Bluff Wetland 60% Design

The Bureau of Reclamation, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has announced the Bluff Wetland 60% Design funding opportunity under the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery program (Assistance Listing 15.529). Established in 1992, the Recovery Program is a cooperative effort involving federal, state, and tribal entities dedicated to recovering endangered fish species, particularly the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker, in the San Juan River Basin. The program has determined that a lack of rearing habitat is the key limiting factor preventing successful recruitment of razorback suckers into the juvenile stage, thus hindering the species’ recovery. While flows from Navajo Reservoir would ideally restore such habitats, water availability has been insufficient, necessitating non-flow habitat development alternatives. The primary purpose of this cooperative agreement is to advance the design of a wetland project along the San Juan River, located just south of Bluff, Utah. This wetland is intended to entrain and rear larval razorback sucker, directly addressing the identified habitat shortage. A conceptual design at 30% completion has already been prepared with support from the Recovery Program. This new award seeks to build upon that work and bring the design to the 60% completion stage, incorporating all necessary engineering, environmental, and logistical considerations to enable subsequent project phases. Funding for this opportunity comes from annual appropriations to support the goals of the Recovery Program. The total estimated program funding is $300,000, with an award ceiling of $300,000. The award floor is listed as $1 in the official notice, which indicates a nominal minimum; applicants should confirm the practical minimum through the grantor. Cost sharing or matching is not required for this opportunity. As a cooperative agreement, the Bureau of Reclamation will have substantial involvement with the recipient during the project. Eligibility is limited to non-federal entities, which may include state, local, tribal, nonprofit, or other qualifying organizations. The eligibility text specifies “Others” with further clarification that non-federal entities are eligible, and no individual or for-profit entity categories are mentioned in the official summary. Applicants should verify alignment with these parameters before applying. Applications must be submitted by October 17, 2025, no later than 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The notice was posted on August 13, 2025, and is currently accepting applications. No pre-application or letter of intent deadlines are indicated in the public posting. Interested applicants should prepare to meet the closing date deadline and follow Grants.gov application procedures. Detailed application forms and instructions are accessible through the official posting. For more information or assistance accessing the full announcement, applicants may contact Autumn Anderson at the Bureau of Reclamation via email at amanderson@usbr.gov. The archive date for this notice is January 30, 2026. The opportunity is discretionary and classified under the “Other” category with a category explanation of “Annual Appropriations.” This stage of the project will not only advance the technical design but will also further the long-term objectives of endangered fish recovery in the San Juan Basin.