NOFO R24AS00327 Habitat Monitoring SJRIP.pdf

U.S. Department of the Interior April 2024

Notice of Funding Opportunity No. R24AS00327

Habitat Monitoring on the San Juan River

Mission Statements

The U.S. Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated Island Communities.

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.

Cover photo: Mosquito Point on the San Juan River (Reclamation/Kerri Pedersen).

Synopsis i

Synopsis Federal Agency Name: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado

Regional Office Funding Opportunity Title: Habitat Monitoring on the San Juan River Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Funding Opportunity Number:

R24AS00327

Assistance Listing: 15.529 Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basin Endangered Fish Recovery Dates:

(See NOFO Sec. D.4)

Application due date:

1 July 2024, 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time

Eligible Applicants:

(See NOFO Sec. C.1)

Applicants eligible to receive financial assistance to fund activities under this NOFO include: State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments, U.S.

Territories and possessions (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Individual/Family, Profit organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals). However, for profit organizations are only eligible if they can demonstrate that the costs for this project are not for profit.

Recipient Cost-Share:

(See NOFO Sec. C.2)

No cost share is required

Federal Funding Amount:

(See NOFO Sec. B.1)

Up to $1,500,000 per applicant over a period of 5 years

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded:

(See NOFO Sec. B.1)

Approximately $1,500,000 is available under this program over a maximum period of 5 years (no more than $300,000 per year). One project per application submittal period is expected to be awarded with an option to renew for up to 5 years, contingent on appropriations. Renewal funding is subject to availability of funds, program authority, satisfactory performance, and compliance with award terms and conditions.

Intergovernmental Review:

(See NOFO Sec. D.5)

An intergovernmental review may be required for applications submissions from a U.S. state or local government prior to submission Applicants should contact the Single Point of Contact for Executive Order 12372 to determine whether the application is subject to the State intergovernmental review process. A list of states that have elected to participate in the intergovernmental review process is at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13- 20.pdf.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf

Application Checklist iii

Application Checklist The following table contains a summary of the information that you are required to submit with your application.

Mandatory Application Components: Required content Page

Mandatory Federal Forms (https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family):

• SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance (Office of

Management and Budget [OMB])

• SF-424A: Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs

(OMB)

• SF-424B: Assurances - Non-Construction Programs (OMB)

• OMB Form 4040-0013: Certification Regarding Lobbying

See Sec. D.2.2.1 18

Technical Proposal See Sec. D.2.2.1 19

Detailed Cost Estimate (Project Budget): See Sec D.2.2.1 20

Budget proposal (excel spreadsheet) Budget narrative

See Sec. D.2.2.1 21

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management See Sec. D.3 24

Recommended Application Components: Required content Page

Required permits See Sec. D.2.2.4 19

Overlap or duplication of effort statement See Sec D.2.2.5 22

Conflict of interest disclosure statement See Sec D.2.2.6 22

Uniform audit reporting statement See Sec D.2.2.7 23

SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) (OMB) See Sec D.2.2.8 23

Official Resolution See Sec. D.2.2.9 24

OMB Form 4040-0019: Project Abstract Summary See Sec D.2.2.10 24 https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

Acronyms and Abbreviations v

Acronyms and Abbreviations AGPS Airborne Global Positioning System ASAP Automated Standard Application for Payments ArcGIS Geographic Information System Software Developed and

Maintained by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.

ARC Application Review Committee ASPRS American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote

Sensing CE Categorical Exclusion CEC Categorical Exclusion Checklist CFR Code of Federal Regulations CWA Clean Water Act Department U.S. Department of the Interior EA Environmental Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement ESA Endangered Species Act FGDC Federal Geographic Data Committee FOIA Freedom of Information Act FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact FY Fiscal Year GIS Geographic Information System GSD Ground Sample Distance IBC Interior Business Center IMU Inertial Measuring Unit LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging MST Mountain Standard Time NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity NSSDA National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy OMB Office of Management and Budget PSC Product Service Code Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation Recovery Program San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program RM River Mile SAM System for Award Management SF Standard Form SPOC Single Point of Contact UEI Unique Entity Identifier U.S.C. United States Code USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service USGS United States Geological Survey

Contents vii

Contents Page

Section A: Program Description A.1. Authority A.2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements A.3. Objective of Notice of Funding Opportunity

Section B. Federal Award Information B.1. Total Funding B.2. Expected Award Amount B.3. Anticipated Award Funding and Dates B.4. Number of Awards B.5. Type of Award B.6. Technical Assistance

Section C. Eligibility Information C.1 Eligible Applicants C.2 Cost Sharing or Matching C. Other …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14 C.4 Eligible Projects C.5 Ineligible Projects

