Reflections

by Gary Lingle, Platte Watershed Program Coordinator
 

Nearly a year and a half has sped by since I took over the helm as PWP Coordinator with the University of Nebraska. The Platte River continues to take front stage with its controversies and incredible natural resources. Looking back, it's been an eventful and rewarding time (although admittedly not without its ups and downs!). Some of the highlights are:

organizing my second Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium and publishing the proceedings,

publishing the Glossary of Ecosystem Terms,

working with various subcommittees of the tri-state Cooperative Agreement,

receiving the 1998 Nebraska Extension Wildlife Award,

continuing the work of EPA's Community-based Environmental Protection,

and, perhaps most importantly from a pragmatic perspective, securing funding to continue PWP for the next 4 years with two weeks to spare before the original funds ran out!

Many of these topics are discussed in this issue of the PWP Update so sit back and enjoy. I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. My office address is: University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, Buffalo County, 1400 E 34th St, Kearney NE 68847-3998. My telephone number is: 308-236-1235; FAX: 234-6319; E: glingle@unl.edu. Stop by and visit, the welcome mat is always out and the coffee's on. Any feedback from you is appreciated.
 

Platte Watershed Program Thwarts Extinction- New Partnerships Forged,

by Gary Lingle, Platte Watershed Program Coordinator, 1400 E 34, Kearney NE 68847
 

The Platte Watershed Program overcame a major hurdle last April as the end of its 5-year funding cycle approached. EPA in 1994 launched the Middle Platte Community-Based Environmental Protection project thereby creating the Platte Watershed Program. The well was to run dry on 30 April 1999 from a funding perspective. While it's true that necessity is the mother of invention, pending unemployment provides a powerful incentive to thwart extinction. Consequently, several grant proposals were submitted last fall to fund PWP.

As the clock ticked away and the "drop dead" date drew nearer, a notice came in early April that not one, but two of our grant applications were approved, a full two weeks ahead of our deadline! With a great sense of relief, we are now focusing on the task at hand with new found vigor.

A description of the grants follow. First is EPA's Sustainable Development Challenge Grant for a project entitled Sustainability in the Middle Platte River Watershed (NE); Community-Based Education, Visioning, Planning, Leadership Development, and Environmental Protection. This 3-way partnership was spearheaded by Prairie Plains Resource Institute (PPRI) from Aurora with PWP and the Nature Conservancy as active partners. This 3-year project aims to construct a foundation for successful community-based, sustainable development within the Middle Platte River and Lower Loup Sub-basins in Nebraska. Sustainability is challenged due to increasing urbanization pressures, point and non-point water quality impacts, natural ecosystem decline, and general lack of public awareness about complex environmental issues. Partners will strive to describe and implement a sustainable, environmentally-sound vision within the project area.

The other grant is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Competitive Water Quality Extension Education Grant. Our project is entitled Platte Watershed Program- A Community-Based Watershed Awareness Initiative. In a nutshell, this 4-year effort is designed to provide information and education and promote research in order to increase public knowledge of Platte River watershed hydrology and ecology thereby enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding water resource issues. Most of the action items in this grant are compatible with the EPA grant.

The awarding of these grants to PWP and its partners is testimony to the solid track record of PWP the past 5 years and a show of faith that high-quality, timely products will be forthcoming to address water issues vital to us all. The mission of PWP remains the same, to empower the public to make informed water resource policy decisions. The goals are: 1) provide direct input into planning efforts e.g. the Cooperative Agreement and Platte River Corridor Initiative; 2) provide objective information through publications; and 3) provide educational opportunities through symposia and outreach (engagement) programs. We will be entering the next century on solid ground.
 

