Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), a division of the Department of Defense, awarded University of Louisiana at Monroe a $4.21 million Cooperative Agreement under the Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering program (CFDA 12.630) for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The award supports research and operational assistance to address weather and water nowcasting and forecasting needs within the Lower Mississippi River Basin. This initiative aligns with the ERDC's core mission to advance applied research in environmental and engineering sciences with relevance to Defense operations and infrastructure resilience.

The cooperative agreement leverages ULM's established expertise in environmental monitoring and atmospheric science to deliver improved weather prediction capabilities and water resource forecasting services for the Lower Mississippi River region. Given the ERDC's focus on hydraulics, water quality, coastal engineering, and environmental processes, the funded work likely encompasses data collection, modeling refinement, and forecast tool development to enhance nowcasting and forecasting accuracy for operational users within the basin. The award reflects the ERDC's portfolio emphasis on environmental engineering research and regional water resource management, positioning ULM as a regional research hub supporting both academic advancement and practical operational support for water and weather forecasting infrastructure.