Opportunity Information: Apply for G20AS00057
The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU funding opportunity (Opportunity Number G20AS00057) is a USGS Water Mission Area research grant offered as a cooperative agreement to support work that improves how satellite-based evapotranspiration information is operationally used in national-scale water modeling. The core goal is to help the USGS move from simply having access to evapotranspiration products to being able to reliably and repeatedly pull those data from cloud platforms, compute useful summaries, and feed them into an operational hydrologic modeling framework that runs on a continuing basis rather than as a one-time study.
The scientific focus is on actual evapotranspiration (ETa), a key variable for understanding consumptive water use, especially in agriculture. In this context, ETa is being leveraged as the fundamental building block for estimating irrigation water use across the contiguous United States (CONUS). The work sits within the USGS Water Use Program and directly supports the National Water Census (NWC), which is aimed at improving national assessments of water availability and use. Because irrigation is one of the largest consumptive uses of water in many basins, improving ETa-driven irrigation estimates is central to producing better national water-use accounting.
A major element of the opportunity is applied research and development around cloud computing workflows that can provide operational access to ETa data products available through OpenET. OpenET is a platform that provides field-scale ETa estimates derived from several satellite-based algorithms. The announcement highlights the OpenET Water Management Tool specifically, noting its ability to generate area-weighted and time-averaged monthly ETa estimates across CONUS on a roughly six-week cycle. That production cadence is important because it supports recurring updates, which is a defining requirement for an operational model intended to stay current over time. The tool relies on the computational capabilities of Google Earth Engine (GEE), and the USGS is looking for CESU partner support to research and implement approaches that translate those cloud-based ETa resources into model-ready inputs and summaries.
The national irrigation modeling framework the USGS is developing is described as having three key design features. First, it emphasizes automated data retrieval for model inputs, meaning the system should be able to programmatically pull required datasets (like ETa summaries) without manual intervention. Second, it is designed to simulate daily water use, which implies the ETa-derived information must be compatible with daily time-step modeling and the associated data-handling demands. Third, it calls for periodic updating of simulations to provide current and forecasted results, so the workflows developed under this award need to support repeatable, scheduled reprocessing and re-ingestion of updated ETa estimates as new satellite information becomes available. In practical terms, the funded work is meant to help close the gap between cloud-hosted remote sensing products and an automated, continuously updating national model that can deliver timely irrigation water-use estimates.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity from the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development (CFDA 15.808). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial agency involvement during the project, such as collaboration on technical direction, milestones, data management, and integration into USGS operational systems. The expected outcome is not just analysis, but progress toward operational integration of OpenET-derived ETa summaries into a national hydrologic/irrigation water-use modeling enterprise.
The opportunity was created on May 6, 2020, with an original closing date of May 22, 2020. The award ceiling is $150,000, with one expected award. Eligibility is limited to CESU partners under the Great Basin CESU, reflected in the listing of eligible applicants as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the full announcement. Overall, the project is best understood as targeted support for developing scalable, cloud-enabled data access and summarization methods for satellite ETa that can power automated, frequently updated irrigation water-use estimates at the national level.Apply for G20AS00057
- The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 06, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 22, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Great Basin CESU funding opportunity, Opportunity Number G20AS00057.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within the Department of the Interior.
What USGS program area is sponsoring the work?
It is a USGS Water Mission Area research effort, aligned with the USGS Water Use Program and directly supporting the National Water Census (NWC).
What type of funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the agency during the project. In this opportunity, that involvement is described as collaboration on items such as technical direction, milestones, data management, and integration into USGS operational systems.
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The project is intended to improve how satellite-based actual evapotranspiration (ETa) information is operationally used in national-scale water modeling. The emphasis is on moving from simply having access to ET products to reliably and repeatedly retrieving them from cloud platforms, computing useful summaries, and feeding those summaries into an operational hydrologic modeling framework that runs on an ongoing basis (not as a one-time study).
What scientific variable is the main focus of the work?
The scientific focus is on actual evapotranspiration (ETa).
Why is ETa important in this context?
ETa is described as a key variable for understanding consumptive water use, especially in agriculture. In this opportunity, ETa is used as the fundamental building block for estimating irrigation water use across the contiguous United States (CONUS).
How does this project relate to irrigation water use?
The work supports ETa-driven irrigation water-use estimates for CONUS. Because irrigation is one of the largest consumptive uses of water in many basins, improving ETa-driven irrigation estimates is central to better national water-use accounting.
What is the National Water Census (NWC), and how is it connected?
The National Water Census is described as an effort aimed at improving national assessments of water availability and use. This opportunity directly supports the NWC through improved national-scale irrigation water-use estimation.
What platform or data source is highlighted for ETa?
The opportunity highlights OpenET as the platform providing field-scale ETa estimates derived from several satellite-based algorithms.
Which OpenET capability is specifically mentioned?
The announcement specifically calls out the OpenET Water Management Tool.
What does the OpenET Water Management Tool produce, according to the opportunity?
It is described as generating area-weighted and time-averaged monthly ETa estimates across CONUS on a roughly six-week cycle.
Why does the six-week cycle matter?
The production cadence matters because recurring updates are a defining requirement for an operational model intended to stay current over time.
What cloud computing environment is referenced?
The tool is described as relying on the computational capabilities of Google Earth Engine (GEE).
What kind of work is USGS seeking from CESU partners?
The opportunity calls for applied research and development focused on cloud computing workflows that can provide operational access to ETa products available through OpenET, and methods to translate those cloud-based ETa resources into model-ready inputs and summaries.
What is meant by “operational use” of ETa in this opportunity?
Operational use is framed as the ability to reliably and repeatedly (on a continuing basis) retrieve ETa data from cloud platforms, compute useful summaries, and integrate those outputs into a hydrologic/irrigation modeling framework that runs routinely rather than as a one-time analysis.
What is the modeling framework described in the announcement?
The USGS is developing a national irrigation modeling framework intended to support national-scale irrigation water-use estimation using ETa-derived information.
What are the key design features of the national irrigation modeling framework?
The framework is described as having three key design features: (1) automated data retrieval for model inputs, (2) daily simulation of water use, and (3) periodic updating of simulations to provide current and forecasted results.
How does automated data retrieval relate to this project?
Automated data retrieval means the system should be able to programmatically pull required datasets (including ETa summaries) without manual intervention, which informs the workflow development expected under the award.
What does “simulate daily water use” imply for ETa-based inputs?
It implies that ETa-derived information must be compatible with daily time-step modeling and the related data-handling requirements.
What does “periodic updating of simulations” require from the workflows?
It requires repeatable, scheduled reprocessing and re-ingestion of updated ETa estimates as new satellite information becomes available, so model outputs can remain current over time.
Is the expected outcome purely research, or does it include operational integration?
The expected outcome is described as not just analysis, but progress toward operational integration of OpenET-derived ETa summaries into a national hydrologic/irrigation water-use modeling enterprise.
What is the federal category or program classification listed for this opportunity?
It is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, with CFDA 15.808.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $150,000.
How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on May 6, 2020.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was May 22, 2020.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to CESU partners under the Great Basin CESU. The eligible applicants are listed as “Others,” with further clarification referenced in the full announcement.
What geographic scope is referenced for the ETa estimates and irrigation modeling?
The effort focuses on the contiguous United States (CONUS), with OpenET outputs described as providing monthly ETa estimates across CONUS.
What specific gap is this opportunity trying to close?
It is meant to close the gap between cloud-hosted remote sensing ETa products and an automated, continuously updating national model that can deliver timely irrigation water-use estimates.
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