Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00267
The grant opportunity titled "GUCO CESU: Assessing Water Quality Conditions and Reviewing Monitoring Strategies for OZAR and BUFF" is a National Park Service (Department of the Interior) cooperative agreement focused on strengthening how two major Ozark river parks track and manage water quality. The work centers on Buffalo National River (BUFF) and Ozark National Scenic Riverways (OZAR), with the main goal being to take the water quality data these parks have already collected over time and put it through a careful, statistically rigorous review. Rather than starting from scratch with new sampling, the project is designed to make better use of existing datasets from river, tributary, and spring monitoring sites, identifying what the data already says about current conditions, long-term trends, and possible emerging concerns.
A key emphasis of the project is decision support: the analysis is meant to directly inform near-term choices about future monitoring strategies and how to spend limited monitoring resources more effectively. In practice, that means using statistical results to figure out where monitoring is most informative, which locations or parameters might be redundant, where the parks may be under-sampling, and what kinds of sampling schedules would be most likely to detect meaningful change. The opportunity explicitly ties the science to management by requiring the findings to translate into practical monitoring design improvements and clearer guidance for water resource stewardship at both parks.
The technical approach described involves collaborative compilation, cleaning, and interpretation of historical water quality datasets, followed by trend and pattern analyses using a mix of well-established and newer statistical tools. The proposal highlights that trend results will not be treated in isolation; they will be evaluated alongside factors that control how confident managers can be in the findings, including the total number of observations, the average number of samples collected per year, and how long each dataset extends back in time. This focus on statistical power is important because it helps determine whether the monitoring program, as currently designed, can actually detect changes in water quality over realistic timeframes, and it provides a defensible basis for modifying sampling frequency, site selection, or parameter lists.
The project is also framed as a collaborative effort that directly engages the recipient institution in National Park Service water resource assessment and stewardship. Water quality specialists from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture are specifically mentioned as participating in the data analysis work, indicating that the project expects experienced technical expertise to be applied to the parks' datasets. The anticipated outcome is a clearer understanding of water quality conditions and variability across rivers, tributaries, and springs in the region, identification of trends (or lack of trends) that matter for resource protection, and an improved monitoring strategy that better matches the parks' information needs and budget constraints.
In terms of deliverables and public value, the opportunity expects the results to be shared with both scientific and public audiences. Communication products include oral presentations, scientific publications, and more accessible materials like fact sheets or briefings. This mix suggests the project is intended to produce not only technical findings suitable for peer or professional review, but also practical, understandable summaries that park staff and stakeholders can use to discuss water quality status, trends, and potential threats.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued under Funding Opportunity Number NPS NOIP19AC00267, with assistance listing CFDA 15.945. It is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the National Park Service is likely to have substantial involvement during the project rather than simply issuing funds and receiving a final report. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the opportunity anticipated a single award with an award ceiling of $160,000. The posting dates show it was created on June 12, 2019, with an original closing date of June 22, 2019, indicating a short application window typical of certain targeted or partnership-driven research and analysis efforts.Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00267
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "GUCO CESU: Assessing Water Quality Conditions and Reviewing Monitoring Strategies for OZAR and BUFF" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 12, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 22, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $160,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "GUCO CESU: Assessing Water Quality Conditions and Reviewing Monitoring Strategies for OZAR and BUFF."
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the National Park Service (NPS), within the Department of the Interior.
What type of award is this?
This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement. That generally indicates substantial involvement by the National Park Service during the project (not just funding with a final report at the end).
What is the main purpose of the project?
The core purpose is to strengthen how two major Ozark river parks track and manage water quality by conducting a careful, statistically rigorous review of water quality data the parks have already collected over time. The goal is to translate the results into practical improvements to monitoring strategies and clearer guidance for water resource stewardship.
Which parks and locations are the focus of the work?
The work centers on Buffalo National River (BUFF) and Ozark National Scenic Riverways (OZAR). The datasets discussed include monitoring sites across rivers, tributaries, and springs associated with these parks.
Is this project focused on collecting new water samples?
No. The opportunity emphasizes making better use of existing datasets rather than starting from scratch with new sampling. The work is described as compiling, cleaning, interpreting, and statistically analyzing historical water quality data already collected by the parks.
What kinds of questions is the analysis expected to answer?
Based on the opportunity description, the analysis is intended to help determine:
- Current water quality conditions across rivers, tributaries, and springs
- Long-term trends (or lack of trends) in key water quality measures
- Patterns and variability in the data that may indicate emerging concerns
- How confident managers can be in trend findings given the amount and structure of available data
Why does the opportunity emphasize statistical rigor and statistical power?
The opportunity highlights that trend results will be evaluated alongside factors that influence confidence in the findings, including the total number of observations, the average number of samples collected per year, and how far back each dataset extends. This emphasis on statistical power helps determine whether the current monitoring design can detect meaningful water quality changes over realistic timeframes, and it provides a defensible basis for changes to the monitoring program.
What is meant by “decision support” in this opportunity?
The analysis is expected to directly inform near-term decisions about future monitoring strategies and how to spend limited monitoring resources more effectively. In practical terms, the statistical results should help parks decide where monitoring is most informative and where changes to the monitoring design would improve value.
What kinds of monitoring strategy improvements are anticipated?
The opportunity describes using the analysis to identify:
- Monitoring locations or parameters that may be redundant
- Areas where the parks may be under-sampling
- Sampling schedules that are most likely to detect meaningful change
- Potential adjustments to sampling frequency, site selection, or parameter lists
What technical approach is described for the analysis?
The opportunity outlines a collaborative process of compiling, cleaning, and interpreting historical water quality datasets, followed by trend and pattern analyses using a mix of well-established and newer statistical tools. It also notes that trend findings should be interpreted in context of dataset length and sampling intensity.
Who is expected to participate in the technical work?
The opportunity frames the project as collaborative and specifically mentions water quality specialists from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture as participating in the data analysis work, indicating an expectation of experienced technical expertise applied to the parks’ datasets.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
How many awards are anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated a single award.
What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling listed for the opportunity is $160,000.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is NPS NOIP19AC00267.
What is the assistance listing / CFDA number?
The assistance listing (CFDA) is 15.945.
What are the posting and closing dates for the opportunity?
The posting information indicates the opportunity was created on June 12, 2019, and the original closing date was June 22, 2019, reflecting a short application window.
What deliverables or communication products are expected?
The opportunity expects results to be shared with both scientific and public audiences. Listed communication products include oral presentations, scientific publications, and more accessible materials such as fact sheets or briefings.
How will the results be used by the parks?
The results are intended to support water resource stewardship by providing a clearer understanding of conditions, variability, and trends, and by producing actionable recommendations that improve monitoring design so it better matches the parks’ information needs and budget constraints.
Does the opportunity describe how confidence in trend results will be assessed?
Yes. The opportunity states that trend results will be evaluated in relation to the total number of observations, the average number of samples per year, and the historical depth (time span) of the datasets, all of which affect confidence and statistical power.
What is the public value of this project?
The public value described includes improving understanding and stewardship of water quality in two nationally significant river parks, while also producing communication materials that can help park staff and stakeholders discuss water quality status, trends, and potential threats in understandable terms.
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