Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G21AS00475

Opportunity Information: Apply for G21AS00475

This grant opportunity is a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding call issued as a cooperative agreement through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, specifically the Gulf Coast CESU. The purpose is to support research that determines lethal and sublethal water temperature thresholds for the Texas hornshell, a freshwater mussel, so resource managers can better understand instream flow needs and set temperature and flow-related targets that help the species survive and thrive in the Black River. In practical terms, the work is meant to connect biological tolerance limits (what temperatures the mussels can endure, and for how long) to management decisions about maintaining river conditions that reduce stress and mortality.

The core scientific deliverable is the identification of thermal thresholds at different levels of biological impact. "Lethal" thresholds refer to temperatures and exposure durations that cause death, while "sublethal" thresholds refer to temperatures that do not immediately kill the organism but still cause harmful effects, such as reduced growth, impaired reproduction, physiological stress, weakened immune response, or behavioral changes that can make populations more vulnerable over time. By establishing these thresholds, the project helps translate basic species biology into actionable environmental targets, such as guidance on maximum allowable water temperatures, seasonal temperature limits, and flow conditions that prevent the river from warming beyond tolerable ranges.

The project is described as operating across multiple time scales, which signals that USGS is open to a combination of near-term outputs that can be applied quickly and longer-horizon work that improves understanding over time. Near-term applications could include initial threshold estimates or management-relevant benchmarks that can inform immediate instream flow and temperature planning. Longer-term components could involve additional experimentation, refinement of thresholds under varying conditions (for example, different life stages or acclimation histories), and building a stronger evidence base that supports enduring conservation and water-management strategies in the Black River system.

Because the award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, the federal agency typically expects substantial involvement from USGS during the project, beyond what is common in a standard grant. This can include collaboration on study design, coordination with ongoing monitoring or management efforts, and joint interpretation of results so that findings are directly usable for decision-making. The overall frame is consistent with CESU goals: producing applied science, technical support, and education through partnerships that link federal agencies with qualified research institutions and organizations.

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are official partners in the Gulf Coast CESU Program. The opportunity lists the eligible applicant category as "Others," but the controlling requirement is CESU partnership status with the Gulf Coast network. The funding opportunity number is G21AS00475, it falls under CFDA 15.808, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The posted maximum federal funding amount (award ceiling) is $44,800. The opportunity was created on April 14, 2021, with an original closing date of May 28, 2021, indicating it was a time-limited competition intended to select one or more CESU-affiliated partners to carry out this targeted research effort.

In summary, this cooperative agreement opportunity is a focused applied research investment aimed at protecting and managing Texas hornshell populations in the Black River by defining temperature stress and mortality boundaries and using those findings to inform instream flow requirements and management thresholds. The CESU structure emphasizes collaboration and practical outcomes, with the expectation that the research will be directly relevant to conservation planning and water-resource decisions in the region.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" 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 2021-04-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-05-28. (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 $44,800.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G21AS00475

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