PRRIP Purposes and Overview Draft (2)

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projects through the feasibility study and implementation process. Governance Committee approval is required before any water conservation/supply project can be included in the Program. The Program will only include projects that yield a quantifiable net water benefit toward Program First Increment water objectives. If a proposed water conservation and supply project affects the Program's target flow shortage reduction benefits that are or will be achieved by an initial Program water project or by another approved Program water project, the proposed Program water project can be implemented if the result is a net increase in Program credit toward the First Increment water objective and if any adverse impacts to then-existing water related activities are addressed as provided later in this section. The sponsor(s) of any adversely affected initial or previously approved Program water project will not be held accountable to the Program or to the FWS for the reduction in Program benefits resulting from the new proj ect. A new project may be substituted for one or more projects identified in the original Program Water Plan or a project identified in the original Program Water Plan may be substantially modified, if the adverse impacts of that project on FWS recommended flows for the central Platte River are no greater in magnitude or frequency than the original project or projects. Otherwise, if a new or substantially modified project is considered for implementation in the Program Water Plan, FWS, through its membership on the Governance Committee, reserves the right to reject that project on the basis of adverse impacts to one or more of its recommended flows far the central Platte River ar on lower Platte River flows. It is the intent of the Program to implement Program water conservation and supply projects that do not adversely affect existing water related activities in the three states. Should Program water conservation and supply projects adversely impact an existing water related activity, the Governance Committee will evaluate those impacts and if it is not possible to avoid adverse impacts, take steps to offset, mitigate, or compensate the owner of that water related activity for such impacts. c. Operation of Program Water Conservation/Supply Projects. The operations of the Program's three initial water projects and of all the other Program water conservation/supply projects will be coordinated as described in the "Program Water Management Process" included in the Program Water Plan (Attachment 5, Section 1). There are recognizable benefits to coordinating SepEeikef-November -129 2005 Program Document 15 1