Science Applications-TAMU CESU

archived

Announcement to provide notice of intent to make a single-source award-Continuation to the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (GCCESU) via a cooperative agreement modification between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), the recipient, and the Institute for Renewable Natural Resources (IRNR) at Texas A&M University. The single-source determination is in accordance with Public Law 105-391 (Sec. 203) that authorized and directed the Secretary of the Interior "to enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, including but not limited to land grant schools, in partnership with other Federal and State agencies, to establish cooperative study units to conduct multi-disciplinary research." The funding obligation for this continuation will be for $1,000,000. The objective of the cooperative agreement modification with the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University is to relocate a population of protected mussels from a stream segment on the San Saba River. The current drought in Texas has produced historic low flows. Much of this river has either gone dry or reduced to intermittent chains of pools. These mussel species are intolerant of prolonged exposure to these conditions which may cause permanent changes to mussel populations; that is, rare species are often lost. Relocation of these populations is warranted as this locality will go dry if the drought persists.

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