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The primary purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Muskellunge stocking effectiveness and efficiency within Iowa's lakes and reservoirs, including those managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This research directly addresses the USACE's interest in optimizing the management of recreational fisheries within their projects. By identifying and refining Muskellunge culture methods and stocking policies, this study aims to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of state agency stocking programs, ensuring that valuable resources are utilized to maximize angler success. The comprehensive understanding of Muskellunge survival, movement, and habitat use gained from this study will directly inform optimized stocking strategies, leading to more robust and sustainable Muskellunge populations. This, in turn, is anticipated to increase angler success rates and overall recreational satisfaction, thereby enhancing the economic and social benefits derived from recreational fishing on USACE reservoirs and similar water bodies across the state and potentially nationwide. The findings will directly inform the revision of Iowa’s Muskellunge Management Plan (Meerbeek, 2014), and, critically, will establish a transferable framework for improving stocking outcomes and increasing recreational fishing opportunities in USACE reservoirs and similar water bodies across the nation. Furthermore, this study will investigate the broader implications of its outcomes for the strategic adoption and advancement of Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). As conventional hatchery systems increasingly face challenges from extreme weather events, water shortages, aquatic invasive species, and growing demand for stocked fish due to habitat degradation (Hanson and Ostrand 2011), RAS offers a resilient solution. This research will demonstrate how RAS can enable state and Federal hatcheries, including those supporting USACE-managed waters, to meet production goals more efficiently and sustainably, thereby securing the future of recreational fisheries and enhancing the public benefits derived from USACE projects. Tasks to be Completed: Task 1: Population Dynamics. Prior to stocking, all Muskellunge intended for Iowa’s lake and reservoirs will be tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) Tags, and some will also receive acoustic or radio transmitters. The initial treatment group will include Muskellunge raised traditionally (overwintered in ponds and fed live forage), musky raised in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and fed pellets and RAS Musky fed live forage for about 14 days prior to stocking. Post-stocking survival rate will be monitored using acoustic receiver arrays and manual tracking of radio tagged fish in various reservoirs and lakes. Mortality will be inferred from movement patterns of tagged fish. This survival data will support adaptive management allowing for the refining of culture and stocking methods (e.g., on-shore ramp stocking or off-shore stocking) to improve survival rates. Each subsequent refinement will be evaluated and used to implement further improvements the next year, ultimately building stronger Muskellunge populations and enhancing recreational fishing experiences. Additionally, the movement, behavior, and habitat use of Muskellunge from different treatment groups will be studied post-stocking using acoustic receivers and manual trackers. This will help identify optimal stocking locations and potential habitat enchantments. Furthermore, this study will also examine escapement (fish leaving stocked areas) using various tag types in systems of different size and outlet designs. Findings will guide recommendations for barrier installations, developed with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), to improve fish retention in reservoirs. These measures aim to increase the number of trophy-sized Muskellunge available to anglers, boosting recreational and economic benefits of these fisheries. Task 2: System-Specific Criteria for Optimized Muskellunge Fisheries to Revise Iowa Muskellunge Management Plan and Stocking Policy. This task will involve habitat sampling and fisheries surveys across Iowa lakes and reservoirs, including USACE-managed sites, to identify environmental and ecological factors affecting Muskellunge populations, such as water quality, habitat structure, and prey availability. The data collected will help create tailored stocking and management plans to optimize Musky fisheries in different aquatic systems. Additionally, the feasibility of installing barriers to reduce fish escapement will be assessed for current and future Musky fisheries. This evaluation will consider environmental, hydrological, and operational factors to improve fish retention. By understanding system specific impacts and factors for successful Muskellunge establishment, resources can be allocated more effectively, enhancing angling success, recreational participation, and visitor satisfaction at Iowa water bodies. The Iowa DNR will lead habitat sampling and surveys to ensure a comprehensive planning effort. The information gathered will form the basis for a Comprehensive Plan for Muskellunge stocking in Iowa, which will update the Iowa Muskellunge Management Plan (Meerbeek, 2014). USACE will provide planning guidance to align the plan with federal conservation and recreational goals for USACE reservoirs. The Comprehensive Plan will analyze project data and offer actionable recommendations for the Iowa DNR to improve Muskellunge fisheries. These updates will guide best practices for stocking and management, enhance recreational fish quality, increase angler success, and provide economic benefit to communities near Iowa water bodies. The findings will also serve as a model for improved fisheries management nationwide. Task 3: Project Management & Cooperative Ecosystem Studies (CESU) Management. The USACE will manage this project under the Planning Assistance to States Program guidelines. Stakeholder meetings will be held to discuss technical elements and to review progress, manage budgetary aspects, and discuss study developments. The study evaluation will be jointly conducted by the Iowa DNR and CESU Contract Awardee. This PAS project facilitates the utilization of the CESU program to provide resources that would otherwise be unavailable to the IADNR. In addition to providing expertise in biology and planning, utilizing the CESU agreement extends the expertise of the USACE (Tasks 1, 2 and 3) to include the expertise of the CESU Contract Awardee. The IADNR will document match contributions such as in-kind labor, as per USACE guidance, and submit an annual report to the Corps by October 15th each year, covering the period from July through June. The USACE and the IADNR will jointly develop appropriate quality control plans and information as required by USACE standards for this study.