SIDEBAR: A key component of the EPA grant was unveiled by Bill Whitney of PPRI at the 10th Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium last February; that being the Grand Island to Columbus Platte River Corridor Initiative. Prairie Plains Resource Institute (PPRI) is leading a large-scale initiative along this corridor to:

1) Protect large contiguous tracts of native grasslands, wetlands, archeological sites, and riparian areas from future unplanned development through purchase and conservation easement acquisition, and through cooperative relationships with private landowners;

2) Restore ecological diversity and agricultural production potential to the grasslands, and manage the developing reserve system for combined purposes of ranching, resource preservation, and public use;

3) Develop educational programs on project lands such as SOAR (Summer Orientation About Rivers) and the "Community Preserve Model" such as is developing on PPRI's Olson Nature Preserve; to connect local people to the landscape, to provide outreach information and management assistance to landowners, and to promote broad understanding of the importance of the Platte and associated grasslands' ecological services regarding water quality protection, quality of life, etc.;

4) Promote and facilitate a community planning and visioning process in the corridor.

The Platte River corridor between Grand Island and Columbus contains significant tracts of upland and lowland native prairie, wetlands, archeological and recent historic sites, and scenic areas, in addition to the riparian zone and main channel of the Platte. Presently the corridor is relatively undeveloped compared to other sections of the Platte. However, due to its proximity to the eastern, more populous part of Nebraska, and t
 

An Opportunity for Public Involvement in the Middle Platte,

by Robert Fenemore, U.S. EPA Region VII, 901 N 5th St, Kansas City KS 66101
 

For the last six years, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has focused considerable resources in the Middle Platte River Watershed; the 5,000 square mile, 19-county area that drains into the Platte River between North Platte and Columbus Nebraska. In addition to its statutory responsibilities, the agency has encouraged non-regulatory approaches and public involvement in determining the future of this important and multi-featured watershed.

In 1993, the Middle Platte River Watershed was selected by EPA to demonstrate the value of using ecological risk assessments to guide the decisions of natural and environmental resource managers as well as elected officials. With guidance from a multi-organization "Nebraska Team," EPA conducted the ecological risk assessment to evaluate both the environmental resources most at risk and the effects of current management on eleven important Platte River ecological processes. The ecological risk assessment is nearly finished with the final report scheduled for release at the March 2000 Nebraska Water Conference.

In 1994, EPA also selected the Middle Platte Watershed to be one of the agency's first Community Based Environmental Protection (CBEP) projects. These projects stress involving the "community" - in this case everyone living within the watershed - in decisions that affect the watershed. The same "Nebraska Team" identified non-agricultural economic conditions and non-agricultural economic opportunities, as well as the issues and concerns of the public as information that was unavailable but necessary to compile in order for the several agencies, organizations and institutions as well as the Community to be involved in comprehensive watershed decisions. Extensive data were compiled on the non-agriculture economy of the watershed, tourism and recreation based economic opportunities were identified, and extensive surveys, interviews and profiling were used to capture the thoughts and concerns of the community's residents. Six reports were prepared that present the new information about the watershed.

During the last year, EPA has met with leaders of key agencies, organizations and groups, as well as elected officials or their staffs, to brief them on EPA's efforts in the watershed, and to encourage these groups to use the new information and work with the community to develop comprehensive economic, social, cultural, historical, recreational and/or environmental plans for the watershed.

For more information about EPA's efforts in the Middle Platte River Watershed or to get copies of the reports, contact Robert Fenemore, EPA's Project Manager at 913-551-7745.
 

Tenth Anniversary Symposium a Success Despite Weather
 

About 100 people braved the inclement weather to attend the Tenth Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium held in Kearney last February 23-24. Weather prevented several people from making the trip to Kearney so our turnout was down slightly from last year; however, 3 posters and 26 papers were presented.

This year the symposium broadened its charge to include more discussion on community-based environmental protection and policy-making. Our featured speaker was Dr. Steve Light, a biologist with the Minnesota DNR and an expert on adaptive resource management (ARM). He shared his experience with ARM as it was applied in the Everglades then offered comments about its applicability along the Platte. Dr. Dale Strickland, executive director of the Cooperative Agreement's governance committee, discussed ARM and its use with respect to the Cooperative Agreement. Judging from the interaction with the audience and the comments on the evaluation, this topic was of high interest to participants.

