Assessment of oyster reefs in the Great Wicomico River, VA
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- W81EWF-25-SOI-0010
- Agency
-
Engineer Research and Development Center
US Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $100,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of the Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is seeking a non-federal partner to conduct a comprehensive assessment of oyster reefs in the Great Wicomico River, Virginia. The primary objectives include monitoring and documenting the status of new 2025 adaptive management, rehabilitation, and construction reefs using Chesapeake Bay Program's Sustainable Fisheries GIT Oyster Metrics. Key assessment criteria include achieving threshold targets of 50 oysters/m2, 50 grams dry weight/m2, and a minimum of two-year classes, with required evaluations of reef density, biomass, shell accretion, size-frequency distribution, and attached fauna. The project will assess approximately 18.24 acres across 7 reef sites, with monitoring planned for 2026, 2028, and 2030. Statements of interest are due by 12:00 noon Central Time on July 26, 2025, with full proposal applications due by August 11, 2025 if invited to Phase II.
The federal grant opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement with a total program funding of $300,000, divided into three periods: Period 1 at $100,000 (2-year period), Period 2 at $100,000 (2-year period), and Period 3 at $100,000 (1-year period). The project falls under Assistance Listing Number 12.630 for Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering, and is specifically restricted to non-federal partners of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit. The research will be conducted in the Great Wicomico River, Virginia, with the primary goal of informing adaptive management decisions and designs for future oyster restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Synopsis
Our objectives are to monitor and document the status of the new 2025 adaptive management, rehabilitation, and new construction reefs using criteria established by the Chesapeake Bay Program's Sustainable Fisheries GIT Chesapeake Bay Oyster Metrics Report. According to the GIT metrics, an oyster sanctuary reef should achieve the target thresholds of 50 oysters/m2, 50 grams dry weight/m2, and a minimum of two-year classes.
The reefs should undergo a physical assessment for density, biomass (dry weight), shell accretion, and size-frequency distribution. An assessment of other attached fauna for density and biomass is also desired. The data from the assessments will be used to inform adaptive management decisions and designs of other oyster restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay.
There are approximately 18.24 acres across 7 reef sites (Reefs 1 & 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 & 11, 13, and 16) in the network that will need to be assessed. The work is anticipated to include Years 1, 3, and 5 monitoring in 2026, 2028, and 2030.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| W81EWF-25-SOI-0010_FOA.pdf |
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