Depth-Resolved Algal Bloom Mapping at Lake Okeechobee, FL | W81EWF 26 SOI 0001

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 26 SOI 0001

The Depth-Resolved Algal Bloom Mapping at Lake Okeechobee, FL grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number W81EWF 26 SOI 0001) is a discretionary, science and technology research effort offered by the Engineer Research and Development Center through a cooperative agreement. The project is centered on improving understanding and management of harmful algal blooms (HABs) by collecting detailed, time-resolved water quality data that can capture the shifting and often unpredictable conditions that lead to bloom initiation, growth, and decline. A key theme of the opportunity is that HABs cannot be explained well using only short snapshots of data, because the environmental triggers are complex and may vary substantially across seasons and from year to year.

The work focuses specifically on Lake Okeechobee in Florida, where the lake's relatively shallow depth creates thermal and ecological dynamics that differ from deeper lake systems. Those shallow-water characteristics can change how the water column mixes, how temperature gradients form (or fail to form), how nutrients and sediments interact, and how bloom conditions develop and persist. Because of these site-specific dynamics, the program emphasizes the need for sustained monitoring across bloom and non-bloom periods to better determine which combinations of factors (rather than any single variable) set the stage for HAB events in this particular lake.

The proposed monitoring campaign is described as several months of intensive data collection in and/or near Lake Okeechobee, extending through the bloom season and explicitly including about 30 days before and 30 days after the bloom season. That framing signals an intent to capture rapid seasonal transitions that might otherwise be missed, such as abrupt changes in temperature, mixing, nutrient availability, or other water quality parameters that can precede bloom onset or accompany bloom collapse. Data collection will include both surface water sampling and subsurface sensor measurements, with support from HAB ecology and monitoring experts who will help with equipment setup, deployment, and routine maintenance. The emphasis on depth-resolved and sensor-based measurements suggests a focus on understanding how conditions vary through the water column, not just at the surface, which can be critical for interpreting bloom behavior even in comparatively shallow systems.

An additional objective is comparative analysis. Newly collected Lake Okeechobee data will be evaluated against historical datasets from Clinton Lake in Lawrence, Kansas, allowing the project team to compare potential HAB triggers across two distinct lake environments. The idea is that similarities may point to broader, transferable drivers of blooms, while differences may highlight what is unique about Lake Okeechobee and help explain why bloom frequency, intensity, and duration there may not match patterns observed elsewhere. The expected outcome is practical, decision-relevant information: a clearer picture of the environmental drivers that control HAB formation in Lake Okeechobee, supporting improved monitoring strategies and management responses.

The opportunity has an award ceiling of $95,500, with one award expected. The original closing date is March 15, 2026, and the opportunity was created on January 14, 2026. Eligibility is limited: applicants must be non-federal partners of the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU). The listed CFDA number is 12.630, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

• The Engineer Research and Development Center in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Depth-Resolved Algal Bloom Mapping at Lake Okeechobee, FL" 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 2026-01-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-15. (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 $95,500.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for W81EWF 26 SOI 0001

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