Grant for Advanced Reservoir Sedimentation Assessment and Design Life Projection

This grant aims to address the critical issue of uncertain sediment design life in aging Western U.S. reservoirs. It proposes a comprehensive framework utilizing five distinct modeling approaches, integrated with the Variable Infiltration Capacity model, to estimate historical, current, and projected future sediment loading and associated uncertainties. The project will investigate unique sediment model physics and the importance of model scale through rigorous calibration and validation. This framework will be applied to un-surveyed or not recently surveyed reservoirs to provide probabilistic estimates of reservoir design life. Major outcomes include an enhanced understanding of sedimentation processes, uncertainty quantification, identification of high-risk areas, and informing effective mitigation strategies.

Opportunity ID: 293485

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General Information

Document Type:	Grants Notice
Funding Opportunity Number:	BOR-DO-17-N027
Funding Opportunity Title:	Multi-Algorithm Reservoir Sedimentation Estimation
Opportunity Category:	Discretionary
Opportunity Category Explanation:	–
Funding Instrument Type:	Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity:	Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Category Explanation:	–
Expected Number of Awards:	1
Assistance Listings:	15.560 — SECURE Water Act – Research Agreements
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:	No
Version:	Synopsis 1
Posted Date:	Apr 27, 2017
Last Updated Date:	–
Original Closing Date for Applications:	May 11, 2017
Current Closing Date for Applications:	May 11, 2017
Archive Date:	Jun 10, 2017
Estimated Total Program Funding:	$298,515
Award Ceiling:	$298,515
Award Floor:	$298,515

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants:	Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Additional Information on Eligibility:	–

Additional Information

Agency Name:	Bureau of Reclamation
Description:	Water resource management in the western U.S. is reliant upon aging reservoirs for critical storage and flood mitigation. One impending concern is the sediment design life of these reservoirs, which remains largely uncertain due to both practical and logistical challenges in sediment monitoring. This work aims to comprehensively estimate historical, current, and projected future sediment loading along with attendant uncertainties through the coordinated application of multiple sediment modeling approaches over the western U.S. This framework will integrate empirical, conceptual, and process‐based models (5 models in total) across key reservoirs using the overarching 1/16° Variable Infiltration Capacity model structure developed for USBR by Livneh et al. (2015). Focus will be given to model uniqueness so as to incorporate and test truly independent sediment model physics. In addition, the importance of model scale will be investigated. Rigorous evaluation of this modeling framework will include calibration and validation of simulated sediment loading and discharge. This framework will be applied to un‐surveyed or not recently surveyed reservoirs and will enable estimates of projected sediment and hence provide a probabilistic estimate of reservoir design life. Major outcomes will be an improved understanding of sedimentation processes and an estimate of uncertainty. Overall, this effort can be used to identify areas of greatest risk for sedimentation and inform mitigation strategies.
Link to Additional Information:	–
Grantor Contact Information:	If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: Matthew Reichert Grants Management Specialist Phone 303-445-3865 Email:mreichert@usbr.gov

Version History

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