Waterbird and vegetation response to reservoir water management in central Iowa | W81EWF 21 SOI 0002

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 21 SOI 0002

This funding opportunity, offered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Department of Defense, supports a cooperative research project at Lake Red Rock in central Iowa focused on how reservoir water level management affects migratory waterbirds and wetland vegetation. Lake Red Rock sits on the Des Moines River and is part of the nationwide Sustainable Rivers Program, where river managers and scientific partners are trying to balance traditional reservoir purposes with measurable ecological benefits. Recent changes to the reservoir's Water Control Manual, including the introduction of a "conservation band," give managers more flexibility to adjust water levels in ways that can intentionally create or improve habitat for aquatic-dependent species both in the reservoir and downstream in the river.

The ecological motivation is tied to the Des Moines River corridor's role as a major migration pathway through the Prairie Pothole Region of Iowa. This region historically provided abundant wetlands, but agricultural drainage and development have reduced wetland availability and habitat diversity, contributing to pressures on waterfowl and shorebirds. Migrating birds rely on stopover sites with a mix of conditions such as shallow water, exposed mudflats, and productive plant communities that support invertebrates and seeds used for refueling. Large flood-control reservoirs on the Des Moines River, including Lake Red Rock, have become important substitute stopover areas. During fall, drawdowns and declining water levels expose extensive mudflats that are gradually colonized by annual vegetation, creating a patchwork of habitats that tends to attract shorebirds in mid-to-late summer (roughly July through September) and waterfowl later into fall (roughly August through November). The grant is aimed at improving understanding of how water level operations drive these habitat changes and, in turn, how birds use them.

The work is organized into three phases that move from planning to field monitoring and then to analysis and communication. Phase One centers on designing the study: the recipient is expected to formalize clear, testable hypotheses linking reservoir operations to bird use and wetland responses, and to develop monitoring protocols tailored to the delta area of Lake Red Rock. The key Phase One product is a short ERDC Technical Note (under 10 pages) that lays out the purpose, the hypotheses, and the methods. Methods are expected to cover quantifying waterbird use of mudflat habitat, tracking shorebird behavior, and assessing wetland plant community composition, with vegetation composition treated as an indicator of food value for waterfowl.

Phase Two consists of two field seasons of monitoring focused on waterbirds and wetland classification. In practical terms, this implies repeated bird surveys during migration windows and systematic habitat characterization in the areas influenced by fluctuating water levels, especially exposed mudflats and emergent wetland zones in the delta. The deliverables for this phase are short annual in-progress review reports summarizing what was done each season, what was observed, and how the monitoring is proceeding relative to the original hypotheses and protocols.

Phase Three is dedicated to pulling the information together through analysis and reporting, including incorporation of existing datasets on waterbird use and wetland responses at reservoirs. The goal is to translate monitoring results into usable guidance for reservoir management, specifically insights that help refine best management practices to produce positive environmental outcomes for waterbirds and wetland habitat. The main Phase Three deliverable is a final report in ERDC Technical Report format, and the opportunity also encourages broader communication such as webinars, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed journal publications so that findings can inform similar reservoir systems beyond Lake Red Rock.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity (CFDA 12.630) with an expected single award and a ceiling of $55,000. The instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the agency anticipates substantial involvement or collaboration during the project rather than a hands-off grant. The opportunity was created on November 2, 2020, with an original closing date of December 2, 2020, and eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. Overall, the project is framed as applied research intended to connect day-to-day reservoir operations with measurable habitat conditions and bird responses, producing evidence that can directly support adaptive management decisions at Lake Red Rock and potentially across the Sustainable Rivers Program.

• The Department of Defense, 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 "Waterbird and vegetation response to reservoir water management in central Iowa" 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 Nov 02, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 02, 2020. (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 $55,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W81EWF 21 SOI 0002

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