Section D. Application and Submission Information D.1. Address to Request Application Package D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission D.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) D.4. Submission Date and Time D.5. Funding Restrictions

Section E. Application Review Information E.1. Evaluation Criteria E.2. Review and Selection Process E.3. Federal Award Performance Integrity

Section F. Federal Award Administration Information F.1. Federal Award Notices F.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements F.3. Reporting Requirements and Distribution F.4. Data Availability (2 CFR §1402.315) F.5. Recipient Service Delivery Option

Section G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) G.1. Reclamation Financial Assistance Contact G.2. Reclamation Financial Assistance Contact

Section A. Program Description

Section A: Program Description

A.1. Authority

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is issued under the authority of Public Law 106- 392 as amended by Public Laws 107-375, 109-183, 111-11, 112-270, 116-9, 117-328, and 118-

42. The Public Law authorizes and provides funding to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to implement the endangered fish recovery implementation programs for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins.

A.2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements

The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program (Recovery Program) was established in 1991 to allow water development to continue within the Basin while still complying with the Endangered Species Act and protecting the endangered Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker. The Recovery Program consists of partners who are committed to the recovery of the listed fishes under the Endangered Species Act and includes water users, conservation groups, state, federal and tribal agencies. For further information on the Recovery Program, see https://coloradoriverrecovery.org/sj/.

The San Juan River is partially regulated by Navajo Dam. There are several tributaries that flow into the San Juan River between the dam and Lake Powell, but substantial diversions occur from these tributaries limiting the contribution to the flow regime. Operation of Navajo Dam began in 1962 and has resulted in altered flow into the San Juan River with a tendency towards reduced spring flows in some years and supplemented flows in other seasons.

Because frequency and magnitudes of flows are important triggers for various life cycle stages of endangered species, the Recovery Program developed flow recommendations to guide releases from Navajo Dam. The flow recommendations are designed to meet the conditions required to develop and maintain habitat for Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker and provide the necessary hydrologic conditions for the various life stages of endangered and other native fishes. The habitat monitoring that is part of this project will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of flow recommendations and management actions on habitat.

Since 1992, aerial imagery has been collected along the San Juan River between the confluence of the Animas River (River Mile (RM) 180) and the inflow of Lake Powell (the interface between the San Juan River and Lake Powell) to as far downriver as Neskahi Canyon (RM -30). A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) flight was conducted in 2013.

The imagery is used within the Recovery Program to track changes in channel morphology and habitat. Specifically, the number and area of low velocity habitat (backwaters, https://coloradoriverrecovery.org/sj/ https://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/nvd.html https://coloradoriverrecovery.org/sj/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/03/Flow_Recommendations_Revised_Navajo_Dam_Operating_Procedures_2018.pdf embayments), total wetted area (wetted habitat and wetted channels of the river), and island complexes (used as a surrogate for habitat complexity) are quantified (Table 1). This extensive data set allows for tracking changes in habitat and assessing the effectiveness of management actions, implemented flows, and intra- and inter-annual variability in flows.

The last analysis was conducted in 2022.

Table 1. Definitions of the classifications used to categorize habitat on the San Juan River.

Habitat Type Definition Low Velocity Habitat

Backwater Typically, a body of water off-channel in an abandoned secondary channel mouth, behind a bar or in a bank indention, water depth from <10 cm to >1.5 m, no perceptible flow, substrate typically silt or sand and silt. Little or no mixing of backwater and channel water occurs.

Visually characterized by the confluence with the main channel facing downstream.

Secondary channel backwaters As river flows decrease in volume, inflows of ephemeral side channels become disconnected from the main channel of the river, this flow abandonment can result in the formation of backwaters at the downstream confluence with the main channel of the river.

Point bar backwater Low velocity habitats that occur downstream of alluvial deposits on the inside bend of a river with the outlet facing downstream

Cobble/sandbar backwater associated with main channel

Zero velocity habitats that form on in-stream non-wetted structures with less than 50% vegetation coverage (cobble/sandbar)

Island backwaters Zero velocity habitats that form on in-stream non-wetted structures with greater than 50% vegetation coverage (islands)

Bank backwater Zero velocity backwater habitats that are formed on the direct bank of the river, typically found on straighter sections of the river, with parallel orientation to the flow and/or thalweg of the river.

Lateral wash A body of water with no perceptible flow and little to no mixing of water with the main channel. Formed at the interface of a wash or canyon that connects to the main channel of the river but drains uplands with no upstream connection back to the main channel.

Embayment Open shoreline depression with similar characteristics (outlined above) to that of a backwater but the outlet faces upstream.

