Determining Impacts of Long Term Use of RO Concentrate on Atriplex Species, Soil Characteristics and Microbial Habitats | BOR DO NOI 015

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR DO NOI 015

The grant opportunity titled "Determining Impacts of Long Term Use of RO Concentrate on Atriplex Species, Soil Characteristics and Microbial Habitats" is a Bureau of Reclamation research effort focused on what to do with reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate, the salty brine left over after desalination. Instead of treating concentrate strictly as a waste stream that needs disposal, the project tests whether it can be applied on dry land in a controlled way and then taken up or tolerated by native salt-loving plants (halophytes), particularly Atriplex species (commonly known as saltbush). The core idea is to see if a managed halophyte system can turn concentrate management into something environmentally responsible and potentially useful to local agriculture, rather than relying on more costly or limited discharge options.

The work is centered at the Bureau of Reclamation's Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility (BGNDRF) in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where a halophyte field has already been established through earlier efforts led by Arizona State University (ASU). Building on that existing field site and preliminary data, the study is carried out collaboratively with New Mexico State University (NMSU) and BGNDRF. The research is designed to look beyond short-term plant survival and instead evaluate the longer-term consequences of repeated concentrate applications. That includes tracking how soils change over time under concentrate loading, how soil chemistry and physical characteristics may shift, and what happens to soil microbial habitats and communities that influence nutrient cycling, soil structure, and overall ecosystem function.

A major practical outcome being evaluated is plant quality for cattle feed. Atriplex species are known for their salt tolerance and are sometimes used as forage in arid and semi-arid rangelands, but the nutritional value and palatability can vary depending on growing conditions, salt accumulation, and plant tissue composition. By examining native plant performance under RO concentrate irrigation or land-application scenarios, the project aims to determine whether these plants can provide a usable forage resource while simultaneously helping manage saline residuals. The description notes rancher support, signaling that the work is intended to be relevant to real-world land management and livestock operations rather than remaining purely experimental.

From the Bureau of Reclamation's perspective, the benefit is the potential identification of viable alternatives for concentrate discharge. Concentrate management is a persistent challenge for inland desalination because direct discharge options are often limited by environmental regulations, infrastructure constraints, and cost. If land application paired with halophyte cultivation can be shown to be sustainable and controllable over the long term, it could offer Reclamation and other water utilities a broader toolkit for handling brines generated from treating brackish groundwater, especially in arid regions where water reuse, soil health, and agricultural compatibility are tightly linked.

Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, under Funding Opportunity Number BOR DO NOI 015 and CFDA 15.560. The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial federal involvement during the project period (for example, coordination on study design, access to federal facilities, data sharing, or joint oversight). Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, aligning with the university-research partnership described. The opportunity was posted on March 8, 2017, with an original closing date of March 23, 2017. The expected number of awards was one, with an award ceiling of $85,000, indicating a focused, single-project effort rather than a broad multi-award program.

• 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 "Determining Impacts of Long Term Use of RO Concentrate on Atriplex Species, Soil Characteristics and Microbial Habitats" 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 Mar 08, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 23, 2017. (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 $85,000.00 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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