Columbia River Basin Restoration Program Science and Monitoring Awards

Overview

EPA's Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program offers funding assistance to eligible entities on a competitive basis. The program’s first targeted funding opportunity for science and monitoring projects resulted in seven grants being awarded $13.3 million — with $10.3 million in EPA funds, and approximately $3 million in cost share. Grant recipients include five Tribal and state governments, a nonprofit organization, and an academic institution.

For these awards, EPA prioritized projects that strengthen toxics monitoring in the Columbia River Basin. These grants will advance one or more of the following areas:

1. Characterization and spatiotemporal trend analysis: Collecting new data or compiling existing data to better understand which toxic chemicals are present in the Basin.
2. Pathway identification: Using existing and collected data to determine how toxic chemicals, both emerging and legacy, are reaching water sources.
3. Novel methods and approaches: Developing or applying innovative approaches that make toxics monitoring more efficient and effective through (a) identifying indicator chemicals that can represent broader groups of toxics across water, sediment, or fish; or (b) testing new methods to prioritize chemicals based on their presence, predicted occurrence, or biological effects.

Award performance periods range from October 2024 to September 2029. Cost share requirements are subject to Clean Water Act Section 123. Amounts awarded are subject to Congressional appropriations and grantee performance.

Award summaries

A printable version is also available:  Columbia River Basin Restoration Program Science and Monitoring Awards (pdf) (812.46 KB, October 2026)

1. Evaluating biological risk associated with emerging contaminants in the Snake and Clearwater Rivers using new approaches and methods

Building on the Nez Perce Tribe’s existing efforts in the Columbia River Basin, this project evaluates risks associated with chemicals and chemical mixtures in the Snake and Clearwater basins. Using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS) passive samplers and Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) data approaches, along with traditional water quality benchmarks, the study is helping to evaluate how individual chemicals and chemical mixtures may affect fish, wildlife, and people. The Tribe is deploying samplers at 50 locations to measure a wide range of contaminants, such as pesticides, multiple per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, wastewater indicators, pharmaceuticals, and tire wear chemicals. In total, the study is generating 357 chemical analyses. Results will help identify high-priority chemicals and areas of ecological concern. The project also includes outreach through videos, websites, and community events to share findings with the public.

Recipient: Nez Perce Tribe
EPA funds: $603,179; Cost share: $205,716; Total: $808,895

2. Contaminant monitoring in the Upper Columbia and Spokane River Basins

Building on the Spokane Tribe’s current Upper Columbia Basin Contaminant Status, Movement and Remedial Pilot Study, and the
work of the Washington Department of Ecology’s 2019 biofilm study, the Spokane Tribe is conducting multi-media sampling of priority contaminants in the Upper Columbia River Basin. This includes a total of 210 samples from surface water, bottom sediments, suspended sediments, crayfish, and tree swallow eggs to better understand how contaminants move through the ecosystem. Crayfish and swallow eggs are being used as indicators to identify pathways for toxic substances to enter the riparian food web. These samples are being used to determine the concentrations of different contaminants, such as metals, mercury, cations, anions, dissolved organic carbon, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyl, aroclors, and total organic carbon. By extending the one-year contaminant sampling project, this effort is providing more complete data on contaminant trends over time and complements partner efforts to lay the foundation for a sustained, long-term monitoring program in the Basin.

Recipient: The Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation
EPA funds: $900,000; Cost share: N/A; Total: $900,000

3. Monitoring and assessment of the effects of selenium and other metal(loids) on burbot (Lota lota) health in the Upper Columbia and Kootenai River Basins

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation are assessing the influence of mining-associated waste streams on contaminant
exposure patterns and fish health, with a focus on wild burbot (Lota lota). The project is comparing burbot from Lake Roosevelt and a nearby lake without elevated selenium levels to measure accumulations of arsenic, selenium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc in fish. This project will help establish an understanding of metal(loid) concentrations in wild burbot across the Upper Columbia Basin and how metal(loid) contaminants influence fish health.

Recipient: The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
EPA funds: $542,592; Cost share: N/A; Total: $542,592

4. Monitoring network in the major tributaries of the Mid and Upper Columbia River Basin and resident fish movement

The Washington State Department of Ecology is expanding its long-term toxics monitoring and reduction work in the Columbia River Basin through a toxics monitoring project in the mid and upper Columbia River Basin. This project focuses on two key areas: conducting a synoptic survey of the major tributaries and assessment of a fixed monitoring network; and building a fish microchemistry dataset to show where resident fish have been living while accumulating toxic contaminants. These efforts provide new insight into fish movement and how toxics move through the Basin’s ecosystems. The Department’s work in the Columbia River Basin is increasingly collaborative and dependent on partnerships; the project furthers collaborative networks and provides technical assistance and monitoring tools that are transferable and scalable for the larger Columbia River Basin community. Outcomes will support EPA’s Restoration Program and Toxics Monitoring Subgroup by advancing consistent, Basin-wide approaches to toxics monitoring.

Recipient: Washington State Department of Ecology
EPA funds: $2,954,118; Cost share: $984,706; Total: $3,938,824

5. Mapping and prioritizing toxic contaminants in the Columbia River Basin: Innovative techniques and community collaborations

Oregon State University (OSU) is monitoring the concentrations of toxic contaminants in a 170-mile region of the Lower Columbia
River. The project team is prioritizing detected contaminants based on their abundance, occurrence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity
profiles. The study is also identifying sources of high-priority contaminants, creating a sourcing and predictive model to show where toxics are likely to occur. This information will assist in protecting and restoring the Columbia River by helping partners develop evidence-based policies and by supporting communities in protecting water quality. OSU, working with partners, will produce 17 bilingual research products, hold public events, and prepare community-level reports to make the results accessible to a wide range of audiences.

Recipient: Oregon State University
EPA funds: $2,999,891; Cost share: $1,001,909; Total: $4,001,800

6. Mercury risk in the Columbia River Basin: Expanding a biosentinel monitoring network to model risk, identify pathways, and empower mitigation and management

Building off The Freshwater Trust’s (TFT) ongoing collaboration with the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, TFT is expanding a watershed-level mercury monitoring network in the Willamette River basin and using dragonfly samples to estimate mercury risk in four major Columbia River tributary watersheds. Sampling is occurring at 240 sites across the region. Results will help identify
the drivers of mercury pollution and strengthen ongoing research and public awareness efforts led by TFT, Oregon State University,
and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Recipient: The Freshwater Trust
EPA funds: $1,448,543; Cost share: $485,175; Total: $1,933,718

7. Coordinated implementation of legacy and emerging contaminant monitoring and assessment in the Columbia River Basin

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is: 1) studying the fate and transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in treated sewage sludge that is intended to be applied to land as a soil conditioner or fertilizer in different ecosystems; and 2) enhancing fish tissue monitoring efforts to identify human and ecosystem exposure to toxic legacy and emerging contaminants. Anticipated outcomes consist of identifying background concentrations of PFAS in agricultural fields in Oregon; creating a snapshot of PFAS concentrations in irrigation water, soils and crops grown in agricultural fields using land applied biosolids; and identifying concentrations of PFAS that accumulate in crops, soil, and potentially leach to water bodies. These data will help assess potential toxic contaminant hot spots, inform potential fish consumption advisories, and help local communities understand concentrations of PFAS and other legacy and emerging contaminants in land, water, and fish.

Recipient: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
EPA funds: $900,000; Cost share: $300,000; Total: $1,200,000