Secondary channel embayment As river flows decrease in volume, inflows of ephemeral side channels remain connected to the main channel of the river but disconnect from the remainder of the side channel resulting in an upstream facing low velocity embayment.

Point bar embayment Low velocity habitats that occur on the upstream side of alluvial deposits located on the inside bend of a river.

Cobble/sandbar embayment associated with main channel

Zero velocity embayment habitats that for form on in stream, non-wetted structures with less than 50% vegetation coverage (cobble/sandbar).

Island embayment Zero velocity embayment habitats that form on any in stream non-wetted structure with greater than 50% vegetation coverage (islands).

https://coloradoriverrecovery.org/sj/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/08222023_San-Juan-River-Habitat-Monitoring-2022-Final-Report_508.pdf

Bank embayment Zero velocity embayment habitats that are formed on the direct bank of the river, typically found on straighter sections of the river, with parallel orientation to the flow and/or thalweg of the river.

Islands Any in-stream non-wetted structure with at least 50% vegetation coverage.

Cobble/Sandbar Any in-stream non-wetted structure with less than 50% vegetation coverage.

Total Wetted Area The summation of all the wetted habitats and wetted channels of the river.

Complex channel reaches (those with high habitat diversity including islands, multi-threaded channels & complex channel margins) are assumed to correlate with increased abundance of native fishes, and backwater and low velocity habitats are more likely to occur in these areas with higher complexity.

Flow targets have seldom been met over the last decade due to prolonged drought which has led to encroachment of non-native vegetation along the river as well as a reduction in the amount of low velocity habitat in the river. The Recovery Program has been investigating the effect of increasing base flows to promote creation of low velocity habitats as a substitute for high spring flows. The habitat monitoring is meant to measure the effect of various management activities (such as the effect of spring releases, elevated baseflows, and habitat creation/restoration) implemented by the Recovery Program.

A.2.1. Project Location The project area will be on the San Juan River from RM 180 (confluence of the Animas River) downstream to the inflow of Lake Powell at Neskahi Canyon at (RM -30). The exact project area will be determined annually by the Recovery Program.

A.2.2. Tasks The tasks that are needed as part of this NOFO are capture and processing of high-resolution digital imagery. Ground truthing of data may be required depending on the spring flows. Annual reports and presentations to the Recovery Program including a summary of the data are expected from the recipient. More details related to the tasks are included under section D.2.2.

A.2.3. Schedule The schedule of activities will be determined by Reclamation and the Recovery Program. Below is an approximate schedule of expected activities.

Task/Milestone/Product Timeframe

Capture aerial or LiDAR imagery Between March and November (to be determined annually by Reclamation & the Recovery Program). Specific dates will be provided to the recipient with a minimum of 3-months’ notice.

Process and analyze digital imagery December 31st following the imagery capture

Attend and present at Annual Reporting Meeting

February (exact dates vary annually)

Draft annual report March 31st of the year following data collection

Final report (incorporating edits of Recovery Program & Reclamation)

June 1st of the year following data collection

A.2.4. Digital Imagery Requirements Because flow varies annually depending on annual precipitation and water demands, Reclamation and the Recovery Program will determine the timing and extent (between which river miles) of the flights each year. The recipient will be provided with at least 3-months’ notice to ensure sufficient time for planning. Projects should incorporate collection of aerial imagery (expected 1-2 times annually with up to 6 total flights) and LiDAR (expected once over a 5-year period).

A.2.4.1. Aerial Imagery

High-resolution aerial imagery of the San Juan River should be obtained using fixed-wing aircraft to achieve a 10-centimeter digital 4 band resolution. The date of the flight each year will be determined in coordination with Reclamation and the Recovery Program. Flows should be recorded at the time of the flight by using the United States Geological Survey (USGS) gage at Four Corners, CO (USGS Station NO. 09371010). Flights may occur between March and November. If flights are flown between September and November, they will only be conducted when flows are between 500 to 1,000 cfs. For flights that occur in spring or summer, flows could range from 300 to 10,000 cfs.

