Notice of Intent: Quaternary Mapping in Indiana, FY2019-20 | USGS FA 19 0321

Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS FA 19 0321

The Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey announced its intent to make a single discretionary award through a cooperative agreement for a project called "Quaternary Mapping in Indiana, FY2019-20." The opportunity is aimed specifically at supporting the Indiana Geological Survey at Indiana University, with eligibility limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. In practical terms, this is a targeted notice of intent rather than an open, broad competition, and it signals that USGS plans to fund one recipient to carry out defined mapping and geologic characterization tasks in Indiana.

The purpose of the cooperative agreement is to advance Quaternary geologic mapping and related subsurface interpretation across key areas of the state. The work focuses on Quaternary deposits, meaning the relatively young sediments and landforms shaped by glacial and post-glacial processes that strongly influence soil distribution, groundwater resources, construction conditions, and landscape hazards. The project emphasizes producing and improving map products at detailed scales that are useful for planning and resource management, while also refining understanding of buried bedrock topography and sediment sequences that control aquifer behavior.

The project is organized around three technical objectives. Project 1 continues ongoing 1:48,000-scale Quaternary mapping in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, specifically Johnson County. This component is essentially a continuation effort, building on prior mapping to complete or extend coverage in a highly developed region where detailed surficial geology can inform land-use planning, aggregate resources, stormwater and drainage considerations, and infrastructure design. Project 2 targets east-central Indiana and aims to refine the bedrock surface associated with the Teays bedrock valley system. The Teays is an ancient, preglacial drainage system whose buried valleys and related bedrock topography can strongly influence where thick sediment accumulations occur and where productive aquifers may be found. Improving the mapped bedrock surface in this region helps clarify subsurface architecture and reduces uncertainty for groundwater and engineering applications. Project 3 focuses on the White River valley and seeks to determine the stratigraphy of pre-Wisconsin deposits within that valley. Because the White River valley hosts a major alluvial aquifer, understanding the older (pre-Wisconsin) sediment layers is important for groundwater supply assessment, aquifer vulnerability considerations, and predicting how sediment type and layering affect water movement and storage.

Funding for the effort comes through USGS and is tied to the STATEMAP program, with the notice explaining that STATEMAP funds complement GLGMC funds to help complete statewide Quaternary mapping at both 1:100,000 and 1:48,000 scales. In other words, the award is positioned as part of a broader, coordinated mapping strategy for Indiana, where multiple funding streams are combined to finish map coverage and improve consistency and quality across the state.

Key administrative details include the opportunity number (USGS FA 19 0321), the assistance listing (CFDA) number 15.808, and the classification of the activity under natural resources. The announcement was created on August 2, 2019, with an original closing date of August 16, 2019. The anticipated maximum award amount (ceiling) is $82,390, and the expected number of awards is one, reinforcing that this is a single-recipient cooperative agreement intended to support the Indiana Geological Survey's specified mapping and stratigraphic work during the FY2019-20 period.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent: Quaternary Mapping in Indiana, FY2019-20" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 02, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 16, 2019. (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 $82,390.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for USGS FA 19 0321

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