The Oklahoma Water Resources Center administers two water research grant programs in cooperation with the USGS. Each year, we invite proposals from water researchers. If you wish to be notified of requests for proposals as they become available, please join our newsletter.

National Water Research Grant Programs

Available grants include:

• USGS 104(g) General
• Aquatic Invasive Species
• PFAS

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.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Center (OWRC) is responsible for submitting all Oklahoma state proposals to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Proposals involving substantial collaboration between the USGS and university scientists are encouraged. Proposals may be for projects of one to three years in duration with discrete 12-month budget periods and may request up to $310,000 (104g General & PFAS) or $348,000 (AIS) in federal funds. Investigators must match one non-federal dollar to each federal dollar requested.

See proposal instructions below for deadlines. 

• 104g General

  Program Objectives

  Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 requires that this competitive grant program focus on: “water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single State and which relate to specific program priorities identified jointly by the Secretary of the Interior and the water resources research institutes.”

   

  Objectives of this program also include the following:

   

  A. Promote collaboration between the USGS and university scientists in research on significant national and regional water-resources issues. Proposals exhibiting substantial collaboration between the USGS and the applicant are strongly encouraged. Collaborative proposals should describe in detail the respective roles of the USGS and the applicant in the proposed work. It is anticipated that in FY2024 the USGS will have internal funds available for modest support of USGS scientists on selected proposals. 

   

  B. Promote the dissemination and application of the results of the research funded under this program, both to the scientific community and to the general public.

   

  C. Assist in the training of scientists in relevant water-resource fields. Proposals that include a strong educational component (student support) are encouraged, as are those from early-career faculty.

   

  Research Priorities

  Ongoing research needs include improving and enhancing the nation’s water supply and availability, as well as promoting the exploration of new ideas that address or expand our understanding of water problems. Proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry; levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority:

   

  National-scale evaluation of water budget: Retrospective or predictive analyses using hydroclimate-forcing data sets, with emphasis on CONUS404, which was developed in a USGS- NCAR collaboration. Additional guidance includes:

   

  • Comparison of different water budget models, evaluation of relative model predictive skill and identification of specific opportunities for improvements.

  • Incorporation of how uncertainty in hydroclimate-forcing propagates to water budget components. 

  • Evaluate scale-dependent uncertainties in water-budget predictions when using CONUS404. (e.g. How much more uncertainty at HUC12 versus HUC 8, which variables, and are specific uncertainties regional?).

   

  Rasmussen, R.M., Liu, C., Ikeda, K., Chen, F., Kim, J., Schneider, T., Gochis, D., Dugger, A., and Viger, R., 2023, Four-kilometer long-term regional hydroclimate reanalysis over the conterminous United States (CONUS), 1979-2020: U.S. Geological Survey data release.

   

  Socieoeconomics: Integrate ongoing USGS research and data collection in order to assess socioeconomic and ecological vulnerability to compounding extreme events and develop adaptation measures. This proposed project should undertake new research (e.g., Water Use and Social Economic Drivers Program) to understand the vulnerability of urban (e.g., trans-basin diversions), agricultural (e.g., reservoir management), and ecological (e.g., endangered species) water-use sectors to drought and compounding hazards such as wildfire. Additional guidance includes:

   

  • Qualitative techniques to develop parameters or metrics for feedback inputs into hydrologic models (e.g. surveys/interviews/focus groups to understand how consumers change their behaviors around water use in response to supply shortages).

  • Construct utility functions of actual decision-makers/consumers that are used in the model, rather than hypothetical versions.

  • Exploration of close-loop versus open-loop hydrologic models in different geographic contexts.

  Model advancement: Explore methods to develop new hydrologic models in a geographic area and provide information on promising modeling approaches to inform science questions specific to a region. Examples include:

  • Natural language processing methods to assimilate and identify succinct hydrologic science issues in an area of interest, and additional AI/ML to provide a modeling pathway based on attributes of hydrologic model capacities.)

