Lake Roosevelt Quagga Mussel Rapid Response Exercise | BOR PN 18 N012

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR PN 18 N012

The Lake Roosevelt Quagga Mussel Rapid Response Exercise grant opportunity is a discretionary funding program from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (CFDA 15.517), intended to support Washington State in running a full-scale, multi-agency rapid response exercise focused on quagga mussels and related aquatic invasive species threats at Lake Roosevelt. The project is led by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (WRCO), which hosts the Washington Invasive Species Council (WISC), and is carried out in coordination with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Park Service at the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. Unlike shorter discussion-based drills, this effort is designed as an enhanced, cooperative, 5-day exercise that tests not only planning and command functions but also real field execution.

A central purpose of the opportunity is to move beyond the region's previous rapid response exercises, which have often been limited to two-day "table-top" formats with minimal field components (for example, a small number of diver survey operations). Those earlier exercises helped agencies practice incident command system (ICS) procedures and draft initial Incident Action Plans, but they did not fully stress-test the on-the-ground coordination, logistics, staffing, and operational decision-making required during an actual mussel detection. The grant is structured around the idea that if agencies do not rehearse field implementation ahead of time, real incidents can suffer costly delays, and delayed containment can allow invasive mussels to spread widely, driving long-term mitigation and infrastructure costs that can reach into the billions of dollars.

The enhanced exercise supported by this funding includes two major operational tracks. First are incident command center activities, where partners practice activation, unified command coordination, communications, planning cycles, and the development and refinement of an Incident Action Plan over multiple operational periods. Second are practical field activities meant to mirror real response tasks. These include deploying staff and equipment to contain a suspected infestation site using sediment or turbidity barriers, setting up and running watercraft inspection and decontamination stations to prevent further spread, and conducting extent-of-infestation sampling using multiple methods such as veliger tows, shoreline surveys, and diver surveys. The exercise also includes a simulated "treatment" component using a non-toxic dye within the contained area, allowing responders to practice the operational steps associated with treatment without introducing harmful chemicals.

Collaboration is a defining feature of the project. In addition to WRCO/WISC, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the National Park Service, the exercise is intended to involve other federal and state resource agencies, Tribal partners, and local or regional stakeholders. This reflects how a real rapid response would unfold on Lake Roosevelt, where jurisdictional complexity and shared resources make coordination essential. The aim is to build working relationships, clarify roles and responsibilities, and identify practical gaps in equipment, staffing, permitting, decision authority, and interagency communication while the consequences are controlled and instructional rather than costly and irreversible.

Key administrative details of the opportunity include a grant funding instrument, eligibility limited to state governments, an anticipated single award, and an award ceiling of $150,000. The funding opportunity number is BOR PN 18 N012. The notice was created on June 13, 2018, with an original closing date of June 27, 2018. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an investment in preparedness: a concentrated, realistic rehearsal meant to reduce response time and improve effectiveness if quagga mussels are detected, thereby protecting the lake ecosystem and avoiding major downstream economic impacts.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Lake Roosevelt Quagga Mussel Rapid Response Exercise" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.517.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 13, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 27, 2018. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for BOR PN 18 N012

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