Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative

 

The Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program (Program) is a collaborative effort consisting of 18 stakeholders including federal, state, and local governmental entities; Indian tribes and pueblos; and non-governmental organizations representing diverse interests working to protect and improve the status of endangered listed species along the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) by implementing certain recovery activities to benefit those species and their associated habitats and, simultaneously, to protect existing and future water uses while complying with applicable state and federal laws, including Rio Grande compact delivery obligations. Listed species means federally listed species under the ESA, with special emphasis on the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (silvery minnow) and the southwestern willow flycatcher (flycatcher).

Active 15.537 Bureau of Reclamation, Department of The Interior B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2017 Information not available. Program accomplishments include projects funded for the furtherance of the goals and objectives of the Executive Committee and the Collaborative Long-Term Plan which focuses on beneficial activities for improving the status of the silvery minnow and the flycatcher, and the conservation and contribution to the recovery of both listed species while protecting existing and future water uses within the geographic boundaries of the Program area. In FY2016and FY2017, these activities included: endangered species propagation and augmentation and habitat restoration monitoring.
Fiscal Year 2019 Fiscal Year 2019: The City of Albuquerque’s Aquatic Conservation Facility (ACF) and the State of New Mexico’s Los Lunas Silvery Minnow Refugium (LLSMR) continue to promote the recovery of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow in the wild through captive propagation, augmentation, and research. Funding for these facilities comes from several sources including Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, the State of New Mexico, and Reclamation. They are breeding, rearing, and research centers that include indoor and outdoor culture systems and naturalized refugiums. The indoor systems are used for quarantine, breeding, egg hatching, and rearing larvae. The outdoor systems are used for raising larvae to sub-adult age and for holding large numbers of broodstock. The outdoor naturalized refugium are river-like environments with controllable flow, variable depth, variable habitat, and natural substrate. The University of New Mexico (UNM) has monitored the genetics of the silvery minnow population since 1999. This work includes monitoring silvery minnow bred or reared in captivity and released to the MRG since 2002 when the augmentation program began. UNM continues to genotype all broodstock produced for release in the MRG in the ACF and LLSMR. Under this contract, UNM also examines changes in levels of genetic variability in the wild silvery minnow population and how these changes potentially impacted population viability, and the potential impacts of captive propagation and augmentation on the genetics of silvery minnow wild stock. The silvery minnow genetics database developed by the project was used to develop, parameterize, and evaluate models designed to assist in predicting genetic effects of captive propagation on wild stocks of silvery minnow (under various scenarios) to inform captive propagation and augmentation strategies aimed at species recovery. Based on recommendations from a peer review panel, Reclamation funded UNM’s development of High-Throughput Markers for silvery minnow. Using cutting-edge technology this project will develop a panel of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that will allow for an enhanced and rapid assessment of silvery minnow genetic diversity within and among ex situ and in situ populations and develop a sex-specific marker. With these markers available it will be possible to know the genetics of the fish being stocked during augmentation. This project was completed in FY19 and the results will be applied to work into the future.
Fiscal Year 2021 Silvery minnow genetics monitoring will continued in FY20 and 21. Use of the High-Throughput Markers that have been developed by UNM is started in FY20 through FY21.
Fiscal Year 2022 FY 2022 accomplishment information is not yet available. P.L. 110-161, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008: (c) In compliance with applicable Federal and State laws, the Secretary (acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation), in collaboration with the Executive Committee, may enter into any grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, interagency agreements, or other agreements that the Secretary determines to be necessary to comply with the 2003 Biological Opinion described in section 205(b) of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108-447; 118 Stat. 2949) as amended by section 121(b) of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-103; 119 Stat. 2256) or in furtherance of the objectives set forth in the collaborative program long-term plan. P.L. 111-8, Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009: (b) The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall establish and maintain an Executive Committee of the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Executive Committee’’) consistent with the bylaws of the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program adopted on October 2, 2006. (c) Hereafter, in compliance with applicable Federal and State laws, the Secretary (acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation), in collaboration with the Executive Committee, may enter into any grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, interagency agreements, or other agreements that the Secretary determines to be necessary to comply with the 2003 Biological Opinion described in section 205(b) of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–447; 118 Stat. 2949) as amended by section 121(b) of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109–103; 119 Stat. 2256) or any related subsequent biological opinion or in furtherance of the objectives set forth in the collaborative program long-term plan. Federal, Interstate, Intrastate, State, Local, Public nonprofit institution/organization, Other public institution/organization, Federally Recognized Tribal Government, Specialized Group, Private Non-profit Institution/Organization. Federal, Interstate, Intrastate, State, Local, Public nonprofit institution/organization, Other public institution/organization, Federally Recognized Tribal Government, Specialized Group, Private Non-profit Institution/Organization. Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. Environmental compliance for this program may be required depending on the scope of the specific project funded. This may result in the need for an environmental impact assessment or environmental impact statement prior to the commencement of project activities. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Funding opportunity announcements for this program, along with registration procedures, application packages and instructions, SF-424 forms and any other forms to be used to submit application information, points of contact, and procedures for submitting applications will be available on www.grants.gov. All applications will be initially screened for eligibility and compliance with the requirements stated in the funding opportunity announcement. Applications passing this screening process will be forwarded for review by a proposal evaluation panel comprised of qualified experts (federal and non-federal stakeholders) in the program area. Applications will be reviewed against the proposal evaluation criteria and any additional review factors stated in the funding announcement. Final selection will be determined by the designated Grants Officer. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each specific project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the Reclamation personnel listed as the point of contact in the funding announcement. Not applicable. If renewals or extensions are applicable to the project, this information will be included in the funding opportunity announcement. When renewals or extensions are applicable, continuation of funding for these activities is at the discretion of Congress and will be subject to availability of appropriated funds. Specific evaluation criteria for projects benefiting the silvery minnow and the Southwestern willow flycatcher within the MRG will be included in the funding announcements posted on www.grants.gov. Financial assistance may be used in furtherance of the goals and objectives of the Executive Committee and the Collaborative Program Long-Term Plan which focuses on beneficial activities for improving the status of the silvery minnow and the flycatcher, and the conservation and contribution to the recovery of both listed species while protecting existing and future water uses within the geographic boundaries of the Program area. The Program Area is defined as “the headwaters of the Rio Chama watershed and the Rio Grande, including tributaries, from the New Mexico-Colorado state line downstream to the elevation of the spillway crest of the Elephant Butte Reservoir at 4,450 ft above mean sea level, excluding the land area reserved for the full pool of the Elephant Butte Reservoir. Indian Pueblo and Tribal lands and resources within the Program area will not be included in the Program without their express written consent of the affected Indian Pueblo or Tribe. Not applicable. Not applicable. All recipients of Federal awards shall maintain project records in accordance with 2 CFR 200.333 Retention requirements for records. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report or, for Federal awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, from the date of the submission of the quarterly or annual financial report, respectively, as reported to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in the case of a subrecipient. Federal awarding agencies and pass-through entities must not impose any other record retention requirements upon non-Federal entities, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.333. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Federal assistance is typically available during the current fiscal year of appropriations. The Program expects all awarded funds to be expended during the fiscal year in which grant awards were made or no more than 2 years from the time of grant award. For more complex projects that may involve environmental compliance, design, feasibility studies, construction and implementation, effectiveness monitoring, and other related activities, the project will be divided into phases. The project will then be funded incrementally at phase level costs. Funding of subsequent phases will be based on project viability, effectiveness, and fund availability. Payment terms vary by agreement awarded under this program. Leann Woodruff, Facilities Management Division 505-462-3579, phone 505-462-3783, fax pwoodruff@usbr.gov Brian Hobbs
Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office
555 Broadway Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
505-462-3600, phone
505-462-3783, fax
Albuquerque, NM 87102 US
bhobbs@usbr.gov
Phone: (505)462-3540
Fax: (505)462-3794 http://www.usbr.gov/uc/albuq/index.html 14-0680-0-1-301 (Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $120,000.00; FY 24 est $0.00; FY 21$0.00; FY 20$179,300.00; FY 19$656,755.00; FY 18$407,794.00; FY 17$155,301.00; - No future obligations planned; Assistance Listing to be archived in FY24. Range: $179,300 Average: $179,300 2 CFR 200 UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS and the applicable OMB Circulars. These documents may also be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation Office listed below. Fiscal Year 2017 Information not available. Endangered Species Propagation - The City of Albuquerque’s BioPark and New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission Los Lunas Silvery Minnow Refugium rear and breed endangered silvery minnow for release and experimentation in the MRG in accordance with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s propagation and genetics annual work plan. In addition, staff assists with egg monitoring and collection. The Bosque School collects biological data for the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) to assist in designing of long-term monitoring projects.
Fiscal Year 2020 The City of Albuquerque’s Aquatic Conservation Facility (ACF) and the State of New Mexico’s Los Lunas Silvery Minnow Refugium work to promote the recovery of the silvery minnow in the wild through captive propagation, augmentation, and research. The University of New Mexico (UNM) has monitored the genetics of the silvery minnow population since 1999. This work includes monitoring silvery minnow bred or reared in captivity and released to the MRG since 2002 when the augmentation program began.
Fiscal Year 2023 New Mexico Biopark Society -- O&M of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Program in the Aquatic Conservation Facility; final obligation.
Fiscal Year 2024 No future obligations planned; Assistance Listing to be archived in FY24.