Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00383

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What agency is offering this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

What type of funding opportunity is this?

It is a discretionary funding opportunity issued under a cooperative agreement.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and CFDA number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G23AS00383, and the CFDA number listed is 15.808.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to participating partners of the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). The opportunity is specifically for an eligible partner within the Desert Southwest CESU network.

What program is this work connected to within USGS?

The work is tied to the USGS Landslide Hazard Program (LHP) and supports its broader goal of strengthening the nation’s ability to anticipate and reduce landslide-related risks.

What is the main scientific focus of the project?

The project focuses on science and technology research that improves understanding of the processes and conditions that lead to landslides and especially post-wildfire debris flows in arid and semi-arid parts of the southwestern United States.

What geographic area is emphasized in this opportunity?

The emphasis is on arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States, including locations such as Arizona.

Why does the opportunity emphasize post-wildfire debris flows?

After wildfires, burned landscapes can become more prone to rapid runoff, slope failure, and channelized flows of water, ash, sediment, and debris, particularly during intense rainstorms. This creates an elevated debris-flow hazard that can threaten downstream communities and infrastructure.

What kinds of practical outcomes is the USGS looking for?

The research is expected to improve the practical ability to forecast post-wildfire debris-flow hazards in burned areas, using methods that can be applied quickly and at spatial scales that are useful for decision-makers.

What does "rapidly mapping where debris flows are most likely" mean in this context?

It refers to developing or improving techniques that can quickly identify and map areas in burned terrain where debris flows are most likely to initiate, supporting timely hazard assessments after wildfire.

What does the opportunity mean by estimating debris-flow magnitude or "potential volume"?

It refers to estimating how large a debris flow could be, including the potential volume of material (water, ash, sediment, debris) that could be mobilized during a triggering storm.

Does the opportunity address how hazard changes over time after a fire?

Yes. A stated expectation is to describe how debris-flow susceptibility changes over time as vegetation and soils recover after wildfire.

Is the project only about where debris flows start, or also where they go?

It includes both. In addition to likelihood and volume mapping, the opportunity highlights improving understanding and modeling of debris-flow runout and inundation, meaning where debris flows could travel, how far they might go, and which downstream areas could be affected.

What are "runout" and "inundation" in debris-flow hazard work?

Runout refers to the travel path and distance a debris flow may move downslope and downstream. Inundation refers to the areas that could be covered or impacted by the flow and deposited material.

Why is runout and inundation information considered important?

This information can be critical for emergency management, public safety messaging, and prioritizing mitigation actions such as warning systems, temporary closures, debris basins, or post-fire stabilization work.

What does the opportunity mean by refining rainfall thresholds?

It means improving the rainfall-trigger guidance that indicates when rain intensity or accumulation is likely to trigger debris flows in post-wildfire terrain, with the aim of making those thresholds more accurate and defensible.

How is the National Weather Service (NWS) connected to this work?

The opportunity explicitly notes an operational connection to the National Weather Service, which uses rainfall threshold guidance as part of issuing warnings. Research supported by this award is intended to improve that triggering guidance to support warning decisions.

What problem is improved rainfall-threshold guidance meant to address?

The goal is to improve confidence in when warnings should be issued and reduce the chances of missed events or excessive false alarms.

Does the opportunity recognize that post-fire conditions change and thresholds may shift?

Yes. Because post-fire landscapes evolve over time, the work may involve understanding how triggering thresholds shift as burn severity effects diminish and vegetation returns.

What is the CESU program, and why does it matter for this opportunity?

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program is designed to connect federal agencies with partner organizations to provide research, technical assistance, and education. For this opportunity, CESU matters because eligibility is restricted to Desert Southwest CESU partners and the award will be issued through the CESU mechanism.

What does it mean that the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically means the USGS expects substantial involvement during project performance, such as collaboration on study design, data integration, interpretation, and translating results into usable hazard products or decision-support tools.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $140,000.

What was the original closing date for the opportunity?

The original closing date was June 23, 2023.

What kinds of end products or deliverables does the opportunity aim to support?

The opportunity is aimed at actionable advances in post-wildfire debris-flow hazard assessment, including faster and better hazard mapping, improved estimates of debris-flow magnitude (potential volume), better characterization of downstream impacts through runout/inundation work, and stronger rainfall-trigger guidance that supports NWS warning decisions.

Is the opportunity focused on basic research, applied research, or both?

Based on the description provided, the emphasis is on applied, decision-relevant research that improves operational forecasting and hazard assessment products, while still advancing scientific understanding of the processes and conditions that produce landslides and post-wildfire debris flows.