PWS for Sources Sought 03 29 2021_1.docx

Performance Work Statement Arroyo Sediment Monitoring Arroyo de los Pinos Research Station Socorro, New Mexico

1. Introduction The purpose of this project is to gain and share knowledge about research related to continuous bed load sampling. There's a need for this capability in the sediment transport community.

Reclamation, along with other Federal agencies charged with caring for our nation's rivers, has a responsibility to carry out research that advances the broad range of sciences that are needed to manage, develop, and protect the nation's water and related resources. This research should not only result in better management of Reclamation's resources but aid other agencies and even other nations in managing their resources. Among the applicable river sciences is the transport of water and sediment which, along with local geology, is largely responsible for the form taken by our rivers. River form, along with the transport of water and sediment, plays a significant role in determining aquatic and riparian habitat and guides the design of infrastructure in and around rivers such as dams, levees, bridges, and wastewater treatment plants.

A facility to monitor sediment transport during a monsoon events exists at the Arroyo de los Pinos Research Station near Socorro, NM. This facility has been operable since 2018 and has monitored sediment flux from eight different storm events.

2. Scope The scope of this contract encompasses the following efforts:

2.1 Continued monitoring of monsoon events at the Arroyo de los Pinos.

2.2 Development of a new site along the Rio Grande at one of its tributaries.

2.3 Disseminate the results of the research at conferences and in journal publications.

2.4 The recipient shall be responsible for continued operation and data collection at the Arroyo de los Pinos, processing samples, analyzing data to extract relationships and trends, submitting journal articles, preparing and providing presentations at relevant conferences, designing a new data collection site, and working with stakeholders and appropriate agencies to execute the development of the new data collection site.

2.5 The recipient must be capable of reaching the Arroyo de los Pinos research station within a 15-minute period of the initiation of precipitation so that the site can be accessed prior to road access being inundated by river flow.

3 Tasks

3.1 Continue collecting data at the Arroyo de los Pinos site and ensure proper functionality of all equipment and instruments related to monitoring sediment flux during monsoon events. It is imperative that the recipient be able to reach the site within 15 minutes of precipitation initiation before access gets cut off by flowing water.

3.2 The recipient shall compare data collected at the Pinos site to established modeling methodologies, including Reclamation’s BORAMEP program as well as at least one watershed modeling tool for estimating sediment yield. The watershed modeling tool shall be determined collaboratively with Reclamation.

3.3 The recipient shall cooperate with project partners to identify and select a new site for data collection.

3.4 The recipient shall collaborate with the Reclamation Principal Investigator to hypothesize the relationship between surrogate and physical measurements at the newly identified site, based on basin characteristics such as drainage area, average slope, lithology, bed material size distribution, and potentially other parameters to be discussed further.

3.5 The recipient shall design a data collection platform at a new site so that hypothesis can be tested.

4 Delivery This contract shall be considered fulfilled with the delivery of the following:

4.1 Complete datasets collected during monsoon events at the Arroyo de los Pinos site, including but not limited to time series data of sediment flux rates, bedload GSD, suspended load GSD, flow rate, velocity, and depth. Datasets are to be delivered during each winter following a monsoon season. Monsoon season is typically defined as summer and early fall (June-October) and data shall be delivered by February 1st of the following calendar year.

4.2 Design specifications for the new data collection site. The new site will be a location agreed upon by the recipient, Reclamation, and other project stakeholders and collaborators. Design documents shall be provided by June 2023 assuming an award date of June 2021. An award date later than June 2021 will delay the delivery of this requirement by equal amount.

4.3 An equipment list necessary to create an operational monitoring site for the to-be-determined research site. The equipment list shall be provided concurrently with the design specifications as listed in item 2 above.

5 Base Year

5.1 Complete datasets collected during monsoon events at the Arroyo de los Pinos site, including but not limited to time series data of sediment flux rates, bedload GSD, suspended load GSD, flow rate, velocity, and depth. Datasets are to be delivered by February 2022.

5.2 Begin working with Reclamation and stakeholders to identify potential locations of new research location. Site selection completed by June 2022.

6 Option Year 1

6.1 Complete datasets collected during monsoon events at the Arroyo de los Pinos site, including but not limited to time series data of sediment flux rates, bedload GSD, suspended load GSD, flow rate, velocity, and depth. Datasets are to be delivered by February 2023.

6.2 Complete design of new research location. Design will include conceptual drawings, instrument specifications, and a list of equipment to be purchased (items, quantities, cost).

7 Option Year 2

7.1 Complete datasets collected during monsoon events at the Arroyo de los Pinos site, including but not limited to time series data of sediment flux rates, bedload GSD, suspended load GSD, flow rate, velocity, and depth. Datasets are to be delivered by February 2024.

7.2 Work with Reclamation to identify and execute a procurement strategy that will work for the project and be acceptable to Reclamation. Continue to collaborate with partners on planning construction and deployment of sensors.