WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT PROGRAM NATIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS FY2026 (104g General)
The U.S. Geological Survey offers fiscal year 2026 national competitive grants under the Water Resources Research Act for Water Resources Research Institutes.
Funder: Geological Survey
Due Dates: November 12, 2026, before 5:00 PM Eastern Time (Full proposal)
Funding Amounts: Up to $120,000 per award; $462,500 total estimated funding for 4 awards; anticipated three-year project period
Summary: Supports AI- and machine-learning-based methods to observe, estimate, and validate water use by data centers and other water-intensive industries.
Key Information: Only Water Resources Research Institutes established under the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 may apply.
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) administers this national competitive program under Section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act. The FY2026 opportunity focuses on improving information about water use by data centers and other water-intensive industries drawing from public supply systems. It funds development, testing, and demonstration of observational and analytical methods that reduce uncertainty in withdrawals, cooling demands, and local impacts.
Proposals must integrate diverse data sources and apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve transparency, traceability, and identification of bias or uncertainty. Methods should address reuse, self-supplied withdrawals, seasonal variability, and future-use scenarios, while supporting national assessments and local decisions. Awardees will collaborate with federal partners, utilities, regional planning bodies, and industry representatives to develop practical, credible frameworks for observing and communicating industrial water use.
