USGS Water Resources Research Act Program: Annual Base Grants for State Water Research and Development

This Program Announcement is issued under the provisions of section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 (codified at 42 USC 10301 et seq.) and amended by Public Laws 101-397, 104-147, 106-374, 109-471, and 117-58. The Water Resources Research Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to administer program grants to Institutes established under the provisions of section (a) of the Act. Water Resources Institutes or Centers have been established in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. The Institute in Guam also serves the Federated States of Micronesia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Institute in Hawaii also serves American Samoa. Institute Directors or their designee(s) are responsible for submitting applications.  Responsibility for administration of the State Water Resources Research Institute program has been delegated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).Section 104(b) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 requires the Institutes or Centers to:(1) “plan, conduct, or otherwise arrange for competent applied and peer reviewed research that fosters –(A) improvements in water supply reliability;(B) the exploration of new ideas that –     (i) address water problems; or     (ii) expand understanding of water and water-related phenomena;(C) the entry of new research scientists, engineers, and technicians into water resources fields; and(D) the dissemination of research results to water managers and the public.(2) “cooperate closely with other colleges and universities in the State that have demonstrated capabilities for research, information dissemination, and graduate training in order to develop a statewide program designed to resolve State and regional water and related land problems.” (3) “cooperate closely with other institutes and other organizations in the region to increase the effectiveness of the institutes and for the purpose of promoting regional coordination.”Applications submitted under this Announcement are to be in furtherance of these objectives and promote the national mission and objectives of the U.S. Geological Survey which are focused on providing water-quality and -quantity information, understanding water availability, addressing the influence of climate on water resources, and responding to water-related emerging needs. Specific areas of emphasis are at the discretion of the individual Institute or Center Directors.