“Evaluating the Economic Implications of Low Flow Augmentation on the Ohio River" | W81EWF 22 SOI 0022

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 22 SOI 0022

The grant opportunity titled "Evaluating the Economic Implications of Low Flow Augmentation on the Ohio River" is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers research effort focused on measuring and valuing the often-overlooked downstream benefits created when Corps-operated reservoirs release water during normal operations. Although these reservoirs in the Ohio River Basin are primarily designed for flood risk management, their routine releases can increase river flows downstream, especially during drier periods. The Corps is interested in understanding how much these managed releases raise flows above what would have occurred naturally, and whether those higher flows translate into real, quantifiable economic benefits for communities and river-dependent users along the mainstem Ohio River.

The core idea behind the project is that flow augmentation can reduce costs and improve reliability for several sectors. Higher river flows can lower treatment costs for dischargers (particularly municipal wastewater treatment plants) by improving dilution and operational flexibility, and they can strengthen water supply reliability by supporting withdrawals during low-flow conditions. The opportunity also notes several additional benefit categories that are not yet well captured in existing analyses, including fewer navigation delays (because adequate depth is critical for commercial barge traffic), more hours or improved efficiency of hydropower generation, benefits to other industrial dischargers beyond municipal systems, and potential recreation-related gains. While the project must, at a minimum, address municipal wastewater treatment and water supply, proposals that also examine navigation, hydropower, recreation, and industrial dischargers are viewed as a plus. There is also interest in discussing how climate change could affect future low-flow conditions and, in turn, the value of augmentation benefits over time.

From a technical standpoint, the work centers on building a defensible comparison between observed flows and estimated natural (unregulated) flows at each mainstem Ohio River lock and dam from 1990 to the present. This requires assembling existing flow datasets, reconciling differences between sources, and developing transparent methods to fill data gaps so the resulting time series are consistent and usable for analysis. The flow comparison is expected to produce standard hydrologic statistics commonly used to describe low-flow conditions and frequency, which then become the foundation for the economic valuation. In other words, the hydrology work is not an end in itself; it is meant to produce flow metrics that can be directly linked to operational or cost outcomes for river users.

The economic analysis component is intended to determine whether the differences between observed and natural flows are large enough, frequent enough, and well-timed enough to create measurable benefits. For municipal wastewater treatment, this could involve identifying how higher flows affect compliance risk, dilution capacity, chemical or energy needs, or other cost drivers. For water supply, this could involve estimating how augmentation reduces shortage risk, avoids emergency measures, improves intake operability, or supports more dependable withdrawals during dry periods. For optional sectors like navigation, hydropower, and recreation, the analysis would similarly connect flow changes to outcomes such as avoided delays, increased generation opportunities, or improved river-based use conditions, and then translate those outcomes into dollar values where feasible.

A major deliverable expectation is that the project does not just produce a one-off study for the Ohio River, but also develops repeatable, transferable analytical methods. The Corps wants processes that could later be applied to other river systems across the United States where reservoir operations influence downstream flows. The final outputs are expected to include a comprehensive report, and the opportunity suggests that preparing manuscripts suitable for peer-reviewed publication should be considered when appropriate, reinforcing that this is meant to be rigorous research with broader applicability.

Administratively, this was a discretionary Department of Defense funding opportunity through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, offered as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 12.630 (science and technology and other research and development). The opportunity anticipated a single award with a ceiling of $45,000. The posting listed the creation date as June 2, 2022, with an original closing date of August 1, 2022, and eligibility described broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full notice.

• 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 "“Evaluating the Economic Implications of Low Flow Augmentation on the Ohio River"" 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 Jun 02, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 01, 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 $45,000.00 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).

Apply for W81EWF 22 SOI 0022

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