After collection, digital images will be imported and post-processed in the laboratory, and subsequently overlaid on the most current geo-referenced National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) county mosaics for the full extent of the river floodplain boundaries to ensure geographic accuracy. Individual images will be geo-referenced and rectified to produce a collection of geo-referenced, high-resolution (10 cm) images of the San Juan River from the confluence of the Animas River to the inflow of Lake Powell at RM -30. In the first year, 2022 photography and mapping will be used to calibrate photointerpretation. A selection of approximately 10% of the frames will be used to calibrate the procedure and an additional 10% to verify the results prior to full analysis of the first year of aerial videography. This is a one-time task that will be required only in the first year of video interpretation. Once the digital frames have been registered, ArcGIS will be used to digitize the boundaries of the wetted channel, backwaters, embayments and islands. The data will be processed and summarized by river-mile to match existing datasets which will be provided by the Recovery Program’s Program Office.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09371010/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D&showMedian=false

Aerial imagery requirements Quality The recipient shall ensure that the quality and accuracy of the aerial photography products produced under this financial assistance agreement adhere to the requirements stated in this agreement. Aerial photography shall be performed in conformity with the requirements National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) and Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) STD-008-1999 “Content Standards for Digital Orthoimagery” dated 1999. Recipient proposed exceptions to these standards may be approved by the Grants Officer.

Orthoimagery mosaics and tiled data shall be processed in such a way as to yield a seamless appearance along the entirety of each project. The Recipient will use established industry methods, such as pseudoinvariant features, radiometric control set, image regression, no-change set from scattergrams, histogram matching or other adaptive strategies as appropriate, to radiometrically normalize the imagery while minimizing unnecessary radiometric distortion from original measured reflectance which may adversely affect the spectral classification and extraction of features using automated, semi-automated, and supervised classification techniques.

Imagery will be radiometrically corrected for both atmospheric and topographic attenuation to minimize radiometric distortion error resulting from the scattering and diffusion of light by variances in the atmosphere and terrain influences caused by variable reflectance within similar ground cover caused by slope and aspect. Note that atmospheric correction need only to be applied to adaptively reduce variance within the project extent, not eliminate the overall effects of the atmosphere on diffusion. The Recipient shall not apply contrast or spatial enhancements unless otherwise specified except for enhancements required to produce a seamless dataset as described above.

Imagery will depict seamless match lines where obvious geographic features (rivers, canals, roads, etc.) align. Where multiple raw images depict content of high local relief, the portions of the images with the least topographic distortion will be utilized.

Flight Lines Aerial photography shall be taken from a suitably equipped fixed-wing or rotary-winged aircraft as determined by the most economical platform which will adequately support the specifications and requirements. The spacing of flight lines shall be such as to ensure full stereoscopic coverage of the area to be mapped within the usable portion of the field of the lens. Unless otherwise specified, the forward overlap between successive photographs shall average 60 percent and not be less than 55 percent or more than 65 percent; side lap between adjoining flight lines shall average 30 percent but not exceed 40 percent or be less than 20 percent.

The Recipient shall insure that on all flights for vertical photography, the centers of the first two and the last two photographs in each line of flight shall fall outside of the boundary of the area covered by the task order in order to ensure full stereoscopic coverage.

All photographic flight lines (likely will involve 55 flight lines and 988 images) shall be flown according to the flight map developed by the Recipient and approved by the Grant Officer’s Technical Representative. The Recipient will keep flight lines as straight as possible. Flights shall be oriented over the flight lines as delineated on the flight map and any deviation in which the requested flight line falls outside the center one half (1/2) inch strip of the photographs may be cause for rejection and re-flight at the expense of the Recipient. The position of the first and last photo of each flight line shall be annotated on the flight map indicating full stereo coverage over the length of the flight line.

Photography Collection Period Because flow varies annually depending on annual precipitation and water demands, the Reclamation and the Recovery Program will determine the timing and extent (between which river miles) of the flights and provide the recipient with at least 3-months’ notice. Aerial photography may be requested for either leaf-on or leaf-off conditions depending on the purpose of the collected imagery. Photography shall be performed when the sun is at least 30 degrees above the geoidal horizon, and weather and lighting conditions are such that raw images will be satisfactory for use in photogrammetric compilation or as may be agreed to by the Recipient and the Grant Officer’s Technical Representative. In areas of high local relief within or adjacent to the collection area, higher sun angles may be specified, or adaptive local real horizons may be substituted to reduce shadow and topographic effects which will be captured in the imagery under such relief conditions. Imagery shall be clear and sharp in detail. Imagery shall be free of scratches, dust, and fingerprint artifacts from the sensor or collection platform housing and free from light streaks and lens flare, snow, clouds and cloud shadows, and other blemishes. Imagery shall be taken at such a time as to provide quality exposure minimizing shadows, hot spots, sun spots and glare, especially along shorelines.

Flight Altitude and Ground Sample Distance Frames shall be exposed from a sufficient altitude to produce the required resultant ground sample distance (GSD). Any deviation from the required GSD that prohibits aerial triangulation or compromises accuracy requirements may be cause for rejection and re-flight at the expense of the Recipient. In areas of varying terrain, discussion with the Grants Officer’s Technical Representative should occur to ensure sufficient flight coverage.

