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<br />o U 2:i 4 5 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />the FWS believes are necessary to fully protect the species. Of this total amount of water, <br />70,000 acre feet will be provided by water re-regulation projects in each of the states: the <br />Tamarack Project in Colorado, an environmental storage account in Lake McConaughy in <br />Nebraska, and a storage account in an enlarged Pathfinder Reservoir in Wyoming. The <br />balance of the water needed to meet the Program water goal will be provided through as- <br />yet unspecified water conservation and supply projects in the basin. <br /> <br />Through the first increment, the parties will contribute cash and cash equivalents totaling <br />$75 million to fund program administration and the acquisition of land and water to meet <br />program goals. Cash equivalents involve the value of land and water contributed to the <br />program. Contributions through the first increment will be as follows: <br /> <br />. $15 million by Colorado n $10.8 million in cash and $4.2 million in water from the <br />Tamarack Project. <br /> <br />. $15 million by Nebraska -- $5.3 million in land, $9 million in water from Lake <br />McConaughy, and $700,000 in cash. <br /> <br />. $7.5 million by Wyoming -- $4 million in cash, and $3.5 million in water from <br />enlarged Palhfmder Reservoir. <br /> <br />. $37.5 million by the federal government, in cash. <br /> <br />Each state will develop its own program to mitigate the effects of new water development <br />The Colorado framework links the anticipated impacts of water development to increases <br />in human population. The Colorado program looks at six basic sources of water supply <br />that will be developed to serve new population~ some which will add water to the system, <br />others which will deplete water from the system_ As new people move to the Front Range, <br />the overall effect of this new water development will increase South Platte flows in the fall, <br />winter and spring, and decrease flows in the summer. To mitigate this effect, Colorado will <br />implement new water regulation projects, like the Tamarack project, to shift river flows <br />back to the summer period. <br /> <br />The program will provide the required regulatory compliance under the ESA to offset <br />alleged effects to endangered species and their habitats of all existing and new water <br />projects, as long the Program milestones are met If the program expires or if activities <br />under the program are not adequately completed, the FWS may reinitiate consultation on <br />all permits that have relied on the program as the reasonable and prudent alternative. <br />Before doing so, the FWS must discuss the issues and seek resolution through the <br />Governance Committee. Through the reinitiation process, Colorado may continue its <br />activities, and there will be a presumption that the Colorado program avoids violation of <br />the ESA with respect to all permits in Colorado covered by the program. After that point, <br />there is no assurance that the Colorado programs will be adequate to offset the effects of <br />water project development and use. However, the FWS will consider the Colorado <br />program in the development of any new reasonable and prudent alternatives for such <br />development. <br /> <br />II <br />