  • Rapid model development methods to quickly provide information regarding potential high-value data collection and guide further model development in a given geographic area.

• Aquatic Invasive Species

  Program Objectives

  Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 requires that this competitive grant program focus on: “water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single State and which relate to specific program priorities identified jointly by the Secretary of the Interior and the water resources research institutes.”

   

  Objectives of this program also include the following:

   

  A. Promote aquatic invasive species research as related to hydrodynamics, water quality, control technologies, and(or) human dimensions in the upper Mississippi River basin to address critical needs, including integration with ongoing USGS science and monitoring.

   

  B. Promote the dissemination and application of the results of the research funded under this program, both to the scientific community and to the general public.

   

  C.Assist in the training of scientists in relevant water-resource fields. Proposals that include a strong educational component (student support) are encouraged, as are those from early-career faculty.

   

  Research Priorities

  The challenges and opportunities that link aquatic invasive species and water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of numerous aquatic invasive species on water quality, water quantity, and aquatic ecosystems. Research is needed to better identify and understand these interactions and to guide management decisions that will help to improve invasive species management and thus reduce effects of invasive species on water resources and aquatic ecosystems at local, regional, and national scales.

   

  Proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry (levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority):

   

  Effects: Research that improves our understanding of the effects of aquatic invasive species on lakes, rivers, and associated tributaries in the upper Mississippi River basin, including changes to water quantity, water quality, and ecosystem dynamics.

   

  Characteristics: Research that identifies physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of water bodies that infer resistance and resilience to the distribution, establishment, and effects of aquatic invasive species in the upper Mississippi River basin. Research is needed to better understand these interactions to guide management decisions that will improve invasive species management and result in positive effects on aquatic ecosystems.

   

  Management: Research on assessment of the detection, spread, and management of aquatic invasive species in the upper Mississippi River basin and the connections to human dimensions, both socially and economically. Note that this does not include physical control of AIS.

• Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

  Program Objectives

  Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 requires that this competitive grant program focus on: “water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single State and which relate to specific program priorities identified jointly by the Secretary (of the Interior) and the (water resources research) institutes.”

   

  Objectives of this program also include the following:

   

  A. Promote per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances research as related to the nation’s water quality as well as the social and(or) economic implications that might drive or be affected by PFAS. This includes integration with ongoing USGS science, monitoring, and goals, including those summarized by Tokranov and others (2021).

   

  B. Promote the dissemination and application of the results of the research funded under this program, both to the scientific community and to the general public.

   

  C. Assist in the training of scientists in relevant water-resource fields. Proposals that include a strong educational component (student support) are encouraged, as are those from early-career faculty.

   

  Research Priorities

  The challenges and opportunities of understanding the effects of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances on water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of this group of man-made substances on water quality and the resultant exposure to humans, other organisms, and ecosystems. Research is needed to better understand these interactions and guide management decisions that will improve water resources at the regional or national scale.

   

  Proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry (levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority):

   

  Media-specific methods: Enhanced methods for detection on specific media, with a clear indication of

  • new or different compounds,

  • new or different methodological approaches,

  • lower detection levels for specific media or compounds, especially with respect to EPA health guidelines for PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate).

  Media of interest include (in ranked order) (1) Tissues/plasma, (2) sediment, (3) air or interfaces, (4) water.

   

  Atmospheric sources: Improved understanding of atmospheric exchange in PFAS distribution and fate. This may include methods to determine transport of PFAS to the atmosphere and to subsequent receiving waters, such as a water method that determines "new" compounds based on their likelihood to occur in the atmosphere.

   

  Processes oriented at molecular level: Process-oriented research of PFAS fate, transport, and effects, with emphasis on molecular-level understanding of PFAS precursor transformation, sorption dynamic and mechanisms of bioaccumulation and(or) biological/ecological effects, or biodegradation of PFAS along source to receptor pathways and identification of mitigation methods.

Access all USGS forms.

Proposal Instructions

For All Proposals

Please submit the basic proposal information requested below to the Oklahoma Water Resources Center and Jada Gailey no later than May 3, 2024.