Funding Opportunity Number: W81EWF-26-SOI-0005. Assistance Listing: 12.630. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: ST. Award Amount: Up to $155K per award.
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grants - GTC 360° Advisors Evaluation of Muskellunge Management and Stocking Strategies in Iowa Engineer Research and Development Center The primary purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Muskellunge stocking effectiveness and efficiency within Iowa's lakes and reservoirs, including those managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
This research directly addresses the USACE's interest in optimizing the management of recreational fisheries within their projects. By identifying and refining Muskellunge culture methods and stocking policies, this study aims to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of state agency stocking programs, ensuring that valuable resources are utilized to maximize angler success.
The comprehensive understanding of Muskellunge survival, movement, and habitat use gained from this study will directly inform optimized stocking strategies, leading to more robust and sustainable Muskellunge populations.
This, in turn, is anticipated to increase angler success rates and overall recreational satisfaction, thereby enhancing the economic and social benefits derived from recreational fishing on USACE reservoirs and similar water bodies across the state and potentially nationwide.
The findings will directly inform the revision of Iowa’s Muskellunge Management Plan (Meerbeek, 2014), and, critically, will establish a transferable framework for improving stocking outcomes and increasing recreational fishing opportunities in USACE reservoirs and similar water bodies across the nation.
Furthermore, this study will investigate the broader implications of its outcomes for the strategic adoption and advancement of Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). As conventional hatchery systems increasingly face challenges from extreme weather events, water shortages, aquatic invasive species, and growing demand for stocked fish due to habitat degradation (Hanson and Ostrand 2011), RAS offers a resilient solution.
This research will demonstrate how RAS can enable state and Federal hatcheries, including those supporting USACE-managed waters, to meet production goals more efficiently and sustainably, thereby securing the future of recreational fisheries and enhancing the public benefits derived from USACE projects. Task 1: Population Dynamics.
Prior to stocking, all Muskellunge intended for Iowa’s lake and reservoirs will be tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) Tags, and some will also receive acoustic or radio transmitters.
The initial treatment group will include Muskellunge raised traditionally (overwintered in ponds and fed live forage), musky raised in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and fed pellets and RAS Musky fed live forage for about 14 days prior to stocking. Post-stocking survival rate will be monitored using acoustic receiver arrays and manual tracking of radio tagged fish in various reservoirs and lakes.
Mortality will be inferred from movement patterns of tagged fish. This survival data will support adaptive management allowing for the refining of culture and stocking methods (e.g., on-shore ramp stocking or off-shore stocking) to improve survival rates.
Each subsequent refinement will be evaluated and used to implement further improvements the next year, ultimately building stronger Muskellunge populations and enhancing recreational fishing experiences. Additionally, the movement, behavior, and habitat use of Muskellunge from different treatment groups will be studied post-stocking using acoustic receivers and manual trackers.
This will help identify optimal stocking locations and potential habitat enchantments. Furthermore, this study will also examine escapement (fish leaving stocked areas) using various tag types in systems of different size and outlet designs. Findings will guide recommendations for barrier installations, developed with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), to improve fish retention in reservoirs.
These measures aim to increase the number of trophy-sized Muskellunge available to anglers, boosting recreational and economic benefits of these fisheries. Task 2: System-Specific Criteria for Optimized Muskellunge Fisheries to Revise Iowa Muskellunge Management Plan and Stocking Policy.
This task will involve habitat sampling and fisheries surveys across Iowa lakes and reservoirs, including USACE-managed sites, to identify environmental and ecological factors affecting Muskellunge populations, such as water quality, habitat structure, and prey availability. The data collected will help create tailored stocking and management plans to optimize Musky fisheries in different aquatic systems.
Additionally, the feasibility of installing barriers to reduce fish escapement will be assessed for current and future Musky fisheries. This evaluation will consider environmental, hydrological, and operational factors to improve fish retention.
By understanding system specific impacts and factors for successful Muskellunge establishment, resources can be allocated more effectively, enhancing angling success, recreational participation, and visitor satisfaction at Iowa water bodies. The Iowa DNR will lead habitat sampling and surveys to ensure a comprehensive planning effort.