A riverine habitat management expert panel discussion occurred with experts representing 6 organizations/agencies; Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary, CNPPID, NPPD, Neb Game & Parks Comm, U.S. FWS, and the Platte River Whooping Crane Trust. The panel also received favorable reviews in the evaluations. The main criticism was that not enough time was allowed to engage the panelists in a discussion. Gene Hunt, superintendent of Ft. Kearny State Historical Park, gave an insightful overview of the historical habitat conditions of the Platte at the time of the construction and commission of the fort in the 1840s.

The evaluations revealed some useful information. Most of the respondents preferred to meet in Kearney (2.5:1) although it was suggested to meet earlier in February. The Ramada Inn (now Holiday Inn) was a hands down favorite over the Regency Inn for a meeting site. The top three activities in order of preference were invited keynote speaker, expert panel discussion, and research needs forum. This contrasts to the 1998 ranking where invited speaker ranked 6th; the top three were expert panel discussion, research needs forum, and workshop. In general there was a high degree of satisfaction with the symposium.

Participants look forward to next year's Symposium which will mark its 11th anniversary! Dates and location will be available this fall. Details will be posted on the Platte Watershed Program website (www.ianr.unl.edu/ianr/pwp/) (this is a new address so update your bookmark) as soon as possible. The Proceedings of the Tenth Symposium will be available on the web or by calling Gary Lingle at (308)236-1235; email: glingle@unl.edu.
 

Stakeholder Spotlight- Nebraskans First

by Don Adams, Jr., Executive Director, Cornhusker Plaza #401, 301 S 13th St, Lincoln NE 68508
 

Protecting Nebraska's groundwater for agriculture is the mission of the statewide, non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots coalition of irrigators called Nebraskans First. The board of directors of Nebraskans First is comprised of irrigators from across the state. Its membership is truly statewide, with farmers from Scottsbluff to Ashland and Atkinson to Red Cloud, and all the points in between. Our members know that farmers are the best stewards of the land and responsib of our precious water. Their families' lives depend upon this exemplary stewardship. The group's president is Bob Hilger, a farmer from David City who was instrumental in organizing the group back in 1991 and growing its membership in the eight years since.

Unlike any other, Nebraska is a groundwater-reliant state. The lifeblood of Nebraska's number one industry -- agriculture, is groundwater which irrigates 85% (7.5 million acres) of the total acres irrigated in Nebraska. The group's executive director, Don Adams, says, "groundwater fuels the engine that drives Nebraska's economy. Pumping groundwater for irrigation has been our salvation. All Nebraskans benefit from groundwater irrigation and the new wealth it generates for our economy. Therefore, groundwater irrigation must be protected, preserved, and defended rather than discouraged and complicated by government restrictions and controls."

The members of Nebraskans First are informed, involved and active. When the need has arisen, hundreds of our members have gone to Lincoln and packed State Capitol hearing rooms and the rotunda to express their concerns on key legislative bills and encourage our state senators to do what is right for irrigated agriculture. Our record of grassroots involvement has been quite effective and is well-documented.

Nebraskans First strongly opposed the conjunctive use water law (LB 108) passed by the Unicameral in 1996. In our opinion, this law weakened natural resources districts' local control of groundwater pumping and thrust groundwater irrigators into the dangerous waters of a new legal scheme where their rights would be inferior to surface water irrigators' rights. In our opinion, the passage of LB 108 opened the door for Kansas to sue us over Republican River flows and has encouraged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to focus their regulatory sights on groundwater irrigators to bear the brunt of developing more water in the Platte River through the Cooperative Agreement process.

Right now, Nebraskans First is involved in defending irrigators' rights from potential serious harm that could result if the Cooperative Agreement process targets irrigators in their final basinwide recovery plan. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking Platte River flows to enhance the environment for four endangered species; the whooping crane, least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon. The burden of developing increased Platte River flows must not be borne by irrigators whose farming practices enhance habitat and enrich the environment while using water for a beneficial purpose. Nebraskans First is committed to doing everything possible to protect Nebraska irrigated agriculture from suffering the devastation the timber industry of the Great Northwest suffered for the spotted owl.

