Disrupting and Managing Riverine and other Large-Scale Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms

A. Short Description of Funding Opportunity Program Description/Objective: ERDC seeks novel technology (or technologies) capable of disrupting and/or managing riverine and other large-scale freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). B. Background: Aquatic nuisance species, including harmful algae, impact freshwater lakes and rivers, infrastructure, operations, and associated resources across the nation. HABs have resulted in recreational closures, public health concerns, and billions of dollars in economic impacts. HABs are increasing in frequency and duration, resulting in environmental, socioeconomic, human and ecological health concerns. Cost-effective and scalable technologies for early HAB detection, prediction, and management are needed to reduce HAB frequency and severity. Riverine HABs, in particular, can span hundreds of miles, last for weeks, and cause significant damages. Technology (or technologies) capable of disrupting and/or managing riverine and other large-scale freshwater HABs is needed. C. Program Description/Objective: This project will establish an interdisciplinary collaboration between USACE and a University partner to accomplish numbered objectives below. Successful proposals will also (a) clearly identify question(s) the proposed project will seek to answer (i.e., project technical objectives); (b) clearly describe the tasks and data required to answer those question(s) (i.e., data quality objectives); and (c) describe envisioned project deliverables by task and by year. Proposals that demonstrate intent to maximize use of existing federal and state HAB programs, activities, and data are encouraged. Successful proposals will identify quantitative and qualitative success criteria for each project task. This project will: 1) Develop a workplan describing the candidate technology (or technologies), any technology optimization efforts required (if applicable), candidate technology demonstration field site(s), and field work plan. Technology is defined here application of knowledge, methods and approaches to achieve a practical means, which in this case is disrupting and/or managing riverine and other large-scale freshwater HABs. University partners will be responsible for obtaining required permits prior to approval of in-water work. Note that this is a three-year funded effort (pending appropriations). At minimum, technologies will be demonstrated during years 2 and 3 of this funded project. Riverine HABs can be sporadic - they may occur with very little warning or may not occur at all during the project duration. Please account for this contingency in your preproposal - how will you be flexible and adaptive to ensure project objectives are met given these challenges? 2) Conduct work described in the approved work plan, includes producing data of sufficient quality and quantity to meet data quality objectives described in approved work plan. 3) Produce draft and final report describing project objectives, methods, and results. Includes complementary data publication to ensure data generated by this project is publicly accessible, as well as end-user guidance to support application of the technology demonstrated by this project to different riverine systems and ecoregions. Includes complementary data publication so that end-users can easily access data generated by this project; data collected during project must be uploaded to water quality portal (https://www.waterqualitydata.us/). 4) We strongly encourage engagement with tribal, federal, state, and/or local partners who have knowledge pertaining to the riverine system featured in this project. Please identify stakeholders and partners that will be engaged during the course of the project in your pre-proposal. Please also identify how they will be engaged in all key phases of project planning, execution, and in preparation of final deliverables. D. Public Benefit HABs are occurring with greater frequency in lakes and rivers across the nation, resulting in public health concerns and billions of dollars in economic impacts. The proposed applied research will demonstrate a technology (or technologies) capable of disrupting and/or managing riverine or other large-scale freshwater HABs. Novel approaches to reduce HAB severity and scale will benefit public health and reduce economic harm associated with HABs.