The information gathered will form the basis for a Comprehensive Plan for Muskellunge stocking in Iowa, which will update the Iowa Muskellunge Management Plan (Meerbeek, 2014). USACE will provide planning guidance to align the plan with federal conservation and recreational goals for USACE reservoirs. The Comprehensive Plan will analyze project data and offer actionable recommendations for the Iowa DNR to improve Muskellunge fisheries.
These updates will guide best practices for stocking and management, enhance recreational fish quality, increase angler success, and provide economic benefit to communities near Iowa water bodies. The findings will also serve as a model for improved fisheries management nationwide. Task 3: Project Management & Cooperative Ecosystem Studies (CESU) Management.
The USACE will manage this project under the Planning Assistance to States Program guidelines. Stakeholder meetings will be held to discuss technical elements and to review progress, manage budgetary aspects, and discuss study developments. The study evaluation will be jointly conducted by the Iowa DNR and CESU Contract Awardee.
This PAS project facilitates the utilization of the CESU program to provide resources that would otherwise be unavailable to the IADNR. In addition to providing expertise in biology and planning, utilizing the CESU agreement extends the expertise of the USACE (Tasks 1, 2 and 3) to include the expertise of the CESU Contract Awardee.
The IADNR will document match contributions such as in-kind labor, as per USACE guidance, and submit an annual report to the Corps by October 15th each year, covering the period from July through June. The USACE and the IADNR will jointly develop appropriate quality control plans and information as required by USACE standards for this study.
Jun 29, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT Apr 29, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT Jul 29, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification) Additional Info on Eligibility: This opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU).
Link to Additional Information: Grantor Contact Information: If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering Request Grant Support from GTC 360° Advisors Our expert team at GTC 360° Advisors can help develop your grant strategy, recruit partner organizations, write your full proposal, compile and manage your budgets, and help you submit a compelling and compliant proposal on time.
Request Grant Support from GTC 360° Advisors Our expert team at GTC 360° Advisors can help develop your grant strategy, recruit partner organizations, write your full proposal, compile and manage your budgets, and help you submit a compelling and compliant proposal on time.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Eligible applicants: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification). This opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU). Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows up to $155K per award. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Applications for Evaluation of Muskellunge Management and Stocking Strategies in Iowa are due June 29, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
Yes — Evaluation of Muskellunge Management and Stocking Strategies in Iowa is offered by Engineer Research and Development Center and this listing comes from Grants.gov, an official U.S. federal source. Federal applications generally require registrations (for example SAM.gov or an agency submission portal), so allow extra lead time.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
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A. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) invites proposals for a project to conduct a comprehensive uncertainty analysis for new outflow rating equations associated with a critical water control structure on Lake Superior. The primary focus of this funding opportunity is to enhance the accuracy and reliability of discharge measurements, which are fundamental to the effective management of the Great Lakes system under the Lake Superior Regulation Plan. The base task, along with both options, are all tasks that are related to improving Lake Superior outflow regulation. However, these tasks are not interdependent. The base, option 1 and option 2, are simply a priority given to these tasks if funding should be available. Task 1: Current operational procedures for the structure’s gates include partially open settings that are not accounted for in historical rating equations. To address this, new rating equations are currently under development by a team at the University of Michigan using advanced physical and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. A key requirement for a successful proposal under this announcement is a well-defined plan for the awardee to work collaboratively and integrate their efforts with the existing University of Michigan modeling team. This partnership will be essential to ensure the resulting uncertainty analysis is robust and directly applicable to the new ratings. The principal outcome of this work will be a quantified uncertainty band for discharge rates corresponding to various gate openings and water levels. The uncertainty analysis should use the publicly available Large Lake Statistical Water Balance Model, so the uncertainty values are consistent with already operational uncertainty models for all other components of the Great Lakes water balance. This task will require a 12 month performance period so the results can be used in an upcoming study. Depending on availability of funding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may award the following optional work: Task 2: The development and calibration of a high-fidelity hydrodynamic model of the St. Marys River built using the Delft3D FM suite. The scope of this model be the entire St Marys River from Point Iroquois on Lake Superior to the outlet of the River near Detour Village on Lake Huron. The domain shall include the North Channel of Lake Huron to Little Current Ontario but exclude connections to Georgian Bay. The model will be fully three-dimensional, focus on the St Marys Rapids and be able to incorporate the rating equations and uncertainty analysis proposed above. Delft3D FM must be used as the United States Government as well as partners at Environment Climate Change Canada both have access to this modeling suite. The United States Government will provide water level and velocity data to calibrate the model as well as computational resources. Successful projects will deliver technically sound uncertainty metrics that can be immediately integrated into USACE operational models, contributing to improved ecological outcomes and more effective water resource management. As well as the ability to provide scopes of work for the additional tasks should they be funded. Funding Opportunity Number: W81EWF-26-SOI-0004. Assistance Listing: 12.630. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: ST. Award Amount: Up to $200K per award.
