U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

GCMRC FY 2018 Budget Update 

and FY 2019 Proposed Budget

Technical Work Group Meeting

April 23-24, 2018

Scott VanderKooi

Southwest Biological Science Center

Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
(Amounts 

rounded 

to nearest 

$1,000)

FY2018 Budget Summary from FY18-20 TWP

Project Project Description FY2018 

Summary

A

Streamflow, Water Quality, and Sediment Transport and 

Budgeting in the Colorado River Ecosystem $1,230,000

B Sandbar and Sediment Storage Monitoring and Research $1,039,000

C Riparian Vegetation Monitoring and Research $585,000

D

Geomorphic Effects of Dam Operations and Vegetation 

Management for Archaeological Sites $262,000

E

Nutrients and Temperature as Ecosystem Drivers: 

Understanding Patterns, Establishing Links and Developing 

Predictive Tools for an Uncertain Future

$343,000

F Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology $771,000

G

Humpback Chub Population Dynamics throughout the Colorado 

River Ecosystem $1,506,000

H Salmonid Research and Monitoring $683,000

I

Warm-Water Native and Non-Native Fish Research and 

Monitoring $557,000

J Socioeconomic Research in the Colorado River Ecosystem $281,000

K Geospatial Science and Technology $302,000

L

Remote Sensing Overflight in Support of Long-term Monitoring 

and LTEMP $75,000

M Administration $1,375,000

N Hydropower Monitoring & Research $12,000

Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC)

Total Budget $9,021,000

(TWP = 

Triennial 

Work 

Plan)
FY2018 Budget Summary from FY18-20 TWP

Total Budget for FY2018 $9,021,000

Anticipated Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive 

Management Program (GCDAMP) Funds (80%) $8,820,000

Over/Under Budget ($200,000)

Additional Funding:

Native Fish Conservation Contingency Fund $43,000

Anticipated Carryover (From Previous FY) $332,000

Total Additional Funding $375,000

Total Planned to Carryover to FY2019 $175,000

(Amounts 

rounded 

to nearest 

$1,000)

Lake Powell: $150,000 (Not Funded by the GCDAMP).
FY2018 Budget Overview

Anticipated GCDAMP Funding to GCMRC $8,925,000

Carryover from previous FY $512,000

Experimental fund: bug flows monitoring, brown 

trout report, sand routing model calibration *$150,000

Total GCMRC Funding $9,587,000

FY2018 Budgeted costs ($9,021,000)

Planned carryover to FY2019 identified in TWP ($175,000)

Unanticipated salary changes *($72,000)

Unanticipated project costs *($51,000)

Proposed working capital fund/carryover –

vehicles, boats, staffing *($60,000)

Experimental fund: bug flows, brown trout, sand 

routing model *($150,000)

Total GCMRC Spending *($9,529,000)

Anticipated GCMRC Total Over/Under Budget *$58,000 

Lake Powell: 

$150,000 (Not 

Funded by 

GCDAMP). 

Waiting for 

funding 

obligation. 

* Preliminary, subject to revision

(Amounts 

rounded 

to nearest 

$1,000)
B. Sandbar and Sediment 

Storage Monitoring and Research

Project Elements

1. Sandbar monitoring using topographic surveys 

and remote cameras

2. Bathymetric and topographic mapping for 

monitoring long-term trends in sediment storage

3. Control network and survey support 

A. Streamflow, Water Quality, and 

Sediment Transport and Budgeting 

in the Colorado River Ecosystem

Project Elements

1. Stream gaging

2. Water quality

3. Sediment transport 

and budgeting
C. Riparian Vegetation 

Monitoring and Research

Project Elements

1. Ground-based riparian vegetation monitoring

2. Imagery-based riparian vegetation monitoring at 

the landscape scale

3. Vegetation responses to Long-Term Experimental 

and Management Plan (LTEMP) flow scenarios

4. Vegetation management decision support

D. Geomorphic Effects of Dam 

Operations and Vegetation 

Management for Archaeological Sites

Project Elements

1. Geomorphic effects of dam operations 

and vegetation management

2. Cultural resources synthesis to inform 

Historic Preservation Plan
E. Nutrients and temperature as ecosystem drivers: 

understanding patterns, establishing links and 

developing predictive tools for an uncertain future

Project Elements

1. Temperature and nutrients in the Colorado 

River ecosystem – patterns, drivers, and 

improved predictions

2. Linking temperature and nutrients to 

metabolism and higher trophic levels

F. Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology (Food Base)

Project Elements

1. Influence of dam operations on the food base

2. Aquatic food base status at humpback chub monitoring locations

3. Terrestrial-aquatic linkages

4. Glen Canyon food base monitoring and research

5. Are undesirable shifts in the Glen Canyon prey base facilitating 

expansion of brown trout?
G. Humpback chub population dynamics 

throughout the Colorado River Ecosystem

Project Elements

1. Humpback chub population modelling

2. Annual spring/fall humpback chub 

abundance estimates in the lower 13.6 km 

of the Little Colorado River (LCR)