• • Title

  • PI

  • You must include the specific USGS program you are applying to:

    • • WRRA, AIS (G24AS00534)

      • WRRA, PFAS (G24AS00535)

      • WRRA, 104g (G24AS00536)

• For Non-OSU Proposals

  *Full proposal must be complete in Grants.gov by May 24, 2024.

  • Provide Jada with the Grants.gov username of your sponsored programs contact no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 3, 2024.

  • You must include the specific USGS program you are applying to:

    • • WRRA, AIS (G24AS00534)

      • WRRA, PFAS (G24AS00535)

      • WRRA, 104g (G24AS00536)

  • Jada will create a Grants.gov Workspace package and add your sponsored programs contact.

  • Fully route the proposal through your institution's approval process.

  • Work with your sponsored programs office to complete the Grants.gov Workspace package according to the instructions in the RFP, no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 24, 2024. At this point, no changes should be made to the package. Date/times within the system will be monitored.

    • Notify Jada no later than 5:00 p.m. May 24, 2024 that the Grants.gov Workspace package is complete and ready for submission.

    • Do Not Submit the Grants.gov Workspace package – Ag. Sponsored Programs will review and submit for you before the USGS May 30, 2024 deadline. Per the RFP, the Grants.gov Workspace can only by submitted by the institution that houses the water center.

    • Ag. Sponsored Programs will send you confirmation of submission.

• For OSU, non-Ag. Proposals

  *Full proposal must be complete in Grants.gov by May 24, 2024.

  • Provide Jada with the Grants.gov username of your sponsored programs contact no later than 5:00 p.m. May 3, 2024.

  • You must include the specific USGS program you are applying to:

    • • WRRA, AIS (G24AS00534)

      • WRRA, PFAS (G24AS00535)

      • WRRA, 104g (G24AS00536)

  • Jada will create the Grants.gov Workspace package and add your sponsored programs contact.

  • Your college will create the Cayuse proposal and fully route the proposal through the institution's approval process.

  • Work with your sponsored programs office to create and complete the Grants.gov Workspace package according to the instructions in the RFP, no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 24, 2024. At this point, no changes should be made to the package. Date/times within the system will be monitored. Notify Jada no later than 5:00 p.m. May 24, 2024 that the Grants.gov Workspace package is complete and ready for submission.

  • Do not submit the Grants.gov Workspace package - Ag. Sponsored Programs will review and submit for you before the USGS May 30, 2024 deadline. Per the RFP, the Grants.gov Workspace can only by submitted by the institution that houses the water center.

  • Ag. Sponsored Programs will send you confirmation of submission.

• For OSU, Ag. Proposals

  *Full proposal must be complete in Grants.gov by May 24, 2024.

  • A Proposal Information Form (PIF) must be submitted to Ag. Sponsored Programs no later than May 3, 2024.

  • You must include the specific USGS program you are applying to:

    • • WRRA, AIS (G24AS00534)

      • WRRA, PFAS ( G24AS00535)

      • WRRA, 104g (G24AS00536)

  • Ag. PIs will receive gudance from Ag. Sponsored Programs on how to proceed.

  • Ag. Sponsored Programs will complete the Grants.gov Workspace package no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 24, 2024. At this point, no changes should be made to the package. Date/times within the system will be monitored.

  • Ag. Sponsored Programs will submit the proposal before the USGS May 30, 2024 deadline.

  • Ag. Sponsored Programs will send you confirmation of submission.

104g Informational Webinar (2024)

Oklahoma Water Research Grants Program

2024 Request for Pre-Proposals – USGS 104(b) Annual Base Grants Program 

The Oklahoma Water Research Center (OWRC) is seeking preproposals that address high priority water problems in the State of Oklahoma. This grant program is a competitive grant program available to current faculty, staff and students of any Oklahoma university conducting research addressing priority Oklahoma water issues.

For more information, see the Request for Pre-Proposals.

Submission of 2025 pre-proposals will be due TBA.