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: U.S. Geological Survey
Due Dates: November 12, 2026, before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Full proposal)
Funding Amounts: Up to $120,000 per award; $462,500 total anticipated 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 public-supply-dependent 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 competition under Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act. The FY2026 call focuses on improving transparent, reliable information about water use associated with data centers and other water-intensive industries drawing from public supply systems. It supports development, testing, and demonstration of observational and analytical methods that reduce uncertainty and improve predictions, including future usage scenarios.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are central requirements. Projects must integrate diverse data sources and account for industrial processes, cooling technologies, water supply conditions, alternative water sources, and seasonal variability. Methods should be scalable across geographic and regulatory settings, validated against independent data, and useful for national assessments and local decisions. Awardees will collaborate with federal partners, utilities, regional planners, and industry representatives to produce practical, transparent frameworks for communicating industrial water use.
