Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
The U.S. Geological Survey seeks a Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partner to model tradeoffs among dam operations, conservation, recreation, flood control, and power in the Skagit River.
Funder: U.S. Geological Survey
Due Dates: December 7, 2026 (Applications, 11:59 PM ET)
Funding Amounts: $341,565 total funding; one anticipated three-year cooperative agreement, with an award range of $1–$341,565
Summary: Supports multispecies simulation modeling of tradeoffs among hydropower operations, conservation, recreation, flood control, and electricity generation in Washington’s Skagit River watershed.
Key Information: Only participating partners of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit are eligible.
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center funds research to develop and deliver a spatially explicit, multispecies simulation modeling framework for adaptive management in the Skagit River watershed, Washington. The work examines tradeoffs among hydropower dam operations, fish conservation, recreation, flood control, and electricity generation.
Research objectives include integrating fish and hydropower data, developing an environmental template incorporating temperature, discharge, and physical habitat, and coding simulations of fish population and evolutionary dynamics. Regular collaborator feedback and peer-reviewed data, code releases, and publications are expected. Partners include Seattle City Light, USGS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other state, federal, and tribal partners.