Nebraskans First was a co-founder and is an institutional member of the Platte River Basin Agricultural Alliance which represents agricultural water users in communities throughout all reaches of the North, South, and Central Platte River Basin in the states of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. This three state alliance is striving to ensure strong representation for the Basins' agricultural interests in the Cooperative Agreement process.

Our generation must not allow the hard work, investment and achievement of our parents and grandparents who developed the Central Platte River Basin to be undone in order to satisfy the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's thirst for Nebraska water and land for very questionable purposes.

For information about Nebraskans First contact Don Adams at (402) 434-2938; FAX (402) 434-2935.
 

Cooperative Agreement Status
 

The Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to Endangered Species Habitats Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska is now 2 years old. This landmark agreement between Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, and the Department of Interior has achieved many of the milestones set forth in the founding document yet has a huge task at hand to develop a program over the next 1.5-2 years. The proposed program currently calls for the protection of 10,000 acres of habitat between Lexington and Chapman plus an additional 130,000 acre-feet of water on an average annual basis to meet target flows at Grand Island. Irrigators are particularly concerned about future water supplies available for irrigation. Where this water may come from is not clear at present; however, a reconnaissance study has been initiated to address this issue. Boyle Engineering has produced a draft report at a cost of $670,000. A copy of the report is posted on the website listed below. They have identified 77 potential actions that could help achieve target flows.

Dr. Dale Strickland of Cheyenne, Wyoming was hired as the Executive Director of the Governance Committee in April 1998. His address is: WEST, Inc., 2003 Central Avenue, Cheyenne WY 82001; phone: 307-634-1756; email: dstrickland@west-inc.com.

A description of the Cooperative Agreement and a list of key contacts for the various committees may be found in the recent NebFacts publication entitled What is the "Cooperative Agreement" for Endangered Species Habitat Along the Central Platte River? To order your free copy contact your local Cooperative Extension office or call 402-472-9872; email: tfranti@unl.edu and request NF98-375. The Bureau of Reclamation also maintains a website (www.platteriver.org/) which contains general information, a calendar of events including committee meeting dates, minutes of committee meetings, and a copy of Boyle Engineering's water supply study. You can be placed on the federal mailing list by contacting: Platte River EIS Office, POB 25007, PL-100, Denver CO 80225-0007; telephone: 303-445-2096 or the Bureau's website. You can be placed on the state mailing list by contacting: Laurie Fredrick, POB 94876, Lincoln NE 68509; telephone: 402-471-2081; email: fredrick@nrcdec.nrc.state.ne.us.
 

FERC License Issued
 

After 14 years of debate and over $35 million spent in legal and consultant fees, it finally happened! The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a 40-year license to Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (CNPPID) and Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) for operation of their Platte River projects on July 29, 1998.

FERC imposed a number of conditions on each of the licenses. These conditions are tied to the success or failure of the Cooperative Agreement signed by the three states and federal government in July 1997. Major conditions include:

establishing an Environmental Account in Lake McConaughy of a maximum of 200,000 acre-feet to be managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Releases cannot be made during floods.

participate in water conservation studies and use.

manage the 2,650 ac Cottonwood Ranch for wildlife use including one least tern and piping plover nesting site.

maintain the 9 existing least tern and piping plover nesting sites managed by the districts.

protect and manage at least 1200 ac of land between J-2 and Chapman for least terns, piping plovers, whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, and other migratory waterfowl plus an additional 3000 ac between North Platte and J-2.

protect 500 ac of wet meadow habitat along the North Platte River between Keystone and North Platte.

CNPPID is well on its way towards meeting the habitat protection conditions with their recent lease/purchase agreement for portions of Jeffrey Island. The site encompasses about 4,000 ac of Platte River habitat at the J-2 return below Lexington. CNPPID entered into a 17-year lease on 6 January 1999 at a rate of $485,125 per year. At the end of the term, a lump sum payment of $600 per acre will be made to acquire the land for a total package amounting to $8.2 million.

