The following research needs statements were derived from stakeholder interviews conducted throughout the Platte River Watershed in Nebraska between December, 1996 and May, 1997. Those interviewed represent a variety of watershed interests; however, they do not necessarily represent all interest groups. Interviews will continue with additions and revisions made to these statements.

Research Needs Statements:

"Socio-economic research and socio-economic modeling are needed more than anything else."

Proposals:

• Identify the overall economic costs of additional water supplies in the river.
• Determine whether or not there are any ecosystem benefits derived from irrigation.
• Investigate the impacts of a greater use of center pivots and the general increases in farm size.

Comments:

• A shift in rural lifestyles could be occurring and the stakeholders need to be aware of it.
• Decision-makers and individuals need technical, scientific information to help them understand the economic implications of their decisions. There definitely has to be more research on the economic consequences of change and how individuals can change their practices and still maintain their jobs and livelihoods. 

"Basic biologic research could always be done."

Proposals:

• Determine how the ecosystem works and what the impacts of conservation activities are.
• Identify species/habitat relationships and how species fluctuate under various conditions.
• Determine what the overall impacts on the ecosystem are and will be; researchers may have to track individual components and the differences between wet and dry cycles.

"Hydrologic relationships and conjunctive use research are also of particular interest."

Proposals:

• Provide some simple, visual materials for basic hydrology that describe particular reaches of the river. This would show how the river can differ tremendously, depending on land use and the characteristics of the area.
• Identify what reaches of the river are gaining and which are losing.
• Identify regional drainage patterns. Develop a regional water budget.
• Identify both the positive and negative impacts of hydropower and irrigation (irrigation canals, subsurface irrigation).
• Identify the impacts of conservation.
• Explain why target flows are necessary.

Comments:

• Generally there is some misunderstanding of how the Platte River influences groundwater (its recharge capacity and so on). Consequently, the most often asked question is how close to the river does a well have to be before the well has an impact on surface water and do impacts vary under varying conditions.
• Stakeholders must be aware of the full scope of water projects in CO and WY.
• Stakeholders cannot afford to make decisions on what they think will happen; they have to try to know what will happen.
• New technologies need to be field tested before investments are made in them (i.e. global positioning and geographic information systems).

Additional Areas of Stakeholder Concern:

Government management and the impacts of public policy

Proposals:

• Develop a document that explains agency jurisdictions and regulatory functions. Identify who has control, authority, and responsibility for Platte River decision making.
• Identify where a person should go if they have a concern or question about the Platte River.
• Investigate the potential impact of changing Nebraska’s system to allow for the leasing of water rights (willing seller/buyer) to acquire water for habitat in low flow years.
• Investigate the potential impact of transferring water rights.
• Conduct a survey of ag producers to determine whether or not they would be willing to lease water. Investigate alternative ways to institute control and to use taxes to guide growth (government restrictions and regulations versus taxation policies).

Comments:

• Any research conducted in the Platte River Watershed has to be used as a foundation for management decisions.
• Information exchange between stakeholders is a problem; no linkages exist.
• There is a lack of understanding as to what each local, state, and federal agency can do in terms of Platte Watershed issues.

Land use planning

Proposals:

• Investigate the impacts of voluntary vs. mandatory land use planning.
• Identify potential incentives to preserve wet meadows; identify what methods work and why.
• Publish projections on development in the basin; irrigation trends; recreation needs; and potential flooding and flood impacts.
• Identify sand pits that offer greater opportunities for residential growth along the Platte River.

Comments:

• Adoption of land use regulations (zoning) is an opportunity to put a variety of land use controls in place. Land use regulations and zoning go hand in hand with wellhead protection.

Last updated on 7.6.98