Digital Cameras Digital aerial platform-based cameras and instruments should be capable of capturing images in the panchromatic, color (blue, green, red), or color infrared (reflected near infrared) wavelengths.

Digital cameras should be calibrated to the manufacturer’s recommendations and specifications.

When digital camera/instrument calibration standards are developed by an independent photogrammetry organization and adopted by the Government, the Recipient shall be required to ensure that their digital aerial camera/instrument systems, for all work undertaken after the adoption of said standards, meet the criteria established under the new calibration standards.

The digital camera should have a minimum of a 3000 x 3000-pixel resolution and be capable of discriminating pixel depth of at least 8-bits. Stereo image capture and storage capability, the ability to capture and assure accurate spatial alignment of requested spectral bands, and capability for real-time orthorectification (resulting from the onboard integration of the Airborne GPS (AGPS) and Inertial Measuring Unit (IMU) with the collection system, processing system, storage system and related hardware infrastructure and software architecture) are digital camera requirements. The image data should be free of noise and errors.

Digital Oblique Cameras These are digital aerial platform-based cameras and instruments that capture imagery on the ground from both an orthogonal and oblique perspective. In addition to capturing the traditional orthogonal view, digital oblique cameras should also be able to capture a minimum of four oblique images at 90 degrees from each other along the entire flight path. All cameras and instruments should be able to capture images in the panchromatic and color (blue, green, red) wavelengths; cameras and instruments capturing orthogonal imagery which will be processed into orthomosaics should additionally be able to capture reflected near infrared wavelengths.

Digital cameras should be calibrated to the manufacturer’s recommendations and specifications.

When digital camera/instrument calibration standards are developed by an independent photogrammetry organization and adopted by the Government, the Recipient shall be required to ensure that their digital aerial camera/instrument systems, for all work undertaken after the adoption of said standards, meet the criteria established under the new calibration standards.

The digital camera should have a minimum of a 3000 x 3000-pixel resolution and be able to discriminate pixel depth of at least 8-bits. Stereo image capture and storage capability, the ability to capture and assure accurate spatial alignment of requested spectral bands, and capability for real-time orthorectification (resulting from the onboard integration of the AGPS and IMU with the collection system, processing system, storage system and related hardware infrastructure and software architecture) are digital camera requirements. The image data should be free of noise and errors.

A.2.4.2. LiDAR imagery A flight to capture LiDAR imagery will most likely occur once over the next 5 years. The purpose will be to compare the existing data set to the new data to evaluate elevation changes in complexity and width of the main channel, along secondary channels, changes in backwater habitat with flow, vegetation, and sediment.

LiDAR Requirements Quality The Recipient shall ensure that the quality and accuracy of the LiDAR products produced under this financial assistance agreement here to the requirements stated in this NOFO. LiDAR shall be performed in conformity with the requirements of the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA); additional methodologies may be requested to assess the collected LiDAR accuracy. Recipient proposed exceptions to these standards may be approved by the Grants Officer’s Technical Representative.

All requested deliverables will be expected to conform to, or exceed, the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) class for the specified map scale and contour interval. It is likely that horizontal and vertical accuracies based on the NSSDA may be specified at the time of the flight. Minimally, all topographic LiDAR collections shall conform to Quality Level 2 specifications as defined by the USGS.

LiDAR Collection Period LiDAR data will normally be collected during leaf-off conditions. Exact timing will be determined by Reclamation and the Recovery Program.

Airborne LiDAR density, spacing, and accuracy LiDAR point collection density and spacing will be specified at the time of the flight, but nominal LiDAR collected point spacing is expected to be 1-5 feet. The absolute horizontal accuracy of LiDAR points should be 3 feet or better, and the absolute vertical accuracy of LiDAR points should be within plus or minus 0.5-1.0 foot or better of true elevation.

Active LiDAR sensing will be conducted from a sufficient altitude or distance to produce the required resultant vertical and ground resolutions and accuracy.

Topographic LiDAR Systems Topographic LiDAR systems are primarily based upon three components mounted within an aircraft (fixed wing or helicopter based), designed to work together in the capture and delivery of highly accurate elevation data points. Topographic LiDAR typically uses a near-infrared laser to capture the point coordinates (x, y, z) of terrain features underneath the aircraft flight path. The three primary components of a LiDAR system are the light-pulse emitting scanning laser, an AGPS with required GPS base station(s), and the IMU.

Current LiDAR systems are able to receive up to 5 or more returns from each laser pulse (referred to as multiple return data). Each of these returns may be processed to provide a precise three dimensional “picture” of the bare earth and its surface characteristics. Multiple passes, overlap, or dual mounted LIDAR systems may be required for accurate representation of densely vegetated areas as well as to capture vegetation structure or complex or highly dissected natural terrain or man-made features.