Brian Barels, manager of NPPD's Water Resources Dept, had this to say with respect to their license, "We believe this license allows us to continue to generate clean renewable electricity and provide supplemental irrigation water while enhancing the environment. Now comes new challenges, meeting the new licensing conditions and designing a program that will really benefit the species while providing for the needs of Nebraskans and residents of upstream states."
 

Lingle Receives Wildlife Award

November 17, 1998 SCOTTSBLUFF -- Gary Lingle of Kearney received the 1998 Extension Wildlife Award during the Nebraska Cooperative Extension Association's annual meeting this week in Scottsbluff. Lingle is the Platte Watershed Program Coordinator based at the Buffalo County Extension office in Kearney. He also is an NU extension educator.

The Michigan native moved to Nebraska in 1978 to study Platte River ecology with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lingle was a founding member of the Wings Over the Platte task force and was honored as Crane Conservationist of the Year in 1997 by Wings Over the Platte. He has published more than 55 scientific and popular articles, including two books. Since 1989, he has organized and/or participated in youth camps, including Summer Orientation About Rivers, Crane Meadows Nature Center camps and Nature Discovery Classroom.

The award is sponsored by the Nebraska Division of the Izaak Walton League of America. Selection for the award is based on initiation and promotion of wildlife and related activities or programs, emphasizing wildlife and conservation in interdisciplinary efforts, involvement with programs established by wildlife agencies, and cooperation and teamwork with other extension staff in establishing and promoting state or county wildlife-related programs.
 

New DWR Director Appointed

Feb 1999 Press Release
 

Governor Mike Johanns appointed Roger K. Patterson, a native of southwest Nebraska, to serve as the Director of the Nebraska Department of Water Resources. Mr. Patterson, 49, was the Mid-Pacific Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation in Sacramento, California. A 25-year veteran of the organization, Mr. Patterson has coordinated all Bureau activities in the region which includes most of California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin in Oregon.

"I am very pleased to announce the selection of Roger Patterson as Director of Water Resources," said Governor Johanns. "Roger's outstanding experience and his Nebraska roots give him a unique background with which to join this administration. I interviewed him here in Lincoln this past weekend and was very impressed."

Roger Patterson is a 1973 graduate of the University of Nebraska with a bachelor's and master's degree in Civil Engineering. Raised on a farm near McCook, Nebraska, he attended Hayes County (Nebraska) High School. In 1974, he began his work with the Bureau of Reclamation in McCook, scheduling water to various Irrigation Districts in Nebraska, Kansas, and eastern Colorado and was the branch chief for water operations in the Region.

Former Director J. Michael Jess now serves as a Water Resources Engineer with the School of Natural Resources Science and the Conservation and Survey Division at UNL after occupying the Directors post since 1981.
 

Operation Crane Watch

This information was gleaned, with permission, from the following website: U.S. Geological Survey. 1998. Operation crane watch. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/perm/cranemov/cranemov.htm (Version 04JUN99)
 

Major gaps remain in knowledge needed to effectively manage the midcontinent sandhill crane population. This lack of knowledge is hampering efforts by crane managers to prioritize where to focus habitat conservation and restoration efforts, develop appropriate guidelines for hunting seasons, and address other management issues.

Until recently, tools were lacking which would allow scientists to follow individual sandhill cranes throughout the year. However, the recent development of small and lightweight Platform Transmitting Terminals (PTT's) which, when attached to birds, can be monitored from orbiting satellites, has made possible the tracking of migratory birds throughout their annual cycles. Twenty-one sandhill cranes currently being monitored were captured and radio-marked in the Platte Valley in March of 1998 and 1999 as part of a planned 4-year study to gain a better understanding of several population-related parameters important to management of the midcontinent population. The results of this study are expected to benefit all agencies, organizations, and individuals having a stake in management of the midcontinent sandhill crane population in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Russia.

