NebFacts NF98-375
What is the "Cooperative
Agreement" for Endangered Species Habitat Along the Central Platte River?
By Gary
R. Lingle, Platte Watershed Program Coordinator
Thomas G. Franti, Surface Water Management Specialist
The governors of Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming and the Secretary of the Interior signed an historic agreement on July 1, 1997. This agreement addresses endangered species issues affecting the Platte River Basin upstream of its confluence with the Loup River. The Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to Endangered Species Habitats Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska provides funding and an administrative structure to allow the states and the federal government to work together in enhancing water and land resources for endangered species. The agreement has two main objectives:
1) To develop and implement a "recovery implementation program" to improve and conserve habitat for four threatened and endangered species; whooping crane, piping plover, least tern and pallid sturgeon.
2) To enable existing and new water uses in the Platte River Watershed to proceed without actions beyond the Program for the four species under the Endangered Species Act.
Although the states are not legally bound to participate in the Cooperative Agreement, they recognize a basinwide approach to resolving endangered species issues is more efficient and less costly than a state-by-state approach. All water users - agricultural, municipal, recreational and fish and wildlife - stand to benefit. The states have begun monitoring new water-related activities to distinguish between new and existing uses. This knowledge will enable the states to mitigate, offset or prevent activities which cause shortages in recommended river flows. 'Me original terms of the agreement may be modified as new information becomes available. 'Me Cooperative Agreement is planned for three years. During this time, public and private interests may propose Program alternatives.
Public Participation
Over the next three years, a review of the proposed Program impacts and a range of alternatives will be conducted. Following the review, a final Program will be selected and an implementation agreement signed. Public participation in the process is encouraged and all committee meetings are open to the public. Contact the chairman of any comniittee for meeting dates and minutes from previous meetings (see list at the end of this publication).
To be placed on the federal mailing list of the Platte River Environmental Impact Statement Study contact: Platte River EIS Office, POB 25007, PL-100, Denver CO 80225-0007; telephone: 303-445-2096 or contact the Platte River website at: http://www.usbr.gov/platte for general information and meeting schedules. To be placed on the state mailing list contact: Laurie Fredrick, POB 94876, Lincoln, NE 68509; telephone: 402-471-2081; e-mail: fredrick@nrcdec.nrc.state.ne.us.
Proposed Program
To assure compliance with the Endangered Species Act and to allow water users to continue to use the Platte River, the parties have proposed a basinwide Program to:
* provide additional or modified river flows throughout the central Platte habitat,
* improve habitat for endangered species by protecting up to 29,000 acres of suitable land between Lexington and Chapman, Nebraska,
The first phase of the Program will last 13-16 years. The water goal: to reduce flow shortages, as defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), at Grand Island by an average of 130,000 acre feet (a.f.) per year. Proposed shortage-reducing actions: 1) operate Kingsley Dam and related Nebraska facilities to provide an "environmental account" to be managed by USFWS not to exceed 200,000 a.f. This water will be stored in Lake McConaughy for environmental purposes, 2) modify Pathfinder Reservoir in Wyoming to store water in an environmental account; and 3) construct the Tamarack Project in Colorado to remove water from the South Platte River during excess flows and return it to the river through groundwater recharge when needed. These three actions will provide 70,000 a.f. of flow to the central Platte River; the additional 60,000 a.f. must be obtained through other means. The goal for land: to develop and/or protect at least 10,000 acres of suitable habitat in the Central Platte River Basin. Nebraska Public Power District's Cottonwood Ranch (2,650 acres) will contribute toward this goal.
The cost of the first phase of the Program is $75 million; half of which will be pais by the federal government, half by the states. Nebraska and Colorado will contribute 40 percent; Wyoming 20 percent, of the states' costs. By the end of the first increment, Nebraska will have contributed $15 million - $700,000 in cash and $14.3 million in cash equivalents, such as habitat and water. Nebraska's cash contribution is relatively small as the majority of the state's contributions are in the form of water and land. These contributions of land and water are tied to the pending relicensing of the Kingsley Dam and associated projects. All of Nebraska's cash contributions will be made during the three-year term of the Cooperative Agreement.
At the conclusion of the first phase, the Program will be evaluated and plans for a second increment will be prepared, if necessary. This same process could continue indefinitely; allowing the parties to maintain habita ' t recovery and ecosystem maintenance and development.
The first phase of the Program will last 13-16 years. The water goal: to reduce flow shortages, as defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), at Grand Island by an average of 130,000 acre feet (a.f.) per year. Proposed shortage-reducing actions: 1) operate Kingsley Dam and related Nebraska facilities to provide an "environmental account" to be managed by USFWS not to exceed 200,000 a.f. This water will be stored in Lake McConaughy for environmental purposes, 2) modify Pathfinder Reservoir in Wyoming to store water in an environmental account; and 3) construct the Tamarack Project in Colorado to remove water from the South Platte River during excess flows and return it to the river through groundwater recharge when needed. These three actions will provide 70,000 a.f. of flow to the central Platte River; the additional 60,000 a.f. must be obtained through other means. The goal for land: to develop and/or protect at least 10,000 acres of suitable habitat in the Central Platte River Basin. Nebraska Public Power District's Cottonwood Ranch (2,650 acres) will contribute toward this goal.
The cost of the first phase of the Program is $75 million; half of which will be pais by the federal government, half by the states. Nebraska and Colorado will contribute 40 percent; Wyoming 20 percent, of the states' costs. By the end of the first increment, Nebraska will have contributed $15 million - $700,000 in cash and $14.3 million in cash equivalents, such as habitat and water. Nebraska's cash contribution is relatively small as the majority of the state's contributions are in the form of water and land. These contributions of land and water are tied to the pending relicensing of the Kingsley Dam and associated projects. All of Nebraska's cash contributions will be made during the three-year term of the Cooperative Agreement.
At the conclusion of the first phase, the Program will be evaluated and plans for a second increment will be prepared, if necessary. This same process could continue indefinitely; allowing the parties to maintain habita ' t recovery and ecosystem maintenance and development.
Committee Structure
The Cooperative Agreement is administered by a 10 member Governance Committee with representatives from the USFWS; the Bureau of Reclamation; water users from Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado; each of the three states; and two representatives from environmental organizations. The Executive Director serves the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee established four subcommittees
to assist them in program development. They are:
I . Technical Committee to provide peer review protocol and identify target species and habitat research and monitoring needs.
2. Land Committee to oversee land rights acquisition and management.
i) Habitat Criteria establish and implement criteria for habitat protection.
ii) Information and Education-provide public information relevant to land interests.
iii) Third Party Impacts-identify and evaluate impacts to third parties including changes in tax revenue resulting from protection of land for endangered species.
iv) Land Interests-develop a process for protection and oversight of land interests, including the reversion of, or protection of, land interests if the Program fails.
v) Mapping-develop a GIS database to map current land cover types.
3. Water Management Committee to develop methods to track water supply and initiate water conservation demonstration projects.
4. Outreach Committee to review and approve educational materials prepared by or for the Governance Committee, its subcommittees or the Executive Director for public distribution.
Last updated on September 26, 1998 vw