A. Background The overall goal of this project is to improve water quality conditions in Willow Creek Reservoir for the benefit of the community of Heppner, Oregon, and surrounding area. The reservoir is characterized by several water quality concerns, including dense cyanobacteria (or blue-green algae) blooms, low dissolved oxygen concentrations, and high nutrient concentrations. Cyanobacteria blooms are known to produce toxins, thereby threatening the aquatic ecosystem and potentially exposing humans and animals to risk of death or chronic illness such as neurodegeneration and liver damage. Each summer, Willow Creek Reservoir post’s health advisories warning users of the potential hazards associated with recreational activities on the lake. Furthermore, fish kills, foul odors and other nuisances are common in Willow Creek Reservoir affecting the community’s ambiance, limiting tourism and recreation on the lake. This analysis draws upon prior research, readily available data, and new research and data to develop and implement an evaluation program for the restoration of Willow Creek Reservoir and its upper basin. Research results will provide public benefit through enhanced water quality in Willow Creek Reservoir producing public recreation opportunities and natural resource benefits. B. Program Description/Objective The primary objective is to advance the scientific understanding of reservoir ecology through the following research pillars: 1. Empirical Data Acquisition and Limnological Analysis: To maintain the integrity of high-resolution, longitudinal datasets, the research involves systematic environmental monitoring and experimental observation. This includes the monthly collection of water samples and the recording of in-situ physicochemical measurements to analyze long-term nutrient cycling patterns and ecosystem shifts. Rather than routine maintenance, site visits are designed to manage the reservoir aeration unit as a controlled experimental variable. This allows researchers to study the mechanical suppression of thermal stratification and quantify its subsequent impact on internal loading and overall water quality. 2. Hydrodynamic Modeling and Predictive Analysis: The project will develop a comprehensive whole-lake hydrodynamic model. This model is a specialized research tool designed for the University to synthesize complex environmental data, simulate various "what-if" scenarios, and forecast the reservoir’s future water quality trajectory. While the insights derived from this model will inform the Portland District’s future best management practices and dam operations, the model itself serves as a transferable scientific tool. Findings derived from this model will be presented in formats accessible to stakeholders and the scientific community to aid in the regional understanding of water quality trajectories. 3. Mitigation Strategy Evaluation: Researchers will evaluate the effectiveness of current systems and model alternative options including but not limited to the installed aeration system and water quality outlet operations. This investigative work is performed to identify the most cost-effective and ecologically sound strategies for protecting the public interest and restoring the reservoir’s health. 4. Knowledge Dissemination: The partnership will facilitate the dissemination of research results through both public and technical forums to ensure that data serves the community as a transparent resource. While the University will provide monthly trip reports and a comprehensive annual report that integrates current findings with historical data to produce a clear, accessible record of reservoir health that will be made available to local stakeholders and the public. These efforts are designed to move beyond internal reporting, instead providing the transparency necessary to safeguard public health, drinking water resources, and recreational safety. Ultimately, this collaborative flow of information ensures that the research directly informs community-led restoration efforts and remains a matter of public record. D. Public Benefit Willow Creek Reservoir (WCR) is considered a eutrophic water body and is characterized by severe cyanobacteria blooms (CyanoHABs) during the summer months. These blooms frequently trigger Oregon Health Authority (OHA) public health advisories, which negatively impact annual tourism and recreation. Furthermore, CyanoHABs contribute to fish kills and contribute to the overall deterioration of water quality and the aesthetic value. In response to these conditions, Willow Creek area community leaders have requested that U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) implement lake restoration efforts to improve water quality. The research and data collected through this project will support the development of a comprehensive restoration plan aimed at improving environmental conditions for public benefit. Additionally, this project will provide essential monitoring and reporting of water temperature and pH levels required to meet public health standards. Funding Opportunity Number: W81EWF-26-SOI-0003. Assistance Listing: 12.630. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: ST. Award Amount: Up to $100K per award.
Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) Grant Program is a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs that funds the acquisition and development of public parkland and outdoor recreational facilities. Eligible applicants include Massachusetts cities of any size and towns with 35,000 or more year-round residents that have an established park or recreation commission and an approved Open Space and Recreation Plan. Smaller communities may qualify under small town, regional, or statewide provisions. Awards reach up to $425,000, with a deadline of July 8, 2025. The program supports community green space, conservation, and recreational access across the Commonwealth.
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