Specific goals of our satellite telemetry research are to: (1) identify the breeding grounds, migration routes, and wintering areas of the 3 subspecies of sandhill cranes that form the midcontinent population, (2) determine distribution and duration of stay of subspecies and subpopulations within the Central Platte and North Platte river valleys along with identifying other stopover sites used in spring and fall, (3) estimate the proportion of the midcontinent population present in the survey area when the annual population survey is conducted in March, which will allow a better assessment of reliability of current population estimates, and (4) determine temporal and spatial distribution and exposure of the 3 subspecies to hunting during fall migration and winter.

Funding currently is being sought to increase the sample size of PTT-marked cranes to levels considered adequate to address identified objectives. Start-up funding for the satellite telemetry work on sandhill cranes came through the Platte River Ecosystem Initiative, a multi-division study of the U.S. Geological Survey. This project is addressing research needs of key species of migratory birds using the Platte Valley and adjacent areas, their habitats, and the role of hydrology and geology in influencing habitat conditions, particularly within the Platte River channels and adjoining wet meadows.

Editor's Note: To quickly see where the cranes are, use this Operation Crane Watch web address: http://159.189.96.215/perm/cranemov/cranemov.htm

This is an exciting and instructive way to bring the miracle of migration right into your classroom or household. Enjoy!
 

Scientists Identify a New Species of Insect in the Platte River

by Beth Goldowitz, Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, 6611 Whooping Crane, Wood River NE 68883 and Matt Whiles, Insect Ecologist, Kansas State University, Manhatten
 

Ecologists studying slough wetlands in the meadows along the Platte River have discovered a new specieIronoquia plattensis to recognize its first collection from the Platte River.

A case-bearing caddisfly, I. plattensis has a life cycle that is uniquely adapted to the intermittent wetlands in Platte River meadows. The larvae are aquatic; they hatch in the fall and live in the slough until June. In early summer, before the slough dries, final instar larvae migrate en masse out of the water. They aestivate and pupate in the moist litter layer of the meadow during the dry summer months. In late September, as the slough refills with water, the adult caddisflies emerge, mate, and lay eggs back in the slough. The new generation hatches and begins growing before the slough freezes for the winter.

Larval I. plattensis are leaf shredders and feed on decomposing emergent and aquatic plants. In the slough where we originally found it, this caddisfly is a major component of the macroinvertebrate community, comprising fully half of the biomass of invertebrates that emerges from the aquatic to the terrestrial environment.

At this time, I. plattensis is known to inhabit only a handful of intermittent channels and sloughs of the central Platte River that are located between Gibbon and Chapman.
 

Photo caption info:
 

Magnified image of Ironoquia plattensis. The adults (top), about 7 mm long, emerge in late September. The larvae, 8-10 mm long, live in the slough inside portable cases that are constructed from cemented sand grains (bottom).
 

Platte River Resources Available from PWP

To order copies contact Tom Franti at tfranti@unl.edu or call 402-472-9872.

Platte Watershed Program www.ianr.unl.edu/ianr/pwp

Investigations of fish, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrate species within the Middle Platte River system. Goldowitz, B. and M. Whiles. 1999.

The Middle Platte Socioeconomic overview. Jenkins, A. 1998.

The Middle Platte Socioeconomic baseline. Jenkins, A. and R. Konecny. 1999.

Platte River Nature Recreation Study: The economic impact of wildlife watching on the Platte River in Nebraska. Eubanks, T., R. Ditton, and J. Stoll. 1998.

Wildlife-associated recreation along Nebraska's Platte River: The economic impact of hunting and fishing on the Middle Platte River in Nebraska. Eubanks, T. 1999.

Socio-cultural study of the Middle Platte River region of Nebraska: Building capacity for community-based conservation. Allen, J. 1999.

Small town community profiles: central Platte region, Nebraska. Allen, J. and M. Duffus. 1999.

Glossary of ecosystem terms. Franti, T., R. Herpel, and G. Lingle. 1998.

What is the "Cooperative Agreement" for endangered species habitat along the central Platte River? Lingle, G. and T. Franti. 1998.

Proceedings of the Tenth Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium Lingle, G., editor. 1999.