Laserfiche WebLink
<br />1-1 <br /> <br /> <br />,~ .~ <br />OfJ2G35 <br /> <br />CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />"A mile wide and an inch deep," and "Nebraska's economic <br /> <br />lifeblood" are descriptions often made of the Platte River in <br /> <br />Nebraska. At the same time it is prized by many as one of <br /> <br />Nebraska's most important environmental resources. The portion <br /> <br />of Nebraska it drains is included in the area which has been <br /> <br />described as "The great American desert" or "A farmers garden- <br /> <br />land," depending upon whose eye viewed the area and when. <br /> <br />No matter how it is described, the part of Nebraska drained <br /> <br />by the Platte River and its tributaries is the heartland of the <br /> <br />state which contains water and land resources that possess out- <br /> <br />standing economic, environmental, and social values. The problems <br /> <br />associated with management of the water and related land re- <br /> <br />sources of the basin were analyzed in this study and plans and <br /> <br />recommendations for future management are presented in this <br /> <br />report for consideration by the people. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND AND AUTHORITY <br /> <br />The Platte River Basin, Nebraska Study has been defined as <br /> <br />a Level B Study. According to the U. S. Water Resources Council, <br /> <br />this level of study is a reconnaissance evaluation of water and <br /> <br /> <br />land resources for a region or river basin. Such studies are to <br /> <br /> <br />resolve complex long-range problems identified by framework <br /> <br />studies and assessments and may vary widely in scope and detail. <br /> <br />They involve federal, state, and local interests in plan formu- <br /> <br />lation and recommend action plans and programs to be undertaken <br /> <br />by specific entities. <br /> <br />Two water and related land studies conducted in recent years <br />