3. Juvenile chub monitoring near the LCR 

confluence

4. Remote PIT array monitoring in the LCR

5. Monitoring humpback chub aggregation 

relative abundance and distribution

6. Juvenile chub monitoring – West

7. Chute Falls translocations

8. Havasupai translocation feasibility 

(FY2020)

9. Backwater seining
H. Salmonid Research and Monitoring

Project Elements

1. Experimental flow assessment of trout recruitment

2. Rainbow trout and brown trout recruitment and 

outmigration model

3. Using early life history and physiological growth data 

from otoliths to inform management of rainbow trout 

and brown trout populations in Glen Canyon

4. Rainbow trout monitoring in Glen Canyon

I. Warm-Water Native and Non-Native 

Fish Research and Monitoring

Project Elements

1. System-wide native and invasive 

aquatic species monitoring

2. Improved early detection of warmwater invasive fish

3. Assess the risks warm-water 

nonnative fish pose to native fish
J. Socioeconomic Monitoring and 

Research in the Colorado River Ecosystem

Project Elements

1. Tribal perspectives for, and values of, 

resources downstream of Glen Canyon 

Dam: tribal member population survey

2. Applied decision and scenario analysis
L. Remote Sensing Overflight in Support 

of Long Term Monitoring and LTEMP

Project Elements

1. Remote sensing overflight in support 

of long term monitoring and LTEMP

K. Geospatial Science and Technology

Project Elements

1. Geospatial data management, processing 

and documentation

2. Access to geospatial data holdings

3. Remote monitoring systems and 

technological engineering
N. Hydropower Monitoring and Research

Project Elements

1. Hydropower monitoring 

and research

M. Administration

Project Elements

1. Administration

2. Logistics

3. IT
Project Project Description FY19 

Summary

A

Streamflow, Water Quality, and Sediment Transport and 

Budgeting in the Colorado River Ecosystem $1,251,000

B Sandbar and Sediment Storage Monitoring and Research $1,111,000

C Riparian Vegetation Monitoring and Research $485,000

D

Geomorphic Effects of Dam Operations and Vegetation 

Management for Archaeological Sites $294,000

E

Nutrients and Temperature as Ecosystem Drivers: 

Understanding Patterns, Establishing Links and Developing 

Predictive Tools for an Uncertain Future

$233,000

F Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology $811,000

G

Humpback Chub Population Dynamics throughout the 

Colorado River Ecosystem $1,674,000

H Salmonid Research and Monitoring $726,000

I

Warm-Water Native and Non-Native Fish Research and 

Monitoring $581,000

J Socioeconomic Research in the Colorado River Ecosystem $252,000

K Geospatial Science and Technology $231,000

L

Remote Sensing Overflight in Support of Long-term 

Monitoring and LTEMP $75,000

M Administration $1,478,000

N Hydropower Monitoring & Research $13,000

GCMRC Total Budget $9,215,000

(Amounts 

rounded 

to nearest 

$1,000)

FY2019 Budget Summary from FY18-20 TWP
FY2019 Budget Summary

GCMRC Total Budget $9,215,000 $9,215,000

Planned CPI *Actual CPI

Anticipated GCMRC AMP Funds (80%) $8,909,000 $9,014,000 

Over/Under Budget ($307,000) ($201,000)

Additional Funding:

Native Fish Conservation Contingency Fund $294,000 $294,000

Anticipated Carryover (From Previous FY) $175,000 $175,000

Total Additional Funding $469,000 $469,000

Total Planned to Carryover to FY2020 $162,000 $162,000

Remainder $0 **$106,000

(Amounts 

rounded 

to nearest 

$1,000)

Lake Powell: 

$71,000 (Not 

Funded by 

GCDAMP). 

Waiting for 

funding 

obligation. 

*Consumer Price Index (CPI) FY18 = 2.2%, **FY19 = 1.0 %

** Preliminary, subject to revision

From FY 

18-20TWP

**Current 

Estimate
Overhead Uncertainties

FY 2018 overhead on GCDMAP funds:

 Center-level overhead: 7.5%

 Facilities overhead: 8.1%

 Total overhead = 15.6%

 Pass-through rate = 3.0%

FY 2019 overhead on GCDMAP funds:

 Total overhead = TBD – initial estimate in 

July

 Pass-through rate = 3.0%
New Flagstaff Science Building

 New GSA contract with City of Flagstaff by 

end of FY 2018, but as early as May

 includes design and building

 Building design expected to be completed 

within six months of contract signing

 New building expected to be completed within 

18 months of contract signing

Estimated timeline:
New Overhead Rate

 New Flagstaff science building will increase 

facilities overhead ~ 19%

 Overhead with new building will be ~ 26%

 Pass-through rate = 3.0%

 Overhead will not increased until the new 

building is occupied

 Uncertainty as to building costs right now –

rent, and thus facilities overhead, could vary 

from the estimates
Questions?