Bathymetric LiDAR Systems Bathymetric LiDAR systems are also based upon three components mounted within an aircraft (fixed wing or helicopter based), designed to work together in the capture and delivery of highly accurate elevation data points. Bathymetric LiDAR typically uses a water penetrating green light to capture the point coordinates (x, y, z) of underwater terrain features along the aircraft flight path, provided the water to be measured is of a sufficient clarity to permit penetration to the bottom. The three primary components of a LiDAR system are the light-pulse emitting scanning laser, an AGPS with required GPS base station(s), and the IMU.

A.2.5. Habitat Analysis Requirements The habitat monitoring is meant to measure the effect of management activities (measuring the effect of spring releases, elevated baseflows, and habitat creation/restoration, etc.)

implemented by the Recovery Program This is accomplished by documenting abundance and distribution of key habitats (Table 1) and geomorphic features that indicate the response of the river channel and these habitats to antecedent runoff and baseflow conditions and specific management actions. Ultimately, the desired analytical output is to develop flow-habitat relationships that will help the Recovery Program to make recommendations on water use in the San Juan River that would most efficiently and effectively support endangered fish recovery. At a minimum, the data should be processed as polygons in a GIS software mapping program and summarized by the habitat types listed in Table 1 and total wetted area on a river-mile and reach basis to match existing data sets. Once the digital frames have been orthorectified, GIS software will be used to digitize the boundaries of all habitat classifications (see Table

1) into a shapefile. Habitat will be summarized in Excel spreadsheets as the total area in acres and square meters, the count, and average in square meters for each of the habitat types. Shapefiles and Excel spreadsheets of data from previous years can be provided by the Recovery Program’s Program Office for reference and to allow for trend analysis.

A basic analysis should evaluate the abundance and distribution of key habitats and geomorphic features (backwaters, embayments, islands, and total wetted area) to indicate the response of the river channel and habitat to antecedent runoff conditions, flow at mapping, and specific management actions. More comprehensive analyses of habitat and flow relationships are encouraged.

A.3. Objective of Notice of Funding Opportunity Reclamation’s UC Region is requesting applications for monitoring habitats important to Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker along the San Juan River from the confluence with the Animas River (RM 180) to the inflow of Lake Powell (RM -30). Successful projects will include and address all of the tasks included in Section A.2.2 and will evaluate effectiveness of management actions in meeting the flow recommendations and their impact on increasing habitat used by various life stages of endangered fish on the San Juan River. The effect of spring runoff and monsoonal activity on habitats important to Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker will also be evaluated. Applications for projects should include collection of aerial imagery, LiDAR imagery and conducting spatial analyses of the imagery. The funding opportunity may occur for up to 5 years with decisions made on an annual basis of the flights and data analysis required by Reclamation and the Recovery Program. As such, project applications should be written as a 5-year plan using the guidelines listed under Section A.2.2. Projects that include novel data evaluation to inform recovery of razorback sucker and/or Colorado pikeminnow are encouraged.

Section B. Federal Award Information

Section B. Federal Award Information

B.1. Total Funding

Approximately $1,500,000 is available for this NOFO over 5 years. With no more than $300,000 to be available per fiscal year. Reclamation will determine the final amount of Federal funding available for award in fiscal year (FY) 2024 under this NOFO once final FY appropriations have been made and an applicant has been selected. The amount awarded each year will be determined by the needs of Reclamation and the Recovery Program related to the tasks described in section A.2.2. This NOFO may be canceled if appropriations are insufficient to support new awards. Applications submitted under this NOFO may also be considered if other Federal funding becomes available in or after FY 2024.

Through this NOFO, Reclamation plans to award funds to one applicant group (see Section C.1.3. Applicant Category Guidance for additional information).

B.2. Expected Award Amount

Maximum Award: $1,500,000 Minimum Award: $300,000 The maximum award amount in Federal funds may be awarded to an applicant over the five-year project period, with no more than $300,000 to be available per fiscal year.

See Section C.2. Cost Sharing Requirements for cost share information.

After the initial award, Reclamation will determine what requirements are needed for the following years by April of each year based on the annual work plan developed by the Recovery Program. Reclamation will determine whether the recipient has made sufficient progress in the preceding year to justify the next year of Federal funding (see Section F.3.4. Sufficiency Report for additional information).

B.3. Anticipated Award Funding and Dates

Agreements are not effective until fully executed with signature from the Grants Officer.

Reclamation may award the maximum award amount in Federal funds to an applicant over the 5-year project period.

