Apple Snail (Pomacea spp.) Monitoring: Evaluating apple snail population response to changes in hydrology in the Everglades. | W81EWF22SOI0001

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF22SOI0001

This funding opportunity, titled "Apple Snail (Pomacea spp.) Monitoring: Evaluating apple snail population response to changes in hydrology in the Everglades," is a Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) cooperative agreement aimed at tracking how apple snail populations respond to water management in south Florida. The core idea is to generate reliable, management-ready science on where apple snails are, how many there are, and how successfully they are reproducing under hydrologic conditions shaped by the current water control framework, especially the 2020 Combined Operational Plan (COP). Because apple snails are a key ecological component of the Everglades (including their importance to Everglades snail kite foraging), the work is framed as both a monitoring and decision-support effort: measure population status over time, link changes to water conditions and management actions, and translate findings into practical recommendations.

The work is centered on producing statistically robust annual estimates of apple snail distribution, density, and egg cluster production across the Everglades wetlands, with particular emphasis on Water Conservation Area 3A (WCA 3A) and any snail kite foraging areas identified by USACE. A notable feature is that the monitoring is not limited to a single taxon; it explicitly includes both native and nonnative apple snails, reflecting a need to understand population dynamics and potential ecological tradeoffs as hydrologic conditions shift. The project is expected to assess how observed patterns in snail presence and reproduction relate to both environmental conditions and management decisions made under the COP, essentially treating the water control plan as an ongoing, real-world driver that can be evaluated through ecological response.

A second major objective goes beyond describing trends and instead focuses on identifying which hydrologic and habitat conditions best support strong apple snail populations. This includes analyzing hydroperiod (how long areas stay inundated), water-level patterns tied to specific gages, seasonal transitions, and the rates at which water recedes or rises (recession and ascension rates). The intent is to determine the combinations or ranges of these variables that maximize outcomes like snail density, survival, recruitment, and egg cluster production and survival. The opportunity also calls for estimating parameter values that correspond to peak snail densities and peak reproductive output, including per capita egg production (PCE). In practical terms, USACE is looking for thresholds, targets, or “sweet spots” in hydrology and habitat that can inform future operational choices.

The third and fourth objectives emphasize the broader scientific and applied value of the dataset. The project is expected to produce data that can support additional research into relationships among snail demography, hydrologic regime, habitat characteristics, and other drivers. At the same time, the recipient is expected to synthesize newly collected information with existing knowledge to provide annual updates on what conditions are most supportive of snail density and reproduction. Each year, the study should explicitly summarize how apple snails responded to management actions and prevailing conditions and then translate those insights into specific management recommendations aimed at increasing apple snail density and reproductive success across the Greater Everglades wetlands ecosystem.

The deliverables are structured to ensure consistent communication and usable products. Quarterly status reports are required every 90 days and should briefly document progress, work completed, and any issues encountered. An annual reporting cycle is also required: each year, a draft annual report must be submitted and then finalized after USACE Jacksonville District review and comments. These annual reports must include, at minimum, an introduction, methods, an evaluation of the year’s data, and conclusions, and they must be accompanied by an accessible dataset. Near the end of the agreement, a final report is due one month before completion; it functions as a cumulative synthesis replacing the last annual report and must evaluate data from all years of the effort, again with a companion dataset. In addition to written products, the agreement includes coordination requirements: a kick-off meeting with USACE Jacksonville District to align on the base-year plan of work, and yearly meetings after report completion to review accomplishments and discuss results.

Administratively, this opportunity was released as Funding Opportunity Number W81EWF22SOI0001 under CFDA 12.630, categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development. It is a discretionary cooperative agreement with an award ceiling of $100,000 and an expectation of a single award. The opportunity was posted on November 16, 2021, with an original closing date of January 14, 2022, and eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with clarification referenced in the full eligibility text. Overall, the grant is designed to produce defensible, repeatable monitoring results and turn them into hydrology-relevant guidance that USACE can use to evaluate and refine Everglades water operations under the COP.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- Corps of Engineers in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Apple Snail (Pomacea spp.) Monitoring: Evaluating apple snail population response to changes in hydrology in the Everglades." and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 16, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 14, 2022. (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 $100,000.00 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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