Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00120
The Rice Creek Floodplain Restoration Project is a targeted restoration award tied to the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) effort following the July 25, 2010 Enbridge Line 6B oil spill near Marshall, Michigan. That spill released crude oil into wetlands connected to Talmadge Creek and then into the Kalamazoo River, contaminating aquatic habitats and floodplain areas for roughly 38 miles downstream to Morrow Lake. In response, the Natural Resource Trustees completed a Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (DARP/EA) to identify and fund projects that would compensate the public for injuries to natural resources caused by the spill. The Rice Creek project is one of the trustee-selected actions intended to help restore affected habitat functions and ecological conditions in the broader Kalamazoo River system.
The project focuses on a physically altered reach of Rice Creek, a tributary to the Kalamazoo River, where historical dredging left dredge spoils piled along the banks. Those spoils formed long, raised berms that effectively separated the stream from its floodplain. When a stream is cut off from its floodplain, high flows are forced to stay confined in the channel, which can increase flow velocity, bank erosion, and bed scour downstream. It also prevents natural floodplain processes, such as spreading out floodwaters, slowing flow, and depositing sediment onto floodplain surfaces. Reconnecting the creek to its floodplain is expected to reduce erosive forces, allow sediment to settle out in the floodplain during high water, and provide lower-velocity refuge areas for fish and other organisms during flood events. Because Rice Creek ultimately feeds into the Kalamazoo River, improvements to sediment dynamics and habitat condition in this tributary also support downstream water quality and ecological health.
This award is designed as a follow-on to earlier work at the site. A prior effort removed part of the dredge-material berm, but monitoring afterward showed that full reconnection still requires additional berm removal. The current project will remove an additional six feet of berm along approximately 470 feet of Rice Creek. The intent is to complete the reconnection so that flood flows can access the floodplain more naturally, stabilizing the system and improving habitat function in ways that align with NRDAR restoration goals.
Administratively, this opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as a discretionary cooperative agreement (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00120; CFDA 15.658). The notice is explicitly a single-source intent to award to the Calhoun Conservation District, meaning it was not a competitive funding opportunity and there was no application process for other parties. The justification cites 505 DM 2.14.B.2 and 4, and the rationale for not competing the award is that the Trustees had already conducted a merit review and formally selected this specific project through the DARP process as an appropriate restoration action for the Enbridge spill. The expected number of awards was one, with an award ceiling of $100,000.
The period of performance was structured around a required start date of June 1, 2017, with an end date of September 30, 2018. Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, the federal government anticipated substantial involvement in the work. In this case, the Michigan Ecological Services Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was designated to play an active role, including on-site monitoring to document implementation, monitoring to evaluate ecological outcomes, and development and delivery of outreach materials. That outreach component is meant to keep the public, stakeholders, and the Trustees informed about what was done on the ground and what ecological benefits were achieved through the restoration investment.Apply for F17AS00120
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rice Creek Floodplain Restoration Project (Enbridge 2010 Oil Spill Kalamazoo River NRDAR)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.658.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 22, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 01, 2017 There is not an application process for this funding opportunity. This is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreement to the Calhoun Conservation District under justification 505DM 2.14.B.2 and 4.. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Rice Creek Floodplain Restoration Project (NRDAR - Enbridge Line 6B) FAQs
What is the Rice Creek Floodplain Restoration Project?
The Rice Creek Floodplain Restoration Project is a targeted habitat restoration award connected to the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) effort following the July 25, 2010 Enbridge Line 6B oil spill near Marshall, Michigan. It is one of the trustee-selected actions intended to restore habitat functions and ecological conditions in the broader Kalamazoo River system.
What incident is this restoration tied to?
This restoration is tied to the July 25, 2010 Enbridge Line 6B oil spill near Marshall, Michigan, which released crude oil into wetlands connected to Talmadge Creek and then into the Kalamazoo River.
What areas were affected by the Enbridge Line 6B oil spill?
The spill contaminated aquatic habitats and floodplain areas downstream for roughly 38 miles, extending to Morrow Lake.
Why is NRDAR involved in this project?
