Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, National Ground-Water Monitoring Network

The funding available for this Program Announcement is expected to be up to $1,800,000 for Federal FY2022. This estimate does not bind the USGS to a specific number of awards or to the amount of any individual award. Congress has not yet authorized FY2021 funds for the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network, so awards cannot be made until this funding is appropriated. Work performance under these awards must be completed within the two-year cycle from the start date. The timing of funds availability and the signing of the award will determine the start date. Individual applications are restricted to a funding level of $150,000 for a one-year project or $300,000 for a two-year project. Funding for routine work under Objective 2 to maintain persistent data services is limited to $20,000 per year (Objective 2A). Substantial involvement of the USGS is anticipated to provide support to new data providers during the site selection and classification process and to establish web services that interact with the NGWMN Data Portal. USGS also will provide guidance to existing data providers on techniques for collection of site information, on well maintenance activities, and on well drilling to support development of the NGWMN. Therefore, these awards will be in the form of cooperative agreements. NGWMN cooperative agreements address the Department of Interior’s Secretarial Priorities to improve State and local groundwater monitoring efforts to more effectively manage groundwater resources at the regional and national scale (Secretarial Priority 1a, Attachment D) and to enhance communication and data sharing between State and local water resource agencies and the U.S. Department of the Interior (Secretarial Priority 3b, Attachment D).All projects should propose start dates between July 15, 2022 and September 30, 2022.