National Information Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE): Numerical Models for Fish | W81EWF 24 SOI 0004

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0004

The National Information Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE): Numerical Models for Fish opportunity is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers research and development cooperative agreement focused on improving how hydraulic modeling is used to understand and support fish movement around navigation infrastructure. It centers on the Mississippi River system, where locks, dams, navigation channels, and sediment management sites are widespread and where there is growing pressure to understand how navigation operations affect fisheries. A key problem motivating the funding is that most locks and dams in the Mississippi Basin and much of the southeastern U.S. were not designed for native fish passage, yet they now influence fish movement in ways that matter for conservation, Endangered Species Act-listed species, and even management of aquatic nuisance species. The broader aim is to find workable strategies that help fish move past locks and dams without disrupting navigation.

The technical objective is to advance multidimensional numerical hydraulic modeling in the complex, high-turbulence, hard-to-measure areas near infrastructure, including dam gate wells, lock chambers, tailraces, and fishways. While 2D and 3D models can estimate flow conditions that fish respond to, the opportunity emphasizes that the real-world accuracy and precision needed for ecohydraulic applications is not well defined. Because of that, the project calls not only for improved modeling capability but also for new ways to evaluate model performance using metrics tied to observed fish behavior and outcomes, rather than relying solely on traditional hydraulic validation measures. In other words, the work is expected to connect engineering-grade flow predictions to biological relevance so that model outputs more reliably inform fish passage design and operational decisions.

Field applications are expected to occur at sites on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, with a particular emphasis on informing future fish passage structures in the middle Mississippi River. The work aligns with the NICE mission: applying ecohydraulic principles to navigation infrastructure at multiple scales and enabling better engineering forecasts of fisheries outcomes across different contexts and site conditions.

The anticipated public benefit is improved protection and recovery prospects for threatened and endangered fish species in the Mississippi River that could be affected by changes in lock use and broader navigation decisions. By supporting hydrologic connectivity and more fish-friendly infrastructure outcomes, the effort is also expected to benefit other aquatic species, help sustain trophic balance and biodiversity, and improve ecosystem goods and services. Those downstream benefits include recreational opportunities and associated economic value (including sports fishing), improved water quality, and healthier river ecosystems for present and future generations.

Administratively, this is a two-phase solicitation with a Statement of Interest (SOI) due December 18, 2023, followed by a full proposal due January 19, 2024. The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding through a cooperative agreement under CFDA 12.630, with an award ceiling of $450,000. Eligibility is restricted to non-federal partners of the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU). The funding opportunity number is W81EWF 24 SOI 0004, and the sponsoring agency is the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

• The Dept. of the Army -- Corps of Engineers in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Information Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE): Numerical Models for Fish" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-01-19. (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 $450,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0004

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