Effects of light level and surface roughness on the passage success of plains fishes in rock ramp fishways | F17AS00422

Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00422

This funding opportunity, titled "Effects of light level and surface roughness on the passage success of plains fishes in rock ramp fishways" (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00422), is a U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service notice of intent to make a single-source award to Colorado State University (CSU). The assistance instrument is a Cooperative Agreement, meaning the federal agency expects to be substantially involved in the work rather than simply providing funds with minimal oversight. The project sits in the space of natural resources research and applied science and technology, with an emphasis on generating information that can improve fish passage outcomes at engineered structures.

The central purpose of the project is to improve fishway design, specifically rock ramp fishways, by testing how two design-relevant factors, light level and surface roughness, affect whether plains fish species successfully move through these structures. Rock ramp fishways are typically used to help fish bypass barriers such as small dams, diversions, and grade-control structures by creating a sloped channel of rocks that breaks up flow and provides a more naturalistic pathway. Even when a fishway is installed, passage success can vary widely by species and conditions, so this opportunity focuses on controlled experiments that isolate key variables that may influence fish behavior and movement.

A major justification for the award is CSU's unique capability to perform the work. The description highlights that CSU fishery biologists have a long track record of producing technical advances in fishway design and that they maintain a well-designed laboratory suited for controlled studies of fish movement. The lab setting is important here because it allows researchers to manipulate lighting, water movement, and substrate characteristics in a repeatable way, making it easier to determine whether changes in light conditions or the roughness of ramp surfaces measurably change passage rates or movement patterns. In other words, the research is intended to translate behavioral and performance responses into practical guidance for how to build or retrofit fishways that work better for the target fish assemblage.

Administratively, this is categorized as a discretionary opportunity, and it is explicitly presented as a single-source action through the Colorado Plateau Ecosystems Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, citing DOI Policy 505 DM 2 (4) for "Unique Qualifications." That indicates the agency is not seeking multiple competing proposals; instead, it is documenting the intent to fund CSU because of specialized expertise, facilities, and a demonstrated history with this type of fish passage research. The listing identifies the CFDA number as 15.678, which corresponds to Fish and Wildlife Service assistance programs, and notes eligibility broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full eligibility text (not included in the excerpt).

In terms of scale and timing, the anticipated award amount has an upper ceiling of $210,236, with one expected award. The opportunity was created on August 22, 2017, with an original closing date of August 28, 2017, which aligns with a short administrative window typical of a notice-of-intent, single-source cooperative agreement announcement rather than an open competitive solicitation. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as targeted federal support for applied research that can directly inform fish passage engineering decisions, using CSU's controlled research capacity to test how lighting and surface texture influence fish movement through rock ramp fishways in plains river contexts.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the information and statistics, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Effects of light level and surface roughness on the passage success of plains fishes in rock ramp fishways" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.678.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 22, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 28, 2017 This is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreement to CSU through the Colorado Plateau Ecosystems CESU network iaw DOI Policy 505 DM 2 (4) Unique Qualifications.. (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 $210,236.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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