Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)
The USGS is funding research with a CESU partner to process and analyze Surface Water and Ocean Topography data, expanding nationwide water resource monitoring and supporting hydrologic decision-making using advanced technology.
Funder: Geological Survey
Due Dates: August 29, 2026: Full application submission deadline (electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 PM ET)
Funding Amounts: Total program funding: $300,000 | Award ceiling: $300,000 | One anticipated award | Up to 2 years (base + renewal year)
Summary: Supports research on processing and analyzing Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) data to advance hydrologic decision-making and national water resource monitoring.
Key Information: Applicant must be a participating partner of the Rocky Mountain CESU Program.
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) invites applications for a cooperative agreement with an affiliated partner of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). The funded project will focus on research and technical development in processing and analyzing data from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. The goal is to significantly expand the availability, accuracy, and operational use of remotely sensed water surface elevation data to improve hydrologic decision-making at national, regional, and local scales.
Key research objectives include:
- Evaluating and communicating SWOT data accuracy and sources of error for end users.
- Developing methods for extracting and publishing water surface elevations for all resolvable waterbodies, including automation and integration with in-situ monitoring.
- Enhancing applications of SWOT data for remote sensing of river discharge and open-channel flow resistance metrics.
- Collaborating with USGS and CESU scientists, and supporting the integration of satellite-derived data into operational water resource management.
The project will leverage AI/ML methods, expand the national water resource monitoring network, and align with recent federal priorities related to energy, science, and open data.