NRDAR is involved because the Natural Resource Trustees completed a Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (DARP/EA) to identify and fund projects that compensate the public for injuries to natural resources caused by the spill. The Rice Creek project was selected through that restoration planning process.
What does it mean that this project is a "trustee-selected action"?
It means the Natural Resource Trustees formally identified and selected this specific project through the DARP process as an appropriate restoration action associated with the Enbridge spill.
Where is Rice Creek and why is it important in this context?
Rice Creek is a tributary to the Kalamazoo River. Because it feeds into the Kalamazoo River, improvements to sediment dynamics and habitat condition in Rice Creek also support downstream water quality and ecological health in the larger river system.
What problem is the project trying to fix on Rice Creek?
The project addresses a physically altered reach of Rice Creek where historical dredging left dredge spoils piled along the banks. Those spoil piles formed long, raised berms that separated the stream from its floodplain, limiting natural floodplain access during high flows.
How do berms along a creek affect flooding and habitat?
When a stream is cut off from its floodplain, high flows are forced to remain confined in the channel. This can increase flow velocity, bank erosion, and bed scour downstream. It also prevents natural floodplain functions such as spreading floodwaters out, slowing flow, and depositing sediment onto floodplain surfaces.
What does "reconnecting the creek to its floodplain" mean here?
In this project, reconnecting the creek to its floodplain means removing enough of the raised berms created by dredge spoils so that, during high water, flood flows can access the floodplain more naturally rather than being constrained to the channel.
What ecological benefits are expected from reconnecting Rice Creek to its floodplain?
Expected benefits include reducing erosive forces in the channel, allowing sediment to settle out on the floodplain during high water, and creating lower-velocity refuge areas for fish and other organisms during flood events. These improvements are also expected to support downstream water quality and ecological health in the Kalamazoo River system.
Is this project a continuation of previous work?
Yes. The award is designed as a follow-on to earlier work at the site. A prior effort removed part of the dredge-material berm, but monitoring afterward showed that full reconnection still requires additional berm removal.
What specific work will be done under this award?
The project will remove an additional six feet of berm along approximately 470 feet of Rice Creek, with the intent to complete the reconnection between the stream and its floodplain.
How does berm removal relate to stabilization and sediment dynamics?
By enabling flood flows to access the floodplain more naturally, the project aims to reduce erosive forces within the channel and promote sediment deposition on floodplain surfaces during high flows, helping stabilize the system and improve habitat function.
Which federal agency issued this funding opportunity?
This opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
What is the funding instrument for this award?
The funding instrument is a discretionary cooperative agreement, rather than a standard grant.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
It means the federal government anticipated substantial involvement in the work. For this project, the Michigan Ecological Services Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was designated to play an active role in monitoring and outreach.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F17AS00120 and the CFDA number is 15.658.
Was this a competitive grant opportunity with an application process?
No. The notice was explicitly a single-source intent to award to the Calhoun Conservation District, meaning it was not a competitive funding opportunity and there was no application process for other parties.
Who was the intended recipient of the single-source award?
The intended recipient was the Calhoun Conservation District.
Why was the award not competed?
The rationale given is that the Trustees had already conducted a merit review and formally selected this specific project through the DARP process as an appropriate restoration action for the Enbridge spill.
How many awards were expected under this opportunity?
The expected number of awards was one.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling was $100,000.
What was the project period of performance?
The period of performance required a start date of June 1, 2017, and an end date of September 30, 2018.
What role was FWS expected to play during implementation?
The Michigan Ecological Services Field Office of FWS was expected to play an active role including on-site monitoring to document implementation, monitoring to evaluate ecological outcomes, and development and delivery of outreach materials.
What is meant by "on-site monitoring" in this project description?
On-site monitoring refers to documenting implementation of the restoration work on the ground, as well as monitoring designed to evaluate ecological outcomes after the berm removal and floodplain reconnection actions.
Is there an outreach requirement associated with the award?
Yes. The federal involvement included development and delivery of outreach materials intended to keep the public, stakeholders, and the Trustees informed about what was implemented and what ecological benefits were achieved.
Who is the outreach intended to inform?
The outreach is meant to keep the public, stakeholders, and the Trustees informed about the restoration work and outcomes.
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