringe benefits are not included. Awards are made competitively.

Follow this link for Details on Summer Graduate Fellowships.

 For further information, contact Dr. Kaye Brubaker kbru<at>umd.edu

The number of projects supported in each category will depend on the quality of the proposed work, response to specific research areas of interest, and availability of funds.

Due Date:  January 4, 2017, 11:59 p.m.

CUAHSI Summer Institute: Grad Students and PostDocs

by Kaye L. Brubaker

logo

National Water Center Innovators Program – Summer Institute 2017: Hyperresolution Flood Forecasting in Urban Areas.

The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) is soliciting applications from students who wish to participate in the 2017 National Water Center (NWC) Summer Institute under the auspices of the NWC’s Innovator’s Program. The Summer Institute (SI) will take place at the University of Alabama and the National Water Center from June 6 – July 20, 2017. Student research fellows will collaborate intensively for seven weeks to work on projects designed to contribute to the NWC goals of enhancing water-related products and decision-support services across the country.

Eligible: Current and incoming graduate students and post-docs within three years of graduating with their PhD, affiliated with a U.S. university.

Selected participants will receive room, board, and tuition to attend the SI.

Applications will be accepted starting Nov. 1, 2016.

For more information and application instructions: https://www.cuahsi.org/summerinstitute

NAE Symposium on Groundwater Depletion

by Kaye L. Brubaker

The National Academy of Engineering will sponsor a symposium on groundwater depletion on Oct. 11, 2016, in conjunction with its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. There is no fee; a continental breakfast and lunch are provided along with one night’s accommodations and a per diem meal. Information on the Symposium is posted at:

http://blog.uvm.edu/webwizrd-nae/

Please note the end date for registration is Sept. 30, 2016 and there is only room for 50 participants.