Anticipated Award Date: 10/01/2024 Anticipated Project Completion Date: 09/30/2029 (funding will be awarded annually)

Reclamation expects to contact potential award recipients and unsuccessful applicants in Summer 2024, subject to the timing of final FY 2024 appropriations.

B.4. Number of Awards

Award to one entity is anticipated for federal funding under this NOFO.

B.5. Type of Award

Project awards will be made through a cooperative agreement.

The successful applicant should expect Reclamation to have substantial involvement in the project including:

• Providing technical support to assist with the project as it relates to providing data and data quality control.

• Collaborating on the development of the design and questions to be answered.

• Facilitating input from the Recovery Program.

• Collaborating in the management of the project

• Providing review, input, and approval at key interim stages of the project

• Facilitating review of annual reports by the Recovery Program and presentations of results at the annual meeting

B.6. Technical Assistance

Reclamation may provide assistance to the project sponsor in implementing the project when requested to do so and it is in the best interest of the Government. The cost of this assistance shall be considered a project cost and must be included in the cost estimate in each application.

At the request of the recipient, Reclamation can provide technical assistance after award of the project. If Reclamation’s assistance is received, these costs must be accounted for in the budget.

To discuss available assistance and these costs, contact the program coordinator identified in Section G. Agency Contacts.

Reclamation may, at its own discretion, provide direct assistance to the project sponsor when the proposed project has other associated indirect benefits of Federal interest (i.e., other water quality or environmental benefits). The cost of this assistance will not be considered a project cost.

Section D. Application and Submission Information

Section C. Eligibility Information

C.1 Eligible Applicants

Successful applicants will meet the requirements of this NOFO by proposing a project to evaluate habitat on the San Juan River from the confluence of the Animas River (RM 180) to the inflow of Lake Powell (RM -30) with aerial imagery, LiDAR and spatial analysis.

Applicants eligible to receive financial assistance to fund activities under this NOFO include:

State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories and possessions (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Individual/Family, Profit organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals).

However, applicants are only eligible if they can demonstrate that the costs for this project are not for profit.

Eligible Applicants:

☒00—State governments

☐01—County governments

☐02—City or township governments

☐04—Special district governments

☐05—Independent school districts

☐06—Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

☐07—Native American Tribal governments (Federally recognized)

☐08—Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

☐11—Native American Tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized Tribal governments)

☐12—Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

☐13—Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

☐20—Private institutions of higher education

☐21—Individuals

☐22—For profit organization other than small businesses

☐23—Small businesses

☐*25—Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification)

☐*99—Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in the text field immediately below.

* Entity must be nonprofit organizations subject to 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) of the tax code.

C.2 Cost Sharing or Matching

Under this NOFO recipient cost share is not required.

C. 3 Other

Reclamation conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award and ineligibility condition apply to this Federal program. If entities or key project personnel are identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, Reclamation cannot award funds to them.

C.4 Eligible Projects

The project being proposed is in the Colorado River Basin on the San Juan River between the confluence with the Animas River (RM 180) and the inflow of Lake Powell (RM -30). The project being proposed must be responsive to the NOFO requirements.

C.5 Ineligible Projects

Projects not eligible for funding under this NOFO include, but are not limited to project that:

• Totals more than $1.5 million in funding.

• Requires more than 5 years for completion (Reclamation does not allow agreements longer than 5 years).

• Creates undue financial risk for Reclamation.

• Has had an applicant or entity that has shown poor historical performance on past habitat projects, based on risk assessment criteria.

https://sam.gov/content/exclusions https://sam.gov/content/exclusions

Section D. Application and Submission Information

D.1. Address to Request Application Package

This NOFO includes all information, documents, and electronic addresses needed to submit an application through grants.gov. All required application forms are available on the “Packages” tab for this funding opportunity on grants.gov If the applicant is unable to access this information electronically, the Financial Assistance staff may provide paper copies of any documents referenced in this NOFO via an email request from the applicant to Financial Assistance Operations Staff at amanderson@usbr.gov.

D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

All applications must conform to the requirements described in this section. Failure to submit all mandatory forms will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

D.2.1. Application Format and Length The total technical proposal and criteria section (defined below) shall be limited to a maximum of 25 consecutively numbered pages. If this section exceeds 25 pages, only the first 25 pages will be evaluated. The font shall be at least 12 points in size and easily readable. Page size shall be 8½ by 11 inches, including charts, maps, and drawings. Margins should be standard 1-inch margins. Oversized pages will not be accepted.

Applications will be prescreened for compliance to the above page number limitation. Project applications exceeding 25 pages excluding appendices, will be removed and not considered in the evaluation of the proposed project.

