Determining Relative Abundance and Distribution of the Endangered Humpback Chub Downstream of Pearce Ferry Rapid; Lake Mead NRA | P20AS00009

Opportunity Information: Apply for P20AS00009

This funding notice describes a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement focused on understanding where Endangered Humpback Chub are currently found and how many are using a newly created stretch of habitat on the Colorado River. The target area is a roughly 15-mile riverine reach that formed downstream of Pearce Ferry Rapid and extends to the point where the Colorado River flows into Lake Mead, all within Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LAKE). The need for this work is tied directly to long-term declines in Lake Mead water levels since about 2000, which exposed and converted what was previously reservoir-influenced habitat into a more river-like environment that could be important for native fish.

The core project goal is to determine the relative abundance and distribution of Humpback Chub in this newly formed reach and to evaluate whether fish found in the downstream portion of the Grand Canyon through the Lake Mead inflow area might represent a distinct aggregation compared to groups documented farther upstream. Monitoring of Humpback Chub between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead has been conducted for nearly two decades by multiple organizations, but this particular downstream segment is effectively new habitat in modern monitoring terms. By surveying it in a standardized way and comparing findings to existing datasets, the partners aim to clarify how Humpback Chub are using this area and whether it may function as additional or separate habitat supporting the species.

The agreement is structured as a collaboration between LAKE and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZ GampF), allowing staff from both agencies to combine expertise, field capacity, and monitoring resources. The work aligns with NPS responsibilities under its Management Policies to protect rare, threatened, or endangered native species, and it supports priorities identified in the LAKE Foundation Document, which recognizes Humpback Chub and other endemic Colorado River fishes as fundamental natural resources. Beyond Humpback Chub, the project is also intended to improve understanding of the broader fish community occupying this reach, including native species and non-native species that could present management concerns.

The expected management value is practical and immediate. Results are meant to feed into basin-wide Humpback Chub recovery efforts by addressing recovery goals and management components used across multiple programs. Findings could also influence whether Lake Mead National Recreation Area should be considered for inclusion in the lower basin recovery unit, depending on what the surveys reveal about occupancy and population structure. In addition, because Lake Mead water levels are likely to continue changing, the data from this study will help park managers and partners make better predictions about future fish distribution as shoreline and river conditions shift. That, in turn, can guide prioritization of habitat protection projects and help reduce or avoid future impacts to Humpback Chub and other sensitive native fishes.

Administratively, this opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number P20AS00009 under the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. It is listed as a discretionary opportunity using a cooperative agreement funding instrument under the Natural Resources activity category (CFDA 15.944). The eligible applicant category is state governments, and the notice explicitly states it is a Notice of Intent to Award and not a request for applications. In other words, it serves as public notification that NPS intends to fund the described project under an existing cooperative agreement with AZ GampF, rather than opening a competitive application process. The anticipated award amount is up to $29,682, with one expected award, and the notice was created on November 21, 2019.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Determining Relative Abundance and Distribution of the Endangered Humpback Chub Downstream of Pearce Ferry Rapid; Lake Mead NRA" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.944.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 21, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of Intent to Award. This is NOT a request for application. This funding announcement is to provide public notice that the National Park Service will fund the following project under an existing Cooperative Agreement with AZ GampF. (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 $29,682.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for P20AS00009

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