402.6—Water-Resources Research Program.
(a)
Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, the Water-Resources Research Program will provide support, in the form of a dollar-for-dollar matching grant, to educational institutions, private foundations, private firms, individuals, and agencies of local or State governments for research concerning any aspect of a water-resource related problem deemed to be in the national interest. Federal agencies are excluded from receiving matching grants. Grants may be awarded on other than a dollar-for-dollar matching basis in cases where the USGS determines that research on a high-priority subject is of a basic nature that otherwise would not be undertaken.
(b)
The types of research to be undertaken under this program are listed below, without indication of priority:
(1)
Aspects of the hydrologic cycle;
(2)
Supply and demand for water;
(3)
Demineralization of saline and other impaired waters;
(4)
Conservation and best use of available supplies of water and methods of increasing such supplies;
(6)
Depletion and degradation of groundwater supplies;
(7)
Improvements in the productivity of water when used for agricultural, municipal, and commercial purposes; and
(8)
The economic, legal, engineering, social, recreational, biological, geographic, ecological, and other aspects of water problems.
(9)
Scientific information-dissemination activities, including identifying, assembling, and interpreting the results of scientific and engineering research on water-resources problems.
(10)
Providing means for improved communications of research results, having due regard for the varying conditions and needs for the respective States and regions.