D.2.2. Application Content All applicants must submit the following mandatory federal forms for the application to be considered:

• Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance.

• SF-424A Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs,

• SF424B: Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

• OMB 4040-0013 Certification Regarding Lobbying

Forms must be signed by an authorized representative of the entity applying. These forms are available at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family.

• Project Application (limited to 25 pages excluding appendices to include (all are required) o Project Summary o Project proposed for funding o Project costs and funding plan https://doimspp.sharepoint.com/sites/FAPolicy/Shared%20Documents/General/NOFO%20Revision%20Group/New%20NOFO%20Template/grants.gov mailto:sha-dro-fafoa@usbr.gov mailto:amanderson@usbr.gov https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family.

Applications will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete or noncompliant applications, or applications not meeting the formatting criteria or not including required materials will be eliminated from competition.

D.2.2.1. Mandatory Federal Forms

The application must include the following standard Federal forms for an application to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will be screened as ineligible and will not proceed to a merit evaluation by the Application Review Committee. Questions regarding forms should be referred to the Financial Assistance Point of Contact under Section G. Agency Contacts.

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance.

Applicants must submit the Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The SF-424 must be complete, signed and dated. Reclamation will consider any applications that fail to include an SF-424 with a valid unique entity identifier (UEI) number by the submission deadline as ineligible and will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

SF-424A Budget Information Form.

Applicants must submit and complete the SF-424A, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs , as applicable to the project.

SF-424B Assurances Form.

A person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project must sign the SF-424B, Assurances—Non-Construction Programs, and submit the appropriate form with the application.

OMB 4040-0013 Certification Regarding Lobbying A fully completed and signed Certification Regarding Lobbying is required if you request more than $100,000 in Federal funding. In signing this form, you must certify that all statements in 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 18 (https://www.ecfr.gov), Certification Regarding Lobbying are true (click download pdf at https://www.grants.gov/forms/form-items-description/fid/255). The Authorized Official’s signature represents the entity’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18 on the form.

Proposal Content Submission of a technical proposal is mandatory. Applications that fail to fully disclose this information will be considered ineligible and will not pass initial screening.

The following sections are required components of the technical proposal.

Technical Proposal Project proposal should be 25 pages or less. Pages should be numbered. Project summary, figures, tables, maps, curriculum vitae, and required standard forms do not count toward the 25-page limit, and applicants are encouraged to use appendices as appropriate.

javascript:downloadFile('https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424_4_0-V4.0.pdf');

https://www.ecfr.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/forms/form-items-description/fid/255 https://www.grants.gov/forms/form-items-description/fid/255

Title Page Provide a brief, informative, and descriptive title for the proposed work. Include the name and address of the applicant, and the name and address, e-mail address, and telephone of the Project Manager.

Table of Contents List all major sections of the proposal in the table of contents.

Project description A detailed description of the proposed project which describes the work, including specific activities that will be accomplished should be included. This section provides an opportunity for you to provide a clear description of the technical nature of the project and to address any aspect of the project that reviewers may need additional information to understand. Specifically, this section should describe how the applicant will complete the habitat monitoring. Applicants should include the steps necessary to monitor backwaters, embayments, islands and total wetted area on the San Juan River. The monitoring has typically been related to evaluating the effectiveness of the flow recommendations developed by the program. However, projects that are designed to evaluate other questions related to the endangered fish habitat are encouraged.

Reports detailing previous efforts are available for reference.

Innovative ideas to evaluate the change in these habitat types are encouraged. The project should include options to conduct flights at different times of the year to answer different questions related to flow and habitat availability, and logistics for regular flights and a flight to collect LiDAR data.

The description must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs. Provide a detailed description of the methods that will be used to complete each activity.

The proposal should be developed as a 5-year plan which includes capture of aerial imagery for 6 flights over 4 years, LiDAR imagery captured one year, and annual processing and analysis of the imagery (including aerial imagery that was previously captured in 2023) and reporting. The need for the specific tasks will be determined on an annual basis by Reclamation and the Recovery Program and will not necessarily include all of the tasks. Thus, the tasks should be described and budgeted independently to allow flexibility. A competitive proposal should include a clear plan and well-described methods of how to complete the following tasks:

Task 1. Obtain high-resolution digital imagery of the San Juan River.

The objective of this task is to obtain high resolution digital imagery on the San Juan River from RM 180 at the confluence of the Animas River to the inflow of Lake Powell at RM - 30 (Neskahi Canyon). This should consist of options to capture aerial imagery and LiDAR data (See Section A.2.4 below for specific requirements on imagery. Several flights (up to

6) to capture aerial imagery and 1 flight to capture LiDAR…