Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR UC 19 N005
The "Salt Basin Assessment of Water Resources and Groundwater Withdrawal" grant opportunity is a U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation research effort focused on a practical question with major regional implications: whether the Salt Basin area of southern New Mexico and southwestern Texas can sustainably support groundwater pumping at levels up to about 100,000 acre-feet per year. The project is designed to look beyond simple estimates and instead produce an integrated, science-based assessment of both water availability and water quality, with a strong emphasis on groundwater conditions because groundwater would be the primary source affected by large-scale withdrawals.
At the core of the work is building or improving a comprehensive water budget for the region. That means accounting for how much water is stored in the groundwater system, how much is being withdrawn and used, and how water moves into and out of the system through processes like recharge from precipitation, losses to evapotranspiration, and other inflows and outflows. By tightening up these estimates, the study aims to clarify how the basin functions hydrologically and what the realistic limits are for long-term pumping without causing unacceptable declines in water levels, reduced water availability, or degradation in water quality.
A major component of the project is identifying what information is missing or uncertain and then filling those data gaps with new data collection. In practice, this could involve targeted groundwater-level monitoring, water quality sampling, compiling pumping and use records, improving precipitation and evapotranspiration datasets, and gathering geologic and aquifer-property information needed to better describe the subsurface. The intent is to reduce uncertainty in the most decision-relevant parameters and to ensure the final assessment is grounded in current, basin-specific observations rather than relying heavily on assumptions or outdated datasets.
Using the full set of compiled and newly collected data, the study then calls for updates to the hydrogeologic framework and the basin's hydrologic (groundwater) model. Updating the framework means refining the conceptual understanding of the aquifers and confining units, their geometry and connectivity, and key properties that control groundwater movement and storage. Updating the model means recalibrating and improving the numerical representation of the system so it can more reliably simulate how groundwater levels and flows respond to changes in pumping, climate inputs, or management actions.
The final step is running and evaluating model scenarios aimed directly at the sustainability question. These scenarios are meant to test potential pumping strategies and rates, including whether sustained withdrawals near the 100,000 acre-feet/year level are feasible over time and what the likely impacts would be. Scenario results would typically be used to evaluate risks such as long-term drawdown, reduced well productivity, changes in groundwater flow directions, potential impacts to connected water resources (where applicable), and any water quality concerns that could be intensified by heavy pumping. The overall deliverable is a more defensible basis for groundwater planning and management decisions in the Salt Basin region.
Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.560, in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category. Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The opportunity number is BOR UC 19 N005, it was created on August 23, 2019, and originally closed on September 5, 2019. The award ceiling was $436,790, with one expected award, indicating the Bureau of Reclamation intended to fund a single lead institution to carry out the full scope of assessment, data collection, modeling updates, and scenario analysis.Apply for BOR UC 19 N005
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Salt Basin Assessment of Water Resources and Groundwater Withdrawal" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.560.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 23, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 05, 2019. (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 $436,790.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Salt Basin Assessment of Water Resources and Groundwater Withdrawal" grant opportunity?
This opportunity is a U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation research effort to produce an integrated, science-based assessment of water availability and water quality in the Salt Basin area of southern New Mexico and southwestern Texas, with a strong emphasis on groundwater.
What practical question is this project trying to answer?
The project focuses on whether the Salt Basin region can sustainably support groundwater pumping at levels up to about 100,000 acre-feet per year without causing unacceptable long-term impacts.
Where is the study area located?
The study area is the Salt Basin region of southern New Mexico and southwestern Texas.
Why is groundwater the main focus of the assessment?
The opportunity emphasizes groundwater because groundwater would be the primary source affected by large-scale withdrawals in the region.
What does the project mean by an "integrated" assessment?
An integrated assessment, as described in the opportunity, looks at both water availability and water quality together, rather than relying on simple or isolated estimates. It combines compiled information, new data collection, and modeling to support a defensible evaluation of sustainability.
What is a comprehensive water budget in the context of this project?
The water budget is a basin-wide accounting intended to estimate how much water is stored in the groundwater system, how much is withdrawn and used, and how water moves into and out of the system. It includes elements such as recharge from precipitation, losses to evapotranspiration, and other inflows and outflows.
What types of inflows and outflows are specifically mentioned for the water budget?
The opportunity specifically references recharge from precipitation, losses to evapotranspiration, and other inflows and outflows as processes to be accounted for in the basin water budget.
Why is tightening water-budget estimates important for this study?
Improving (tightening) these estimates is intended to clarify how the basin functions hydrologically and to identify realistic limits for long-term pumping without unacceptable declines in water levels, reduced water availability, or water quality degradation.
What are "data gaps," and how does the project plan to address them?
Data gaps are missing or uncertain information needed to reliably assess the basin. The project calls for identifying those missing/uncertain areas and filling them with new data collection so the final assessment is based on current, basin-specific observations rather than assumptions or outdated datasets.
What kinds of new data collection are included in the scope?
Examples described in the opportunity include targeted groundwater-level monitoring, water quality sampling, compiling pumping and use records, improving precipitation and evapotranspiration datasets, and gathering geologic and aquifer-property information needed to better describe the subsurface.
What is meant by updating the hydrogeologic framework?
Updating the hydrogeologic framework means refining the conceptual understanding of the aquifers and confining units, including their geometry and connectivity, and the key properties that control groundwater movement and storage.
What is meant by updating the basin hydrologic (groundwater) model?
Updating the model involves recalibrating and improving the numerical representation of the groundwater system so it can more reliably simulate responses to changes in pumping, climate inputs, or management actions.
How will the project use the updated model?
The updated model is intended to run and evaluate scenarios that directly test the sustainability question, including potential pumping strategies and rates and whether sustained withdrawals near 100,000 acre-feet per year are feasible over time.
What types of scenario impacts are expected to be evaluated?
The opportunity indicates scenarios would typically be used to evaluate risks such as long-term drawdown, reduced well productivity, changes in groundwater flow directions, potential impacts to connected water resources (where applicable), and water quality concerns that could be intensified by heavy pumping.
What is the main deliverable or outcome of the funded work?
The overall deliverable is a more defensible basis for groundwater planning and management decisions in the Salt Basin region, supported by updated data, an improved hydrogeologic framework, and an updated groundwater model with scenario analysis results.
Which federal agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation.
What type of funding mechanism is used?
This was offered as a cooperative agreement under a discretionary funding opportunity.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.560.
How is the opportunity categorized?
It is categorized in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is BOR UC 19 N005.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on August 23, 2019.
When did the opportunity close?
The opportunity originally closed on September 5, 2019.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $436,790.
How many awards were expected?
One award was expected, indicating the Bureau of Reclamation intended to fund a single lead institution to carry out the full scope of work.
What scope of work was the single expected award intended to cover?
The single expected award was intended to cover the full scope described: assessment work, data compilation and new data collection to address uncertainties, updates to the hydrogeologic framework, updates to the groundwater model, and scenario analysis focused on groundwater withdrawal sustainability.
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