Needs Assessment and Recommendations for Water Resources Management in Cobre Valley | BOR LC 16 N021

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR LC 16 N021

The Bureau of Reclamation issued this grant opportunity as a Notice of Intent to Award Only for a focused needs assessment on water resources management in Arizona's Cobre Valley, an area on the southern edge of the Salt River Basin that includes communities such as Globe, Miami, and Claypool. The core purpose is to create a clear, usable picture of what is already known about the region's water resources and management challenges, and then to spell out what is still missing so community members and decision-makers can rely on accurate, up-to-date information when planning for the future.

The project is organized around two central questions. First, it asks what information, datasets, reports, and other resources already exist regarding Cobre Valley water resources. Second, it asks what additional research or analysis is needed to close critical knowledge gaps and improve the practical value of available information for local planning and governance. In other words, it is meant to function as both an inventory of existing work and a roadmap for the next steps that would strengthen water decision-making in the region.

Two specific objectives drive the work. The first is to compile and document all existing research and data related to water management, water resources, and major water issues in the Cobre Valley. This implies a comprehensive collection effort across sources that could include prior studies, monitoring records, technical reports, and other relevant documentation. The second objective is to evaluate what is collected to identify gaps, then provide recommendations describing what work is needed to fill those gaps. The expected end product is not simply a bibliography or database, but an assessment that highlights weaknesses in current understanding and translates those findings into practical recommendations for future studies, data collection, or analytical work.

The opportunity frames this needs assessment as a capacity-building effort for the region. By clarifying what is known and unknown and surfacing local concerns tied to water management, the project is intended to enhance local and regional ability to manage water more effectively. It explicitly connects the work to improved conservation and efficiency outcomes and to increased resilience to climate change, with particular emphasis on drought impacts. The idea is that better information and clearer priorities for research can help communities respond more effectively to water scarcity pressures and long-term hydrologic uncertainty.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary cooperative agreement under the Environmental funding activity category, listed under CFDA 15.560, and limited in eligibility to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The funding opportunity number is BOR LC 16 N021. The award ceiling is $47,000, and the original closing date was August 22, 2016, with a creation date of August 9, 2016. Because it is a Notice of Intent to Award Only, it signals that Reclamation had an identified recipient in mind rather than running an open competition.

The technical work is to be conducted by Sharon B. Megdal and Ashley Hullinger of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center. Reclamation's role is described as collaborative and oversight-oriented: providing input on the task scope, reviewing and approving reports, and participating in workshops. That structure is consistent with a cooperative agreement, where the federal agency expects to be substantially involved in shaping deliverables and ensuring the results align with agency and stakeholder needs.

In practical terms, the grant supports a structured, region-specific assessment that compiles existing water knowledge for the Cobre Valley and turns it into actionable guidance. The final value lies in giving local leaders, planners, and residents a clearer understanding of the current evidence base, the most important information gaps, and a prioritized set of recommendations for the research and data work most likely to improve water management decisions in the face of ongoing drought risk and climate-driven change.

• The Bureau of Reclamation in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Needs Assessment and Recommendations for Water Resources Management in Cobre Valley" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-08-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-08-22. (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 $47,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for BOR LC 16 N021

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